|
Top U.S. General: China's Belt and Road May Help It ‘Dominate and Influence' Afghanistan
[Breitbart] WASHINGTON, DC ‐ China may use its multi-trillion-dollar One Belt, One Road (OBOR) project to "support and mask" its military objectives as it continues to try to "displace" its rival the United States and expand its influence in Afghanistan and the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon, a top American commander warned on Tuesday.American Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), told a Senate panel that China is seeking a deeper relationship with Lebanon. Iran’s narco-terrorist proxy Hezbollah holds a tight grip over politics in Lebanon as a legitimate party in the country. Votel’s comments are part of CENTCOM’s 2019 posture statement unveiled by Votel on Tuesday in the form of written testimony prepared for the Senate Armed Services Committee. The posture statement, presented to Congress each year, provides a summary of CENTCOM’s role and mission in its area of responsibility (AOR) ‐ mainly the Middle East and Afghanistan. Gen. Votel wrote in the statement: The bottom line is simple: If left unchecked, the expanding global reach of China’s economic and military initiatives, as well as Russia’s objective to weaken or subvert Western security structures in the CENTCOM AOR will pose a significant challenge to U.S. prosperity, security, and regional stability. Both Russia and China are increasing their efforts to gain access and influence in the country [of Lebanon] because of its key location on the Mediterranean and proximity to Syria. Hezbollah holds political clout which gives it a de-facto veto on Lebanese policy decisions, fields an armed militia that does not act on the behest of an elected government and builds popular support by acting as a social service provider ‐ all undermining the role of the legitimate [U.S.-backed] Lebanese government and armed forces. Posted by: Besoeker 2019-02-06 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=533697 |