Chávez is a threat because he offers the alternative of a decent society

[DeclinetoState]

Venezuela's president is using oil revenues to liberate the poor - no wonder his enemies want to overthrow him

John Pilger
Saturday May 13, 2006
The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/)


I have spent the past three weeks filming in the hillside barrios of Caracas, in streets and breeze-block houses that defy gravity and torrential rain and emerge at night like fireflies in the fog. Caracas is said to be one of the world's toughest cities, yet I have known no fear; the poorest have welcomed my colleagues and me with a warmth characteristic of ordinary Venezuelans but also with the unmistakable confidence of a people who know that change is possible and who, in their everyday lives, are reclaiming noble concepts long emptied of their meaning in the west: "reform", "popular democracy", "equity", "social justice" and, yes, "freedom".

The other night, in a room bare except for a single fluorescent tube, I heard these words spoken by the likes of Ana Lucia Fernandez, aged 86, Celedonia Oviedo, aged 74, and Mavis Mendez, aged 95. A mere 33-year-old, Sonia Alvarez, had come with her two young children. Until about a year ago, none of them could read and write; now they are studying mathematics. For the first time in its modern era, Venezuela has almost 100% literacy.

This achievement is due to a national programme, called Mision Robinson, designed for adults and teenagers previously denied an education because of poverty. Mision Ribas is giving everyone a secondary school education, called a bachillerato. (The names Robinson and Ribas refer to Venezuelan independence leaders from the 19th century.) Named, like much else here, after the great liberator Simon Bolivar, "Bolivarian", or people's, universities have opened, introducing, as one parent told me, "treasures of the mind, history and music and art, we barely knew existed". Under Hugo Chávez, Venezuela is the first major oil producer to use its oil revenue to liberate the poor.


Read the rest (and commentary) at Guardian Unlimited (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1773966,00.html).

[Maggie_T]

The Guardian's unlimited shitola, again. Chavez is a threat because he offers the alternative of a COMMUNIST society.

And that never spelled 'decent' to me.

[DoctorDoom]

Pilger is another loony leftist with delusions of being an intellectual. Doubtless he still wears a black armband mourning the demise of the USSR and communism.

"There is no war on terrorism; it is the great game speeded up. The difference is the rampant nature of the superpower, ensuring infinite dangers for us all." [2]

"More terrorists are given training and sanctuary in the United States than anywhere on earth. They include mass murderers, torturers, former and future tyrants and assorted international criminals. This is virtually unknown to the American public, thanks to the freest media on earth." [3]

"During my lifetime, America has been constantly waging war against much of humanity: impoverished people mostly, in stricken places." [4]

"In these surreal days, there is one truth. Nothing justified the killing of innocent people in America last week and nothing justifies the killing of innocent people anywhere else." (referring to 9/11) [5]

"I know when Bush is lying. His lips move."[6]

John Pilger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Pilger)

He's an arsehole. Skroom.

[d'urville]

There goes "The Guardian" again supporting another socialist thug.

Maybe if Hugo Chavez keeps it up, he'll have over 900 million dollars one day just like his idol Fidel Castro does.

He's using the oil profeits in order to build up an army to go to war with the US. Chavez claims he's destined to be "the last man standing".

This reporter, Pilger, is what DoctorDoom says, he's a "journalist" with impeccable moonbat credentials, easy for a commie wanna-be to admire Chavez from afar.

[Beowulf]

I don't think Chavez is really much of a threat at all.....outside of his own country. I think the idiot just likes to run his mouth.

[ThomasMore]

I don't think Chavez is really much of a threat at all.....outside of his own country. I think the idiot just likes to run his mouth.

Disagree. He is trying to foment revolution throughout Latin America, including in Mexico.

[Un Con Troll Able]

It is truly a sad moment in our country's history when a village idiot like Chavez can wield a very large and potentially deadly axe against the United States in the form of oil.

