DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE: Frozen money in Iran, protesters who need to go, and how the border crisis is not as it appears
Last week I promised to open a big can of worms in my column this week discussing the money unfrozen in Iran to the tune of $6 billion, how that money is possibly being used to fuel the current war machine coffers, how the border crisis in involved and the important question should students on VISA’s in the USA screaming “Death to America” be allowed to stay.
SO, LET’S GET RIGHT INTO IT
The money in Iran that was unfrozen by the United States government was part of a hostage exchange deal with the United States releasing five Iranians held in the U.S. in exchange for five U.S. hostages being held in Iran.
A fair swap, however, what left most people scratching their heads was why did the U.S. decide to unblock $6 billion in frozen Iranian money. This money was proceeds from oil deals to South Korea that had been blocked by Trump Administration sanctions.
While the $6 billion is in a bank in Qatar and was supposedly only earmarked to be used by Iran for humanitarian purposes, it does not take a rocket scientist to understand Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi probably won’t be following that mandate once he gets his hands on the cash.
In fact, he told Lester Holt in an interview when ask if he planned to use the money for humanitarian purposes “This money belongs to the Islamic Republic of Iran and we will decide how to spend it where we need it.”
R aisi went on to say, “Humanitarian means it will be used where there is need.”
So, if Iran backs Hamas and we know it does, then who is to say that Raisi wouldn’t say rockets and terrorism to defend the cause isn’t his definition of “humanitarian.”
Follow this twist; Hezbollah is a terrorist group backed by Iran.
The group has rockets pointed at Israel, if Israel is stretched in its defense it will be forced to fight back and likely we will see fire along the entire southern border of Lebanon, that means Syria will get involved and then that means Iran will get involved and then.
That means Russia will get involved. Here we go… and by way, off topic, but there appears to be some chatter that Ukraine actually sold Hamas the weapons used for the attack in Israel.
Where did those weapons in Ukraine come from because there is question how Hamas got its hands on - was it 9000 rockets – didn’t the U.S. lose tracks of some of the weapons it provided Ukraine?
Back to that $6 billion in question Raisi has said is his to do with as he pleases.
A New York Times article: www.nytimes.com/2023/10/12/world/middleeast/us-qatar-iran-prisoner-deal.html#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20and%20Qatar,Americans%20from%20Iran%20last%20month did report,“The United States and Qatar have agreed to deny Iran access to $6 billion recently transferred to the nation as part of a deal between Washington and Tehran…
The move comes after harsh criticism, mainly from Republicans, that the Biden administration had given Iran a vast sum that freed up other funds for Tehran to provide support to Hamas before it attacked Israel over the weekend.”
And, of course, U.S. officials have denied Iran assisted with the Hamas assault, but those on the international playing field are well aware Tehran has backed Hamas for years.
The New York Times article added, “critics said the fungibility of money meant the restrictions had little meaning.”
Overall, we do know the Hamas and Israel situation is a quagmire with many players that Americans do not even understand.
It has been brought home even more to the point straining the United States with diversion because there are groups that are pro-Israel and there are groups that are pro-Palestinian however, many who have taken to the streets in support of Palestine apparently are not aware that Hamas is the government there.
And that means Palestine has, at its helm, a government better defined as a terrorist group.
In fact, for all you Hillary Clinton fans remember her strong comments on Israel and Gaza “They took out all the Israelis and turned the keys over to the Palestinian people and what happened, Hamas took over Gaza.
So instead of having a thriving economy with the kind of opportunities for the children of the Palestine we have a terrorist haven that is getting more and more rockets…”
Last week, a congresswoman from New York, Nicole Malliotakis reminded everyone pro-Palestinian protesters shut down the Brooklyn Bridge marching to Anti-Israel rallies while flooding streets and defacing businesses in New York City.
She said these people are pro-terrorism if they are backing Hamas, and in turn she reminded that Iran has funded at least 70% of Hamas.
And not only that, people who are living in America, I don’t care who you are, do not need to be spitting like a rat in a barn, and yelling “Death to America.”
Why are you here if you do not like America? Go home.
It is insulting. I definitely would not be getting my education in a country where I wanted everyone dead, would you?
Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas recently called for the immediate deportation of Hamas supporters in the U.S. stating, “I write to urge you to immediately deport any foreign national – including and especially any alien on a student visa – that has expressed support for Hamas and its murderous attacks on Israel.”
Fair enough.
Senator Marco Rubio from Florida added to that stating foreign nationals with visas supporting Hamas need to leave. He introduced a resolution to send these American-hating people home and said in a press release “America is the most generous nation on earth, but we cannot allow foreign nationals who support terrorist groups like Hamas and march in our streets calling for ‘intifada’ to enter or stay in our country.”
He said he also intended to pursue legislation to withhold federal funding from colleges and universities that allow pro-Palestine protests, demonstrations and other activities that could be seen to “endorse or espouse terrorist activity or persuade others to endorse or espouse terrorist activity or support a terrorist organization.”
Rubio led colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas asking him to, “Review and remove those who participated in, or encouraged the spread of, pro-Hamas, pro-terrorist activity.”
That is not likely to happen though since it appears the DHS has no clue about much of the information they need to have intel on, because it has been stated that terrorists are coming across our southern border, and DHS does not seem to have a handle on the situation.
Recently Louisiana Senator John Kennedy ask the Department of Homeland Security suits, starting with Cardell Morant, the Director for the Center for Countering Human Trafficking at the Department of Homeland Security how many non-American citizens have come into the United States illegally or on the basis of a claim of asylum?
Morant did not know. Kennedy shook his head, reminding Morant he is a Senior Member of Homeland Security.
It is 8 million by the way, and Kennedy pointed out that is four states of Nebraska.
The Department also did not know how many of these were children, how many were claiming asylum, how many do not show up for their hearings after claiming asylum, or how many are deported for not showing up to their hearing, and the lists of “I don’t knows” continue.
One thing we do know though, the United States in its current situation is vulnerable to terrorists crossing into the country and getting lost in America.
Fox News (www.foxnews.com/politics/hamas-attack-reminder-sleeper-cells-crossing-southern-border-expert-warns-theyre-already-here) reported in October when talking to Lora Ries, Director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, “Israel serves as a warning that the southern border with Mexico is not secure and is vulnerable to national security threats.
“Particularly the 1.7 million known ‘gotaways,’ those who evaded the Border Patrol because they didn’t want to be fingerprinted because they’re either known or suspected terrorists themselves, convicted aggravated felons, smuggling drugs or some combination thereof.”
Let’s see, add 1.7 million to the 7.4 million CBP has encountered and you can guess without having to have a really high IQ that yep, there are sleeper cells of terrorists in the United States.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Stay vigilant and remember this country might not have the best and the brightest in D.C. at the moment, but we the people of the United States have our best interests at heart and we will endure.
Rita Cook is a freelance writer for The Ellis County Press. She can be reached at rcook13@earthlink.net.