Retired Gen. Holt to Newsmax: World Must Also Watch Middle East, Asia

The world must expand its peripheral vision away from Ukraine and watch what's happening elsewhere, as Russia, as well as China and Iran, are taking connected actions in the Middle East and Asia, retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt said Wednesday on Newsmax.

"You can see them economically linked," said Holt on Newsmax's "Wake Up America." "you can see fuel and food now being used as levers on the world stage."

Israel is facing threats from several angles, including the north, with a Russia-Syria-Iran force, and then to the east, with a "potentially nuclear-armed-soon Iran," said Holt. "Then if you come over to Asia, you've got ports shut down from ill-conceived COVID measures, and a Taiwan invasion always certainly in the offing."

Holt said he does not know if there will ever be a 100% confirmation that Russia used chemical weapons in an attack on the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

"I had a long talk with Ukrainian officials yesterday," he said. "They simply can't get in with the right forensic teams into Mariupol right now. It's too dangerous."

He also said that the consensus is that Russia may have been running a test of chemical weapons to gauge world reaction, as it is looking at the escalation of a new campaign that uses all types of weapons.

"But the fear is when Mariupol is completely falling, they're going to come back to thermobaric weapons via the multiple rocket systems," said Holt.

There are also fears that Russia may be moving on toward an attack of Moldova, said Holt.

"The Russians are certainly making preparations in Transnistria [an internationally recognozed part of Moldova]," said Holt. "Now they're doing their hybrid warfare where propaganda is flooding the streets of Moldova."

Moldova is "disarmed" as it doesn't "have an army whatsover," he added.

There are also fears that as May 9 approaches, which is Russia's traditional Victory Day, the date that's been eyed for a Russian victory over Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin may be announcing a new front where he could claim victory, said Holt.

"That front could very well be Moldova with the actions we see right now," he added.

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