Iran and Venezuela (and other stuff).

[Ali]

Hahahaha (http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&lr=&rls=GGGL%2CGGGL%3A2006-22%2CGGGL%3Aen&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&q=iran+venezuela&btnG=Search+News)

Neocons must be SO mad. :p

Right on your doorstep, too!!!

Whatchagonnado? Stop buying their oil????? The Chinese will buy every drop they have, at any price.

Who wants to bet that Venezuela gets accused of having a nooklear weapons program any time soon?

And I hear that GWB is espousing Nuclear energy... well he's happy to use it to blow people up already, may as well generate power, while you are at it.

Has anyone noticed that Sunni Moslems (who used to govern Iraq, before the Rodeo Clown decided they must go) are actually far more moderate and enlightened than the Shia - who now govern Iraq and who control Iran, Syria, etc.

WAY TO GO!!! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

[Schmeltz]

This comes fairly hard on the heels of Chavez' recent dialogue with Syrias's Bashar al-Assad, if I recall correctly, and of course the Nonaligned Movement just had their most recent convention. It seems that there's definitely a rising current of anti-US sentiment running through some of the more prominent nations in the developing world, and in principle I suppose it's good for a transnational dissidence to develop in opposition to the current malignance of American foreign policy. A united front from some of the major players in the petroleum industry could strike at the heel of the American economy and maybe effect some change in a positive direction, if only by prompting the American government to rediscover the lost arts of diplomacy and compromise while easing back on the war machine.

But at the same time I find it a little worrisome that Hugo Chavez, who rose to power on a platform of support for the underclasses in his society, is finding common cause with the leaders of nations who routinely exploit and degrade the people I would hope that someone like Chavez would have first in mind. If Chavez is really the populist friend of the people who rode a wave of patriotism and egalitarian reform to the top of his country, and not just another in the long line of South American military strongmen, why would he hold court with a fundamentalist hardliner like Ahmedinejad, or a dictatorial despot like al-Assad? I don't like Bush, but I can't say I like either of those two more than him and to see Chavez align his country with their oppressive dictatorships is actually kind of depressing.

It has been heartening to see dynamic populist movements in South America in the recent past - governments who appear to be really looking out for the everyday people in their countries making a strong showing, even if they're less than perfect. But what place does that sentiment have beside these Middle Eastern tyrants? Guilt by association, with this American administration, could prove to be more of a divisive factor than a peacefully united front in opposition to the forceful implementation of American interests.

I guess we'll see, but what I'm waiting for is a wave of progressive change to sweep the big-timers in the Middle East. To get a Chavez in power in Iran or Jordan or Egypt would be a massive step forward - but who knows when that will be possible?

[sam i am]

^^^^

Wow. Very nice analysis.

Chavez is neither as strong nor as weak as we'd like to portray him. I tend to agree that he's more likely another two-bit Latin dictator : like it or not, many people judge you by the company you keep. Hanging with Lukashenko (sp?) and other despots does not bode well for Chavez' image.

Personally, I appreciate that Venezuela continues to provide oil to the US, including directly and cheaply during last winter to the Northeast. South and Central America are, and should continue to be, friends with the US, Canada, Mexico, etc. We're all natural trading partners, we share a common hemisphere that we can all peacefully and prosperously co-exist in, and Spanish is such a fun language to speak!

[Pres Zount]

This comes fairly hard on the heels of Chavez' recent dialogue with Syrias's Bashar al-Assad, if I recall correctly, and of course the Nonaligned Movement just had their most recent convention. It seems that there's definitely a rising current of anti-US sentiment running through some of the more prominent nations in the developing world, and in principle I suppose it's good for a transnational dissidence to develop in opposition to the current malignance of American foreign policy. A united front from some of the major players in the petroleum industry could strike at the heel of the American economy and maybe effect some change in a positive direction, if only by prompting the American government to rediscover the lost arts of diplomacy and compromise while easing back on the war machine.

But at the same time I find it a little worrisome that Hugo Chavez, who rose to power on a platform of support for the underclasses in his society, is finding common cause with the leaders of nations who routinely exploit and degrade the people I would hope that someone like Chavez would have first in mind. If Chavez is really the populist friend of the people who rode a wave of patriotism and egalitarian reform to the top of his country, and not just another in the long line of South American military strongmen, why would he hold court with a fundamentalist hardliner like Ahmedinejad, or a dictatorial despot like al-Assad? I don't like Bush, but I can't say I like either of those two more than him and to see Chavez align his country with their oppressive dictatorships is actually kind of depressing.

It has been heartening to see dynamic populist movements in South America in the recent past - governments who appear to be really looking out for the everyday people in their countries making a strong showing, even if they're less than perfect. But what place does that sentiment have beside these Middle Eastern tyrants? Guilt by association, with this American administration, could prove to be more of a divisive factor than a peacefully united front in opposition to the forceful implementation of American interests.

I guess we'll see, but what I'm waiting for is a wave of progressive change to sweep the big-timers in the Middle East. To get a Chavez in power in Iran or Jordan or Egypt would be a massive step forward - but who knows when that will be possible?

yeah, nicely typed. I agree.

[sam i am]

yeah, nicely typed. I agree.

^^^ What an ass.

[Pres Zount]

Why thankyou. I've had few compliments past my girlfriend, but it does get my esteem up.

[sam i am]

Why thankyou. I've had few compliments past my girlfriend, but it does get my esteem up.

You're so very welcome. Glad to be of assistance. Anything else I can do for you?:D