Foreign Digest: Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Greenland

Iran: The Islamic Republic of Iran killed thousands of peaceful Iranian protestors during the Internet blackout the tyrannical theocracy imposed to quell dissent to its 47-year rule. Thousands of others were injured and at least 10,000 arrested. As I have posted, the protests erupted in December of the collapse of the Iranian currency, but spread beyond merchants to the broader population and beyond a protest against the high cost-of-living to demonstrations against the dictatorship and even a return to the monarchy. The United States had threatened military action against the regime if it killed peaceful protestors, but instead only imposed economic sanctions on Iranian trading partners. Iran is the worst state sponsor of terrorism in the world. It foments Islamic Revolution, particularly among fellow Shi’ites, around the Islamic world. Syria: The U.S. struck Islamic State targets in Syria for a third time since a deadly December attack by the Sunni Islamist terrorist organization that killed American troops and a civilian worker, as I have posted. The strike killed the I.S. leader responsible for the attack. As I had posted, Jordan had participated in the first two waves of strikes and the Syrian Government has coordinated the action with the U.S. Some American troops remain present in Syria against the I.S. and al-Qaeda, as in Iraq. I.S. was formerly al-Qaeda in Iraq and Syria, but broke away from its parent organization that was responsible for the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on America that were the bloodiest in world history, killing nearly 3,000 people. The U.S. has been fighting al-Qaeda in the then-named War on Terrorism ever since, removing its safe haven in Afghanistan, and taking away I.S. control over all its territory in Syria and Iraq, and killing the leaders of each organization, but the two remain a threat throughout parts of the Islamic world. Venezuela: The Socialist dictatorship of Venezuela remains in power, as it has since 2000, even after the arrest in a raid by the United States of the previous de facto dictator on federal narco-terrorism charges. The Venezuelan regime has been releasing more international political prisoners, but a change in policy is not expected. As I have posted, the center-right opposition easily won the presidential election in 2024, but the Socialists refused to give up power. The U.S., many Latin American and European States did not recognize the Socialist dictator as the President or even recognized the opposition candidate, former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez, as the de jure President, but as I have posted, the U.S. is not making any effort to empower the election winner or the opposition leader for whom he had stood in because the dictatorship had banned her from office. Greenland: After several European and fellow North Atlantic Treaty Organization members, namely France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Finland, sent troops to bolster Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland in the face of Donald Trump’s threats to seize militarily the self-governing part of the Danish Kingdom. Trump responded with tariffs against Denmark and each of the NATO allies sending troops, as well as the United Kingdom, which supported Danish sovereignty. As I have posted, Trump's threats of aggression against Greenland and Denmark not only violate international law, but threaten existentially the NATO alliance that is led by the U.S. and which has been the most successful defensive pact in world history, having prevented Soviet/Russian invasion of Western Europe and keeping America and Canada also safe from nuclear missile attack. Greenland is a strategic part of the collective defense of the NATO members, as it hosts a U.S. Air Force base half way between Moscow, Russia and Washington, D.C. that tracks Russian missiles and serves other military purposes. The U.S. has access to the base and would be permitted increase its presence, as Denmark is a loyal ally. Neither Greenland, nor Denmark accept Trump’s offer to purchase the world’s largest island that is mostly covered by ice sheets, and oppose seizure by force. Greenland is currently governed by a center-right government that is moderately pro-independence and which is strongly defendig Greenlandic self-determination. Trump’s threats have met with harsh bipartisan congressional criticism, with bipartisan legislation introduced in both chambers of Congress to thwart any military action by Trump against Greenland and Denmark, while other legislative options are being considered. One Republican U.S. Representative even threatened Trump with impeachment were he to take any military action to seize Greenland by force.