Reply #45: No, you are miscontruing my point. It is of vital interest to Venezuela and [View All]

[Peace Patriot]

the region who leads Colombia, and what that means as to U.S./Bush interference, and other policies (the "war on drugs," "free trade," etc). Chavez spoke about it, but I'm sure that many leaders are concerned. Ecuador, for instance, is on the border with Colombia, and doesn't want to see Colombia's civil war, OR Bush's "war on drugs," spill over into Ecuador. The new leftist president of Ecuador has already stated that he will not renew the U.S. military base lease in Ecuador, because he does not trust the intentions of Bush's "war on drugs," and also considers it a sovereignty issue (the two issues are joined). Venezuela has the same border problem - plus the refugee problem. And Bolivia's Evo Morales also opposes the Bush "war on drugs." It is via the "war on drugs" that Colombia is receiving billions of dollars in U.S. military aid. That is a threat to the region.

So Chavez and other South American leaders have these, and many other legitimate concerns, about who rules Colombia - and also are involved as member nations in the OAS, which monitors elections - so they have a rightful say, and a responsibility, in regional election policy, and with regard to clean, fair, safe elections. There are circumstances that could lead to Colombia's economic deterioration, and to worsening conditions in its civil war. Those are general threats to all the countries in the region - and they are determined by Uribe policy - as dictated by the Bush Junta.

I am just a U.S. citizen, far from these events - but I DO bear responsibility for what my government does and who it supports, in my name. And I do what I can about that, although we are almost as helpless as Colombians - or Iraqis - as to controlling our own fate, and having any say HERE. Further, this unbelievably profligate spending that the Bushites have done - much of it military and police state spending - will affect me and my loved ones and friends personally. It already has. And our economy shows every sign of getting worse, under this great war profiteer burden, among other gross malfeasance and theft.

I am not have a say in Colombia. I am not a Colombian citizen and voter. But I do have a right to an opinion, given all these ways, and more, that U.S./Bush policy in Colombia and in South America affects me. I also have a right as a citizen of the world - a human being - to an opinion, and to activism, with regard to human rights violations by the Uribe government and others.

But Chavez and other leaders in the region have a direct RESPONSIBILITY for the safety and welfare of their own people, and their collective safety and welfare. No, he does not live in, or vote in, Colombia - but he has a rightful say in how Colombia conducts elections, in human rights violations (as a member of the OAS Human Rights Commission), and in policies that affect them all - such as this endless civil war in Colombia, funded by the Bushites.

The point you misconstrued is that I was talking about ME, not Chavez.