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cal04 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 07:16 PM
Original message
Chavez makes call to arms
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he is considering buying enough rifles to arm one million people ready to repel a possible US invasion. Mr Chavez also threatened to close down his government's US-based refineries if Washington decided to cut diplomatic ties. During a speech warning his supporters that Washington was considering an invasion of Venezuela, Mr Chavez said that 100,000 Russian-built Kalashnikov assault rifles would not be enough to defend the country. "We still need a higher number of rifles. The 100,000 Russian rifles are not enough, Venezuela needs to have one million well-equipped and well-armed men and women," he said.

"I've started making contacts with some countries" that would be able to supply the rifles, Mr Chavez told the crowd of supporters to rousing applause. Relations between Washington and Caracas have been tense in recent months in part because of US criticism of Venezuela's purchases of military equipment, including 100,000 Russian-made assault rifles. Mr Chavez said Venezuela did not want to go to the extreme of cutting off petroleum supplies to the US but he said if Washington wanted to break relations he could easily order Venezuela's US refineries closed. "We'll see how high oil prices go, we'll see how much a gallon of gas will cost. I could easily sell the oil we sell to the United States to other countries," he said.

"We don't want to get to that extreme, we want them to leave us in peace." Venezuela is the world's fifth biggest oil exporter and supplies about 15 per cent of US petroleum imports. Washington has made no suggestion that it plans to cut off relations with Venezuela but Washington ordered out a Venezuelan diplomat after Chavez expelled a US military attache on spying charges earlier this week. During today's marathon speech, Mr Chavez extended his war of words with Washington, comparing US President George W Bush to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler while commemorating a failed 1992 coup he led as a lieutenant colonel.

"If any president in this world is similar, including physically, to Adolf Hitler it is Mr Danger," said Mr Chavez, prompting cheers from his supporters following a march through Caracas. "The imperialist, mass murdering, fascist attitude of the president of the United States doesn't have limits. I think Hitler could be a nursery baby next to George W Bush," Mr Chavez added.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18047176%255E1702,00.html
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peacebird Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 07:23 PM
Response to Original message
1. k&r
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SammyBlue Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 07:23 PM
Response to Original message
2. You know, I like Chavez and his socialist policies.
I like that he's a man of the people, but please, not another war! Please, not another war! That's the last thing we need.
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electricray Donating Member (390 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 08:38 PM
Response to Reply #2
16. All he is doing is arming his citizenry against a foreign coup attempt
If there are no aggressors there will be no war. There can be no phony claims of WMDs because all Chavez is doing is arming his people with rifles. There will be no war. Chavez is winning this war of words.
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leftstreet Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 07:24 PM
Response to Original message
3. "Hitler: nursery baby next to George W Bush" ROFL!
Edited on Sat Feb-04-06 07:25 PM by leftstreet
:rofl:
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oneighty Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 07:24 PM
Response to Original message
4. National Rifle Association
Should be right on top of this patriotic right to bear arms. Well ordered militia and all that stuff.

Might be we should be arming too me thinks.

Perhaps.

180
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hang a left Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 11:19 AM
Response to Reply #4
45. Some American firearm manufacturers are probably on this
by now. You think?
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oneighty Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 12:24 PM
Response to Reply #45
47. After seeing your picture
Sigh.

Anyway A million of anything gotta bring in lotta dollahs, big profit.

Think of the money.

180
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Tight_rope Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 11:09 AM
Response to Reply #45
84. Yeah...just like Bush's granddaddy sold steel to Hitler during WWII!
That would be a riot. American manufacturers selling guns to Chavez, who will be fighting the American troops...LMBAO. I see history repeating itself. :popcorn:
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FlemingsGhost Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 07:28 PM
Response to Original message
5. Now, would a leader arm his people if they were oppressed?
Not likely.
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Heewack Donating Member (297 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 07:36 PM
Response to Reply #5
7. He's usuing the chimps tactics.
He's using fear to control them.
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FlemingsGhost Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 07:56 PM
Response to Reply #7
11. He's talking about arming a million people.
One doesn't do that unless one is a fool, or fairly certain of loyalties.

Chavez is no fool.
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Pavulon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 08:00 PM
Response to Reply #11
12. NK has a million man army.
They can't feed it.

