Say, what was that Patrick Swayze flick ? The one without "baby" in the corner.

GERTZ:

Iran networking with Latin America's underclass

Welcome to Iran's new playground, located just south of the U.S. border.

Iran has been pumping billions of dollars into creating a network of agents in just about every country in South and Central America. The network has forged close ties to everybody from politicians to organized crime.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, left, Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega, center, and First Lady Rosario Murillo, in Managua, on Jan. 14, 2007.

Iran has gotten lots of help from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Chavez has introduced Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to leaders on the continent and allowed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to train in his country.

But IRGC has chosen to seek out the lower level of society. Iranian agents formed alliances with drug traffickers throughout South America in an effort to be able to export terrorism north toward the United States.

Ahmadinejad has formed strong ties with Bolivia as well. Again, Iranian money and Shi'ite fronts have blended Islamic terrorism with South American crime.

Iran has also made inroads in Ecuador. Chavez convinced Ecuador President Rafael Correa to meet Ahmadinejad, which led to a strategic dialogue with a key country in Latin America.

That has left the United States very uncomfortable. For 100 years, Latin America was regarded as the U.S. sphere of influence, a turf defended even at the height of the Cold War.

But Teheran is not Moscow and Iran has exploited large Shi'ite populations in such countries as Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.

The initiative is a good thing to have. Our enemies do not fart around waiting while Ann Coulter promises to campaign for Hillary because John McCain doesn't cause 'conservative' orgasms. The mullahs should be spending every second worried about what WE are doing, and what we MIGHT do.

Today, beginning with the Iraq Study Group's report and thru the incredible folding of George Bush towards his sunni "allies", and the 2007 NIE's Munich, the mullahs have had the beliefs of those who say Allah will stay our hand and guide them to victory strengthened every day.

Why would they not continue along the path they are on?