Hugo Chavez again moves against US interests

[kevin]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4130354.stm

They are kicking the DEA out.

How much longer can US policy tolerate this strongman communist? Not only is he part of a nexus of leftist leaders in Latin America, but he has formed ties with Cuba, has helped aid FARC, and has increasingly up'd rhetoric against the US.

[feederband]

This guy is a joke.... I would't doubt soon that he is in someones cross hairs...

[abajan]

"This guy" is also the best thing that's happened to Venezuela in a long time, as far as the poor and disadvantaged there are concerned.

Not everything can be looked at in strictly black and white terms. Chavez is not all bad. He has way more support in this region than you may realize.

Considering the history of the CIA and other U.S. governmental agencies' activities abroad, the claims made by Chavez don't exactly seem that far-fetched to me.

[feederband]

"This guy" is also the best thing that's happened to Venezuela in a long time, as far as the poor and disadvantaged there are concerned.

Not everything can be looked at in strictly black and white terms. Chavez is not all bad. He has way more support in this region than you may realize.

You forgot the best thing for the drug lords as well....

[abajan]

"This guy" is also the best thing that's happened to Venezuela in a long time, as far as the poor and disadvantaged there are concerned.

Not everything can be looked at in strictly black and white terms. Chavez is not all bad. He has way more support in this region than you may realize.

You forgot the best thing for the drug lords as well....

By stating that "Chavez is not all bad", the implication is that he isn't all good.

[kevin]

You bring up good points abajan. However, by seemingly making a pact with drug traffickers he not only threatens us but also threaten Columbia. FARC and other criminal gangs will find themselves a haven in Venezuela. Cuban arms and expertise will flow into this region.

Chavez is a populist, but this is not necessarily good for a country. Mr. Mugabe of Zimbabwe is also a populist by kicking out white farmers and opening it up for the poor to take residence there. However, while Mugabe is starving his country Chavez seems to be taking a less harsh path. How long this tempered socialism will last before communism takes hold, is anyone's guess.

[abajan]

...Chavez is a populist, but this is not necessarily good for a country. Mr. Mugabe of Zimbabwe is also a populist by kicking out white farmers and opening it up for the poor to take residence there. However, while Mugabe is starving his country Chavez seems to be taking a less harsh path. How long this tempered socialism will last before communism takes hold, is anyone's guess.

Chavez I can live with but Mugabe absolutely sucks! He started out admirably but he's simply been in power far too long and that power has apparently gone to his head (as often happens). This despicable business of forcibly removing White farmers is all about political survival and has nothing to do with helping the poor. Zimbabwe is in a deplorable state and the blame falls squarely on Mugabe's shoulders and not the British or any other scapegoat he wishes to blame.

[Aslkahuna]

Same thing will happen to Venezuela once Chavez has been in power for a while longer and gets to really like those perks as well as all of that money flowing from the Drug Lords to keep the DEA out. Marcos in 1965 was popularly and legitimately elected and was a populist and look what he turned into (thanks in large part to Imelda).

Steve

[gtalum]

Good for him. We shouldn't be wasting our tax dollars on the ridiculous War on (Some) Drugs anyway.

[kevin]

I am not talking morality or ideology here, because I am of libertarian leanings.

He is not doing America any good by allowing criminals safe refuge and support. Neither is he doing the Colombians any good. Directly because of this, the cartels will be able to enrich themselves more effectively, gain more weapons, and kill American and South American officials who do not give in to their intimidation.

Discussion of the morality regarding the war on drugs exists, and debate continues. The existence of men and women (Americans) dying because of the cartels is not debatable, it is a fact.

Not to mention Chavez is disturbing the balance of power.

[kevin]

Chavez: U.S. will 'bite the dust' if it invades

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/ ... index.html

Continuing in the discussion of Mr. Chavez, he called America the worst empire to ever be on the earth.

Examples of Murderous Empires :
(1.) Assyria. Mass deportations and slaughter.
(2.) Rome. Carthago delenda est. Paranoia defensive aggression impulse.
(3.) Mongolian. They caused quite a few virgins to kill themselves in front of their assault.
....
- Belgium. King Leopold and the Congo
- NAZI Germany
- USSR
- Japan and that whole rape of Nanking

There have been quite a few murderous empires in the world, and for our republic to be mentioned among them makes my blood boil.[/b]

[stormie_skies]

Chavez: U.S. will 'bite the dust' if it invades

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/ ... index.html

Continuing in the discussion of Mr. Chavez, he called America the worst empire to ever be on the earth.

Examples of Murderous Empires :
(1.) Assyria. Mass deportations and slaughter.
(2.) Rome. Carthago delenda est. Paranoia defensive aggression impulse.
(3.) Mongolian. They caused quite a few virgins to kill themselves in front of their assault.
....
- Belgium. King Leopold and the Congo
- NAZI Germany
- USSR
- Japan and that whole rape of Nanking

There have been quite a few murderous empires in the world, and for our republic to be mentioned among them makes my blood boil.[/b]

I don't disagree for a second that this rhetoric is ridiculous. That should go without saying. The US certainly has its faults, but we don't belong in the company of the above empires....or really, as an empire at all. But its hard to find a politician using popular fear/distruct/anger towards another nation to his or her advantage shocking....it happens all the time, in all kinds of countries.

Remember the "Axis of Evil"?

[kevin]

Yep. I'd agree that the decision to group Iraq, Iran, and North Korea into the same group of 'evil' is ridiculous. Iraq was a police state, Iran is an authoritarian state, and North Korea is a totalitarian state.

[feederband]

Yep. I'd agree that the decision to group Iraq, Iran, and North Korea into the same group of 'evil' is ridiculous. Iraq was a police state, Iran is an authoritarian state, and North Korea is a totalitarian state.

The one thing they have in common is that the world would be better off without there rulers.... One down....

[kevin]

Continuing the coverage of the Venezuela/United States row....

Caracas has withdrawn the diplomatic immunity of US anti-drugs officials working in Venezuela.

It follows a move by the US State Department to revoke the visas of six Venezuelan officials in Washington.

Both countries are locked in a row after President Hugo Chavez accused the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of spying on his government.

Taken from :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4147546.stm

[kevin]

Oil exports to the US could stop amid growing tensions between the two countries, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said.

from :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4153318.stm

[Aslkahuna]

Hugo has us over a Barrel-of oil that is. There's nothing we can do about or to him because we depend too much on foreign oil thanks to the crooks in FantasyLand on the Potomac.

Steve