One does that to build a political uproar. The US has no interest in invading Venezuela. Maybe overthrowing chavez, but an invasion is unlikely.

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Solon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 08:05 PM
Response to Reply #12
13. Problem there...
The US may not invade, but Colombia, the US puppet in the region, has an army that's at least twice as large as Venezuela's. Having the US start a proxy war is not farfetched, remember the Iran/Iraq war and our trading of arms with the Contras.
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Pavulon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 08:14 PM
Response to Reply #13
14. Iran
Played a hand in killing marines in Beirut. kidnapped our people and refused to let them go.
So we armed people who wanted to kill them with better weapons to do the job. Long running policy (proxy wars) under all administrations.

Quite aware. Chavez is playing himself up, no different than the animal man hybrid comment. Designed for effect.

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Crunchy Frog Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 09:34 PM
Response to Reply #14
21. I guess that's why our country armed Iran as well as Iraq.
Doesn't explain why our country engineered a coup against the democratically elected Iranian government in 1953.
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Pavulon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 09:38 PM
Response to Reply #21
23. To serve our
"national interest". The CIA has been at it a long time.
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Zhade Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 02:09 AM
Response to Reply #21
70. Or the democratically-elected Chavez, for that matter.
NT!

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EFerrari Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 05:59 AM
Response to Reply #13
39. Not only not farfetched but actually our history in the region. n/t
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IndianaGreen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 02:07 PM
Response to Reply #12
55. Tell that to Panama, they were attacked by US
and many Panamian civilians were killed by our glorious troops, and no apology was ever given.

The best defense against US invasion other than nukes, is to arm and train all the citizens to defend their country against US invaders.
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Pavulon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 02:26 PM
Response to Reply #55
57. Right
And we are still there? Still hold the canal?

Noriega refused to handover power so we removed him. Threatned the canal so he was dealt with. Acting in our interest.

25,000 troops is hardly an invasion. We came, we did our job, and we left.

This is all saber rattling.
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IndianaGreen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 03:09 PM
Response to Reply #57
60. Acting in our "colonial" interests perhaps...
not in the interests of the American workers.

"We did our job"

We sure did, killing all those innocent civilians. I am so proud of our imperial storm troopers!


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FlemingsGhost Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 05:04 PM
Response to Reply #57
64. So the "official story" goes ... Here's a more accurate tale:
Panamanian banks were laundering CIA drug money.

A pissed off Noriega nationalized all banks.

The U.S. removed him.

End of story.
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Zhade Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 02:12 AM
Response to Reply #57
71. Noriega was on our payroll.
I recommend "The Panama Deception" for an honest look at what happened there.

I was never happier to know my dad was at least not a gunner on those AC-130s after I watched that.

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eridani Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 04:36 AM
Response to Reply #57
79. The "job" being--
--mass murder of about 3000 civilians.
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Zhade Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 02:07 AM
Response to Reply #12
69. Considering the administration already tried (and failed) to overthrow him
...there's no maybe about it.

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electricray Donating Member (390 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 08:41 PM
Response to Reply #7
18. I don't see fear in this move.
Chavez is giving his people hope every day and this latest move will give the people the hope of sustaining that political climate even against a foreign juggernaut aggresssor.
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StrafingMoose Donating Member (742 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 09:38 PM
Response to Reply #7
24. I agree, fear works for alot of power centers

Altough I like Chavez I must say.

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gordianot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 10:40 PM
Response to Reply #7
27. Yes correct, fear sells Chavez sells it well.
Edited on Sat Feb-04-06 10:46 PM by gordianot
Bush represents corporations that own the State, Chavez represents a State that owns the Corporation. Both know how to sell fear. Why does Chavez need to tell the world he is buying guns. By the way as far as I am concerned Chavez can buy all the guns he desires. We all help that when we buy Citgo gas.
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Clara T Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 10:54 PM
Original message
Life has improved for the poor
Edited on Sat Feb-04-06 10:54 PM by Clara T
in Venezuela under Chavez.

It has become worse for the poor in America under Bush. Big difference.

Chavez is loved by the majority in Venezuela.
Bush is loathed by a large number in US and considered worthless by a majority.

Chavez is doing alot for the people.
Bush is doing alot for the investor class.

