Worse Than Ransom: $400 Million in Cash from U.S. to top state TERROR sponsor

Background

April 9, 2013 - "Hugo Chávez’s Death: Implications for Venezuela and U.S. Relations" - Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov [pdf],  Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs

"Some observers have criticized the Obama Administration for making overtures to engage with Maduro, contending that U.S. policy should focus on attempting to ensure that the upcoming election is free and fair. A Washington Post editorial from early March 2013 contended that 'further wooing of Mr. Maduro should wait until he survives the scrum in his own party, wins a free vote and demonstrates that he is more than a Castro puppet.' ”

April 24, 2013 - U.S. News & World Report  | Iranian-Sponsored Narco-Terrorism in Venezuela: How Will Maduro Respond?
New Venezuelan president at a crossroads for burgeoning threat to U.S.

According to a 2015 study by the Financial Action Task Force, ISIL's primary sources of revenue are (in order decreasing significance):

• proceeds from the occupation of territory (including control of banks, oil and gas reservoirs, taxation, extortion, and robbery of economic assets)

• kidnapping for ransom

• state donations  ... often disguised as meant for "humanitarian charity." 

• material support provided by foreign fighters

• fundraising through modern communication networks

Jan 10, 2015 - IRAN NEWS AGENCY | Nicolas Maduro visits Tehran: Iran, Venezuela stress expansion of all-out relations  

March 17, 2015 - The Washington Times |  Lawmakers warn of links between Cuba, Iran, Venezuela
[M]embers of the Senate panel said further action must be taken against Venezuelan leftist President Nicolas Maduro for suppressing anti-government protesters.

June 2, 2016 | Washington (CNN) - "The State Department on Thursday released its annual report on global terrorist activity, listing Iran as the top state sponsor of terrorism and labeling ISIS "the greatest threat globally." 

Current News

AUG. 3, 2016   WASHINGTON —  $400 Million Cash Payment to Iran Fuels Latest Campaign Dispute ... On Wednesday, Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said that the news reports noting that the payments were made in cash did not bolster claims by critics that they amounted to a ransom payment.

RED FLAG [WARNING]

Cash payment as opposed to a routine wire transfer implies far worse than a U.S. ransom payment, which invites more kidnapping and is poor policy.  Wire transfers entail interbank transactions and allow traceability by account numbers, amounts, and eventual outflows. Cash, on the other hand, makes tracing proceeds to end receivers extremely difficult. 
 
What will IRAN do with $400 Millions in euros, Swiss francs and other currencies flown to Tehran on a cargo plane?  Future distributions of the $400 Millions will be very difficult to trace without IRAN's cooperation.  In other words, P.O.T.U.S. and his State Department will have plausible deniability if some portion of it is sent to Venezuela under the guise of sorely needed "food assistance", then funneled off to support Latin American versions of ISIS.

Submarines are always silent and strange.