U,S. Should Mend Relations with Venezuela -Senators

[Guns Aximbo]

It's about time...

http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=401030

Jan 10, 2005 — CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - The United States should build on its mutually reliant energy ties with oil supplier Venezuela and seek better cooperation with President Hugo Chavez to fight terrorism and drug-trafficking, three U.S. senators said on Monday.

Christopher Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat; Bill Nelson, a Democrat from Florida and Rhode Island Republican Lincoln Chafee said after talks with Chavez in Caracas they wanted to see Washington turn a new page in its relations with his populist government.

Chavez, a fiery nationalist first elected in 1998, often attacks U.S. policies as "imperialist" and has accused President Bush of trying to overthrow him.

Washington denies this. But U.S. officials have sharply criticized Chavez's close alliance with Cuba's Communist President, Fidel Castro, and have said his self-styled "revolution" could be eroding democracy in Venezuela, the fourth biggest provider of oil to the United States.

[Leilani]

1. During the Rice hearings

Chafee questioned her about Venezuela, & was pretty tough on her, but she wouldn't budge an inch.

[mopinko]

3. chafee was not the only one

several thugs went on and on about what a bad influence he is.
i just finished reading "confessions on an economic hitman", about how we use debt to keep people like hugo in line. he says the attempted coup was the work of the cia, as was the attempted recall.
there is a target on hugo's back, imho.

[ausiedownunderground]

10. "The Bush Gang"better hurry - Chavez is arming quickly

If the US wants to take down Chavez militarily or through Colombia's Uribe backed right wing militias you had better hurry up, because Chavez is currently arming his country to the teeth with Russian technology. Mig-29 Fulcrums and Sukhoi-27 Flankers are all about to arrive and if piloted by Russian, Belarussian and Ukranian "mercs" could be more than a match for the US's Top Guns. If he has also bought Russian missile technology as well as "heaps" of anti-air,anti-tank weapons and plastic explosives, then the last thing an invading US force wants is a well armed Guerrilla war in a "Jungle"! on top of a well armed Guerrilla war in a "Desert". And "The Bush Gang" wants to take on Iran/Syria and maybe North Korea as well!!!!!How many troops does the US have? Is "The Bush Gang" living on another planet?

[Carolab]

2. If they want a good deal on the oil, that is.

Of course, that's not what Condi was "signaling".

As I recall, Hugo doubled the price on his oil last month saying it had been priced too low for years, saying his country needs the revenue.

[leesa]

12. Too late...they signed an exclusive contract with China.

And I'll bet there is a protection clause in the event the US tries to overthrow them again.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Letter written to and published in V-Headline on U.S. policy

Published: Thursday, January 20, 2005
Bylined to: Fran Farrar


US $Industrialists$ upset with Venezuela's recent pact to sell lots of oil to China

Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2005 04:27:39 EST
From: Fran Farrar [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Condoleezza Rice infuriates me!

Ms. Rice seems to be the mouthpiece of an US administration that is blind to:

1. How President Chavez has been elected democratically in his own country where he is revered and seen as a beacon of hope to Venezuela's majority of citizens. Bush would just wish he had that much popularity and had won an election so fair and square!

2. Is grossly misinformed or more likely playing dumb and turning a blind eye to the immense good President Chavez has done for the poor of his country.

3. Is in league with the interests of US $Industrialists$ that are upset with Venezuela's recent pact to sell lots of oil to China.

4. The reality of Globalists, US Special Interests and mega money investors being incensed that President Chavez is attempting to form an independent trading block in South America. This action by President Chavez will attempt to prevent the IMF and the World Bank from interfering with and manipulating economies of the southern hemisphere.
(snip/...)

http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=24362

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I had forgotten Condoleeza Rice has been connected to the oil industry a long time. She WOULD have a bias concerning Venezuela, of course. She would have liked _{George H. W. Bush's} friend better, the former brutal and corrupt, and impeached for corruption
Carlos Andrez Perez.

[Sandpiper]

8. Don't forget about the Monroe Doctrine

Which declares the United States owners and proprietors of the western hemisphere.

Guess China and Venezuela didn't get the message.

[AP]

5. After Kerry's critical words about Hugo during primaries, I'm amazed

that any Dem is makign comments like these. And one of them is from FL!!!

Shock, notwithstanding, this is why I'm a Democratic. They're standign up for the principle that wealth should accumulate in the middle class all over the world. Good.

[0rganism]

6. If by "mend relations with" they mean "invade", bush will happily oblige

I'll give dubya this much credit: he lays out his intentions quite clearly, once you crack the code. The inaugural speech was a 100% guarantee of further military adventurism. Three years ago bush resorted to concotions of threats and forged evidence to make his case; now he apparently feels confident enough to wholly embrace unilateralism. The US military will now invade nations with no excuse, just because W feels like having a little more "wartime" to go with his "presidency".

At least one thing has to happen before the invasions of Iran and Venezuela: draft. It's coming. You'll know it's about to go down when the draft starts in November 2006, right after the midterm elections. We will be embroiled in gradually-escalating warfare for the next five years, which will be thickly applied to overshadow media coverage for the rollback of domestic environmental regulations and the annexation of Social Security.

Brother Jeb will become our 44th president in 2008, to finish what dubya started.

Anyone care to bet against me?

[struggle4progress]

7. Ooh! Is somebody getting nervous about China buying the oil?

[LynnTheDem]

9. Suddenly the rethugs have NO PROBLEM mentioning that 3-letter word.

Of course they STILL refuse to mention that 3-letter word is why 100,000+ Iraqi civilians have been killed, why 1371 US troops have been killed, why 161 "coalition" troops have been killed, why 20,000 US troops and god only knows how many Iraqis and "coalition" troops have been wounded, and why our treasury has been looted.

OIL.

[bemildred]

11. Heh, he's a "fiery nationalist" now.

I suppose that's a step up. Hugo's faults are 1.) that he has been
disobedient, and 2.) that he's gotten away with it. It will take a
revolution in US foreign policy before that is publicly forgiven.
Still, it's nice of these Senator's to speak up, and of course they
are correct.