Big difference.
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gordianot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 11:15 PM
Response to Original message
31. Bush is dangerous and represents elements more dangerous.
I can loathe George Bush, that counts I live in the United States, I also vote.

Hugo Chavez lives in Venezuela, I do not entirely approve of his public rhetoric, but that does not matter my opinion is of no concern. I am really glad he is loved in Venezuela.

On a personal level I detest all politicians who use demagoguery and fear. I will not vote for politicians who run on these platforms.
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1932 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 10:55 PM
Response to Reply #27
29. You use fear so that you don't have to deliver results to citizens.
Fear makes people satisfied with just being protected and not care about jobs, wealth and opportunity.

That's what we have in America. It's not what they're doing in Venezuela.
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gordianot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 11:18 PM
Response to Reply #29
32. I hope you are correct. in your appraisal. Time will tell.
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1932 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 10:35 AM
Response to Reply #32
43. Chavez's criticism of Bush (Mr Danger) is a reference to Goebbels-style
fear-based fascist politics.

You can't say he's guilty of it just because he correctly assesses that it is happening in the US.

You don't have to wait to figure these things out. Use your head.
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gordianot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 04:54 PM
Response to Reply #43
62. I do not trust Politicians of any stripe, especially those who talk tough.
This is another damn Chickenhawk making a veiled threat. I am using my head. I am not into hero worship that includes Hugo Chavez.

Hugo Chavez lives in Venezuela he is not my concern.
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1932 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 10:39 AM
Response to Reply #62
82. Agressive stupidity doesn't help progressives.
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Zhade Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 02:14 AM
Response to Reply #27
72. I'm pretty sure he's letting the administration know...
...that the thousands of brave citizens who returned him to his democratically-elected office following the US' failed coup attempt will number significantly higher should they attempt the same again.

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Tight_rope Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 11:17 AM
Response to Reply #27
86. And I plan to buy more Citgo gas...
I would rather support Chavez who is at least given us a break, then to support those greedy pigs from EXXON and SHELL, who are getting rich and screwing us at the same time.

I pick and choose my battles. And I stand with Chavez.
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me b zola Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 05:01 PM
Response to Reply #7
63. Fear of what??
Health care?? A better standard of living (for the 80% or so of the working class)???

:eyes:
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Zhade Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 02:03 AM
Response to Reply #7
68. ...
:rofl:

Methinks you don't know much about Chavez.

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StrafingMoose Donating Member (742 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 09:37 PM
Response to Reply #5
22. That's like Saddam out on the balcony with dozens of people


armed with AK-47s, bursting rounds in the air, but... No one shoots.




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oblivious Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 02:00 PM
Response to Reply #22
54. Funny thing about that. Sure makes you wonder about all the propagand
No restriction on who was allowed to have AK-47s. They could carry them around loaded, and even shoot them in the air in the murderous dictator's presence.

And yet we are told that his people lived in fear and loathing of the man.
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eridani Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 04:38 AM
Response to Reply #54
80. Saddam had everything locked down politically
Being armed means exactly jackshit without effective organization. Same situation in the US--well-armed sheep could care less about government spying on and torturing its citizens.
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TankLV Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 12:32 PM
Response to Reply #5
48. OUCH!
That does put another big chink in the "he's a dictator" armour the repuke apologists here like to throw up, doesn't it!
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Heewack Donating Member (297 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 07:30 PM
Response to Original message
6. LMAO
This is too good.


I hope this ridiculousness wakes some people up here.
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stillcool Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 07:40 PM
Response to Reply #6
8. you mean like this kind of ridiculousness....?
Edited on Sat Feb-04-06 07:41 PM by stillcool47
http://www.aliveness.com/kangaroo/CIAtimeline.html
The following timeline describes just a few of the hundreds of atrocities and crimes committed by the CIA. (1)

