The Air Force general responsible for U.S. military operations in most of Latin America said Tuesday that he does not believe Venezuela, despite ongoing arms purchases and close ties to Iran, poses a national security threat to the United States.
Gen. Douglas Fraser also said he would like to see more counterdrug cooperation from Venezuela, from which most northbound cocaine smuggling flights continue to originate, according to U.S. and Colombian officials.
He also said he did not consider Iran's ties with Chavez's socialist government to amount to a military alliance.
"As I look at Iran and their connection with Venezuela, I see that still primarily as a diplomatic and economic relationship," he said, with Iran using it to counter international sanctions over its alleged development of nuclear weapons.
Six African high school students who vanished from an international robotics fair in Washington remained missing...
International human rights organisation CARE has denounced the humanitarian crisis in war-torn Yemen, which is also...
At least one person has been killed and another injured during a shooting at the Israeli...
Israel's military has sent more troops to the West Bank and placed forces on high alert...
