The Department of Justice under the direction of former President Barack Obama failed to disrupt the drug trafficking operations of Hezbollah, according to Politico journalist Josh Meyer.
Meyer reported that the Obama administration wanted to reach an agreement with Iran. The transaction with the Mullahs was the reason for blocking the DEA from stopping Hezbollah’s activities in Latin America.
The National Review reported that the Justice Department was targeting Hezbollah because they had become a major player in the illegal drug trade within the international community. The diabolical organization was using their profits from their firearms and narcotics transactions to purchase Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs). They are the deadliest IEDs. The state of radical Islam uses them against American soldiers in the Iraqi war.
The terrorist organization transformed themselves into a global organized crime syndicate. Hezbollah conducted a criminal enterprise in South America with little interference from the DOJ, the group also earned $1 billion a year.
The DEA created Project Cassandra to dismantle the organized terrorist and criminal organization. The National Review reported that once the DOJ started to infiltrate its highest echelons, the Obama administration ordered the termination of the project.
An official from the Obama administration said that they could not allow any agency, such as the DEA or CIA, “rule the roost.” Reportedly, they could also not allow a Federal agency, with anti-terrorist operations directed by intelligence organizations and were very vital, be put in jeopardy.
However, former Obama Treasury Department Official Katherine Bauer testified before the House Committee of Foreign Affairs that the investigations associated with Hezbollah were interfered with. Bauer then swore to the Committee that it was done in fear of disturbing the Iranian Nuclear Deal.
The History of Hezbollah
Hezbollah came into existence during the 1980s. In the early part of the decade, Israel sent troops into Lebanon to occupy the Middle Eastern nation.
However, the terrorist group’s radical ideology originated in the 1960s and ’70s. Their roots date back to the time of the Shia Islamic Revival in Lebanon.
After the Israeli military withdrew from the country in 2000, the radical group remained in Lebanon and reinforced their military wing. The name of the group’s military division is the Islamic Resistance.
The BBC reported that the Islamic Resistance is stronger than the Lebanese military in certain ways. They used firepower against Israel in a war during 2006.
Meyer said in his report on the Hezbollah organization that the Obama administration distracted the group’s illegal drug trafficking operation in South America. He then stated that Project Cassandra would have prohibited a nuclear arms deal with Iran, had the project been successfully carried out.
The DEA followed a path of corruption and racketeering to Iran, where the state-sponsored the criminal operation. The DEA then requested permission to advance their investigation to the Justice, State, and Treasury departments, however, they were denied.
AXIOS reported that DEA officials stated they believed their investigation was dismantled for political reasons. AXIOS then reported that Project Cassandra was de-funded to continue talks on the nuclear deal with Iran. Hezbollah conducted a criminal enterprise in South America with little interference from the DOJ.
By John A. Federico
Edited by Jeanette Smith
Sources:
National Review: How Obama Appeased Iran by Turning a Blind Eye to Hezbollah’s Crimes
BBC: Profile: Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement
AXIOS: Report: Obama administration backed off Hezbollah investigation
Featured Image Courtesy of matin, soir’s Flickr Page – Creatice Commons License