CIA operations follow the same recurring script. First, American business interests abroad are threatened by a popular or democratically elected leader. The people support their leader because he intends to conduct land reform, strengthen unions, redistribute wealth, nationalize foreign-owned industry, and regulate business to protect workers, consumers and the environment. So, on behalf of American business, and often with their help, the CIA mobilizes the opposition. First it identifies right-wing groups within the country (usually the military), and offers them a deal: "We'll put you in power if you maintain a favorable business climate for us." The Agency then hires, trains and works with them to overthrow the existing government (usually a democracy). It uses every trick in the book: propaganda, stuffed ballot boxes, purchased elections, extortion, blackmail, sexual intrigue, false stories about opponents in the local media, infiltration and disruption of opposing political parties, kidnapping, beating, torture, intimidation, economic sabotage, death squads and even assassination. These efforts culminate in a military coup, which installs a right-wing dictator. The CIA trains the dictator’s security apparatus to crack down on the traditional enemies of big business, using interrogation, torture and murder. The victims are said to be "communists," but almost always they are just peasants, liberals, moderates, labor union leaders, political opponents and advocates of free speech and democracy. Widespread human rights abuses follow.

http://www.aliveness.com/kangaroo/CIAtimeline.html
http://watch.pair.com/cnp.html#rrt
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Judi Lynn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 12:37 PM
Response to Reply #8
87. Thanks for posting these links. Excellent information. n/t
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dogday Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 07:40 PM
Response to Reply #6
9. When the U.S. kicks out the Ambassador from Venezuela
and the Secretary of Defense compares Chavez to Hitler. It is not so far fetched....
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ninkasi Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 08:20 PM
Response to Reply #9
15. Indeed...
The current administration has shown that it prefers war to diplomatic solutions; that is why we are currently engaged in Iraq. In addition to having oil, Chavez is the leader of the Bolivarian revolution sweeping South America. I believe that Bush, with his sagging poll numbers, and Americans unhappy with his domestic policies, feels threatened by populist governments which seek to redirect wealth from the top down to the bottom, instead of the reverse.

Bush has been extremely bellicose since he stole the first election in 2000; the United States has already tried to overthrow Chavez, and failed. If South America, with all it's resources, unites, and becomes more progressive, and refuses to buy into the extreme right-wing governments the U.S. prefers, I can understand why Chavez would wish to be prepared against a Bush invasion.

Bush has earned this reputation himself. In spite of Saddam's complying with all of the U.N. requests, disarming, allowing inspections, etc., Bush invaded. Saddam, as brutal and loathsome as he was, still tried to prevent Iraq from being invaded, and failed, because Chimp was determined to have his war. Chavez knows this. I don't blame him for wanting to be prepared against an American coup.
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killbotfactory Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 08:51 PM
Response to Reply #15
19. he's probably planning a repeat of his pappy's invasion of Panama
Or maybe Chavez will just die in a small airplane...
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ninkasi Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 08:55 PM
Response to Reply #19
20. Yep...
I certainly don't put anything past him.
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Toucano Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 10:31 PM
Response to Reply #9
26. The U.S. did not kick out the ambassador from Venezuela. n/t
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dogday Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 11:09 AM
Response to Reply #26
44. The kicked out a Venezuelan diplomat
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Toucano Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 11:41 PM
Response to Reply #44
67. Which is not the same thing as the Venezuelan ambassador.
The distinction is very important.
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HuffleClaw Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 07:42 PM
Response to Original message
10. good for him, he's no fool
and knows what bushco. has in mind for his nation.
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Igel Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 08:41 PM
Response to Original message
17. So, do you think he's going to distribute them randomly?
Perhaps to a even cross-section of society?

Or will he have a personally armed 1 million person militia loyal to him, as long as he's the government?

I don't trust him. He has laws in place that would be truly oppressive (such as nothing can be written that's sufficiently disrespectful, or untrue--with no independent arbiter of truth), but which aren't enforced. I've seen that before.

Things are always the fault of identifiable enemies, political and class. Even if there's no overt signs of threat, the country must always rally around the leader under threat. When * does it, even after a series of attacks, it's decried. When he does it, and there's no obvious provocation, it's enlightenment.

I'm not saying he's bad. Just that he's walking a very fine line, and things are, as far as I can see, set up to go in either a very good or very bad direction, very quickly.
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manic expression Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 11:29 AM
Response to Reply #17
46. Not sure
but a leader wouldn't hand out weapons to the public if the leader wasn't afraid of them being turned on him/her. Guns give people measurably more power, so I wouldn't characterize this as trying to establish control. Just my opinion.
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Zhade Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 02:19 AM
Response to Reply #17
73. Odd, I've never heard that. In fact, it appears to be the opposite.
The oligarchy that fears and hates Chavez, for example, is allowed to freely demonize him on their broadcasts. He doesn't censor that one bit.

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bvar22 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 10:00 PM
Response to Original message
25. If I were the president of Venezuela....
...and the NeoCons and NeoLibs were consolidating power and establishing a Military/Police state in the US,
I would buy alot of guns too.
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Voltaire99 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 05:52 AM
Response to Reply #25
38. You wisely included neo-libs in that equation.
The threat to Chavez is only presently embodied in the neo-con cartel. A President Hillary is likely to view him no differently: as a despised populist obstacle to extracting oil more cheaply.
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IndianaGreen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 02:10 PM
Response to Reply #38
56. Hillary would be as much an imperialist as Bush
Both major parties would do what it takes to maintain the illusion of the "American lifestyle" which is build on the backs of the oppressed of the world.
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Hardrada Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 02:20 AM
Response to Reply #56
74. Hillary has always been groomed to provide
a faux-liberal face for imperialism. Some other so-called libs were too. This started way way back as another way to draw the fangs from actual progressives.
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Zhade Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 02:21 AM
Response to Reply #38
75. I still recall Kerry's words on Chavez.
While not nearly as dishonest as, say, the administration's, there were some definite misrepresentations of Chavez in his writings on his website.

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Judi Lynn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 03:15 AM
Response to Reply #75
78. It came as a shock seeing he had such a regressive attitude toward Vene.
Not long after I saw some of his remarks, I discovered this open letter posted somewhere, and realized the letter is probably true: Venezuelan expatriots did get to him. I would almost bet the author has given DU'ers the benefit of his wisdom under a couple of different names, at least. Here's the open letter:
Tue, 23 Mar 2004 17:39:42 GMT
Curtis Reed aguaventura@netzero.com
In David Coleman's article "Venezuela's relations with USA to improve if Bush 2 loses election this fall" you stated that Senator Kerry's statement regarding the Chavez regime amounted to "Parroting anti-Venezuelan Miami Herald propaganda."
In fact, the Kerry position statement was the result of the effort of Venezuelan-Americans from the Tampa area who contacted his camp and conducted an education campaign to be sure that Kerry understood what a threat the Chavez regime represents to US interests, regional stability, and how it endangers democracy across the hemisphere.

We have been working constantly over several years to establish good contacts with our representatives, and it was through those contacts that we made direct contact with John Kerry and delivered to him the message you will find below.

We are now in the process of publishing more Op-Ed articles, organizing round table discussions about the Chavez regime, and speaking out on nationally syndicated radio shows. Let there be no confusion: the "Miami Mafia" had nothing to do with this. It was the result of hard work by US citizens and Venezuelan expatriate organizations like FREE VENEZUELA that we influenced Kerry, and we will continue to push US policy until we achieve our goal.

Our goal: regime change in Venezuela.

Finally, let your communist friends know that their propaganda machines are failing, and the tide has turned against the Chavez dictatorship. We have convinced Democrats and Republicans alike that Chavez and his criminal henchmen are the antithesis to Democratic principles.

Have a nice day.
(snip/)
http://schema-root.org/region/americas/south_america/venezuela/opposition/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


It was my hope that if the Republicans couldn't steal the election, and Kerry became the President, somehow he would take the time to get a better grasp of the real picture in that country, and would correct his attitude, after educating himself.
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eridani Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 04:40 AM
Response to Reply #78
81. The Chavez government is actually very friendly to American interests
The people benefiting from the cheap heating oil this winter happen to be Americans. Therefore he is serving American interests. QED.
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Judi Lynn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 12:42 PM
Response to Reply #81
88. True. The number of people finding help getting through the winter
is growing weekly. Democratic Congresspeople have been working feverishly getting important rates confirmed, and oil delivered, after being flatly rejected by the big 5 American oil companies first.

It has been impressive seeing these hard-working, concerned Democrats working away, after being defeated by the domestic oil companies to get help for their struggling constituents.
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guruoo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 10:54 PM
Response to Original message
28. Buy Citgo and reduce our dependance on Middle Eastern oil
http://www.citgo.com/AboutCITGO/PDVSAprofile.jsp
PDVSA Profile
Petróleos de Venezuela S.A.(PDVSA) is a world energy corporation,
owned by the Venezuelan State. Its operations cover the exploration,
production, refining, transport and marketing of hydrocarbons, as
well as the Orimulsión®, chemical, petrochemical and coal businesses.



http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0516-25.htm
Published on Monday, May 16, 2005 by CommonDreams.org
Buy Your Gas at Citgo: Join the BUY-cott!
by Jeff Cohen

Looking for an easy way to protest Bush foreign policy week after week? And an easy way to help alleviate global poverty? Buy your gasoline at Citgo stations.

And tell your friends.

Of the top oil producing countries in the world, only one is a democracy with a president who was elected on a platform of using his nation's oil revenue to benefit the poor. The country is Venezuela. The President is Hugo Chavez. Call him "the Anti-Bush."

Citgo is a U.S. refining and marketing firm that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Venezuela's state-owned oil company. Money you pay to Citgo goes primarily to Venezuela -- not Saudi Arabia or the Middle East. There are 14,000 Citgo gas stations in the US. (Click here http://www.citgo.com/CITGOLocator/StoreLocator.jsp to find one near you.) By buying your gasoline at Citgo, you are contributing to the billions of dollars that Venezuela's democratic government is using to provide health care, literacy and education, and subsidized food for the majority of Venezuelans.
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Lori Price CLG Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 11:11 PM
Response to Original message
30. WTG, Chavez!! n/t
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cal04 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Feb-04-06 11:29 PM
Response to Original message
33. Chavez says Bush worse than Hitler is the headline now for this story
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez told a rally of thousands of supporters on Saturday that U.S.
President George W. Bushwas worse than Hitler and vowed to buy more arms to defend his nation as their diplomatic relations deteriorated.

"The imperialist, genocidal, fascist attitude of the U.S. president has no limits. I think Hitler would be like a suckling baby next to George W. Bush," Chavez said from a stage decorated with a huge red image of himself as a young soldier.

Already frayed ties between the United States and the socialist leader worsened further this week after Chavez expelled a U.S. military attache accused of espionage and the White House responded by ordering out a Venezuelan diplomat.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060205/ts_nm/venezuela_chavez_dc_2
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Douglas Carpenter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 12:06 AM
Response to Original message
34. I suspect a "contra" type mercenary army would be more likely than
a direct invasion by U.S. forces.

And I suspect we can count on the obedient American media to keep the atrocities just as quiet as they did with the contras during the 80's
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0rganism Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 12:17 AM
Response to Original message
35. "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state"
Edited on Sun Feb-05-06 12:19 AM by 0rganism
C'mon, you know the rest. Venezuela's current situation is not unlike that of a certain young country whose leading statesmen penned those words in its early years...
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IndianaGreen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 01:19 PM
Response to Reply #35
51. and they tried to defend their young revolution by arming the citizens
If it was good enough for our Founding Fathers, it is good enough for the people of Venezuela.

Viva Chavez! Viva Venezuela! Down with Bush! Death to American imperialism!
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tatertop Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 01:50 AM
Response to Original message
36. Can we trade the bastard Bush for Chavez?
even up
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Psephos Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 02:02 AM
Response to Original message
37. Presumably those who support Chavez' initiative also support NRA
At least that would be the consistent position.

I'm not holding my breath. :-)

Peace.
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rman Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 09:17 AM
Response to Reply #37
41. not the same thing
NRA is opposed to proper regulation of private gun ownership.

That's not the same thing as a government creating an armed militia.
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IndianaGreen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 01:25 PM
Response to Reply #37
53. A people's militia is enshrined in the US Constitution
The Framers did not intend to have a National Guard under the control of a Kommandant-in-Chief.

The NRA is more interested in getting rightwing Republicans elected than in defending freedoms. You don't see the NRA calling for Bush's impeachment, do you?
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Psephos Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 02:37 PM
Response to Reply #53
58. Well, I agree, but I was making a rhetorical point
Leaving * and political theory aside, the NRA seems interested most of all in preserving gun freedoms. They see the repugs as currently more likely to go along with their agenda, but they'd drop the repugs and line up for Democrats if they thought that had changed. There are a lot of what I call NASCAR Democrats who wish that's exactly what would happen - I know it would help Dems at the polls.

Anyway, with regard to militias, an armed citizenry has the ability to neutralize some of the state's physical power. I'm by nature in favor of leveling out the power differences between little guys (citizens) and big guys (government), so I'm a fan of gun ownership, subject to sensible controls.

I am not a Chavez fan, which comes as no surprise to anyone who looks at my old posts.

That much said, if Chavez wants to give a million guns to his citizens, that suggests a certain level of confidence in the support of the citizenry. Anyone who follows Venezuelan politics should find that interesting.

Peace.
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rayofreason Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 03:01 PM
Response to Reply #58
59. Nice post
But I wonder what are the odds that 10E6 AK47s will be distributed willy-nilly. Putting piles of AK47s in the hands of your political supporters, now that is another story.
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Zhade Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 02:24 AM
Response to Reply #37
76. I was unaware of the NRA existing in Venezuela.
I was also not aware that the average Venezuelan is as stupid, violent and hateful as the average Republican gun-owning male.

I kind of doubt they are, actually.

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Psephos Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 02:44 AM
Response to Reply #76
77. LOL n/t
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Township75 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 06:24 AM
Response to Original message
40. This is murder!
The Brady Campaign and the Violence Policy Center have shown repeatedly that if you have a firearm you will die from it!

Chavez is just going to kill his own people this way....maybe that is what Bush wants.

Somehow I know the NRA is behind this.
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bvar22 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 10:05 AM
Response to Reply #40
42. No "US Arms Corporations" will make money from this....
The NRA will probably oppose it unless Chavez buys US guns.
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Catch22Dem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 01:09 PM
Response to Reply #40
49. If you buy someone a gun you're a murderer?
That's one of the biggest DU stretches I've seen in four years. Honestly.

I don't own a gun, and never will, because I don't like them, but come on.
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IndianaGreen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 01:22 PM
Response to Reply #40
52. The only murderers are in the Bush dictatorship
who have plotted to kill Venezuelans opposed to neoliberalism and imperialims.

Having to choose between the US government and the Venezuelans, I would choose the Venezuelans.
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gordianot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 10:46 PM
Response to Reply #40
66. There are a lot of people in the United States doomed to die.
There are a lot of guns out there and they are not owned just by criminals, hot heads, Right Wing, NRA, para military survivalist and Fundie nut cases.

I am surprised Switzerland is still populated, this sounds very similar to what Chavez seems to be promoting. Every male in Switzerland was issued a Rifle and have been doing this several centuries. They were also very well trained, hope Chavez does the same.

To me announcing purchasing of assault rifles sounds similar to Bush saying "bring it on" (easily the most stupid statement ever uttered by a head of State). Overall when Chavez makes these types of statements play into Bush's rhetoric.

I hope Hugo Chavez buys his rifles, trains his people, but he doesn't have to make it sound like a threat.
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IndianaGreen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 01:17 PM
Response to Original message
50. The Second Amendment at work!
Arm the citizenry so that they can defend their country against a foreign aggressor! Only an American imperialist would find fault in that reasoning.
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Strelnikov_ Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 04:02 PM
Response to Original message
61. His Comment Regarding The Refineries Are Significant
The 1.2 Mbbl/dy of petroleum imported can be offset by a draw from the SPR, for a while.

The 1.1 Mbbl/day +/- of refining capacity (~6% of domestic capacity) would be problematic.

Would we be looking at a seizure of Citgo's domestic assets? What implications would this have for Friedman's 'world is flat' view of globalization?

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0007 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Feb-05-06 10:24 PM
Response to Original message
65. Chavez shuts down our oil, ouch! That about 16% of what
we use. So gas prices will be going up, again? The guns are to protect the oil that the U.S. will be coming after.

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Tight_rope Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 11:00 AM
Response to Original message
83. FORGET THE GUNS CHAVEZ....GET SOME BOMBS!...DO LIKE
Edited on Mon Feb-06-06 11:01 AM by Tight_rope
N. KOREN, PAKISTAN AND OTHERS...GO GET YOURSELF SOME BOMBS. THE CHIMPERIOR IN CHARGE WILL BE SURE TO LEAVE YOU ALONE THEN.
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Stockholm Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Feb-06-06 11:11 AM
Response to Reply #83
85. LOL
:popcorn:
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