Chavez is not someone who is going to be easily swept aside. He could very well become another Castro in terms of office longevity and depth of power. So, realistically, we have three choices: kill him, overthrow him, or deal with him. Ignoring him is not an option. Venezuela is America's fourth largest supplier of oil. Chavez has actively sought other buyers for the oil that he sells to us. Fortunately, for us, no one else in the international arena is capable of consuming that much oil -- YET.

Both China and India have rapidly growing economies -- hundreds of millions of people who want to get that T.V. set or...preferably...that car. They are already starting to gobble oil at rapidly increasing rates as they industrialize their countries. Eventually, they--and other countries, as well--could take up that slack. Then he would be able to pull his oil from the American market.

Iran pulls its supplies -- the price would of oil would go up for the United States.

But, if Venezuela pulls its supplies -- ladies and gentlemen, we would have bonifide shortages in this country.

Think about that. We, as a nation, are woefully prepared for the one crisis that may be its undoing. The more oil we import, the more crazies we are going to have to deal with who lead those countries we get the oil from. And this problem is going to get worse. Oil is going to run out -- as least as a reasonably exploitable commodity -- by the middle of this century. While other sources of energy may help take up the slack, it's a simple fact that this country has done nothing to break America's addiction to oil.

Allow me to make a few predictions. If these don't sober you up, nothing will. You, of course, are free to disagree. In the end the future will tell.

Prediction #1:
By the year 2020, the United States will be in bidding wars with other nations/nation blocks for oil. Think this prediction is laughable? Folks, when demand begins to outstrip supply it not only will not be laughable, it will be inevitable. There are a lot of countries that are not going to go gently into that good night in terms of simply giving up their prosperity to allow us a greater share of an ever-dwindling supply of oil.

Prediction #2:
By 2020, use of mass public transport to and from work will be required in some regions of our country. And I'm not talking about driving to the subway station and catching a tube. I mean having to send buses to neighborhoods to pick up adults to take them to work.

Prediction #3:
By 2020, the only way the United States will be able to fight a protracted military conflict is by tapping its strategic petroleum reserve (assuming we still have one by then).

It is not beyond the realm of possibility that you could have a mass exodus of Latinos back to Mexico and South America from the country -- as supplies grow short, Mexico and other oil producing countries will be in a far better long-term economic position than us.

Chavez should be more of a wake up call to this country than he is -- and not because of some political mumbo-jumbo. This man, and other rulers like him, could conceivably deal a mortal blow to this country.

...if we ever reach the brownout or blackout stage in this--for now--silent crisis, I can promise you that we will have a fundamental reevaluation of this nation's foreign policy as it relates to our use of military force to achieve a national interest.

And that is indeed a sobering thought.

[DesertFox]

Chavez himself, in Venezuela, is no danger to us. Our great danger, as that of the world at large, is the Chavezes among us exciting the gullible.

[Un Con Troll Able]

Chavez is important only because of his oil. But that's enough. And he harbors ill will towards the United States.

His ability to serve as a thorn in our side exemplifies more about a critical vulnerability of America than it does about him being a tangible threat.

Ten years from now he may very well be able to put some serious hurt on this country. Latino socialism is a threat to this country conceptually, but it is energy that is the practical threat -- a threat to its industrial might. There is no getting around it.

As idotic as this may sound...but I could foresee a day--a few decades hence--where Mexico could actually be more economically powerful than the United States. It's a stretch, but it's possible.

[Maggie_T]

And he harbors ill will towards the United States.


That's the understatement of the century. Chavez loathes the United States with the foaming-at-the-mouth intesity characteristic of all commies around the world ... including the American variety, especially those in Academia.

[DeclinetoState]

The Guardian's unlimited shitola, again. Chavez is a threat because he offers the alternative of a COMMUNIST society.

And that never spelled 'decent' to me.

How about descent then?

[d'urville]

Disagree. He is trying to foment revolution throughout Latin America, including in Mexico.

Yep, he's really pulling for Obrador Lopez to win the Mexican presidency this summer, socialists of a feather and all.

This might be redundant, but boycott CITGO:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2006-01-11-citgo-cover-usat_x.htm

But I don't believe Chavez has all this power over the US economy, that's what he says so there you go.

Boycott CITGO, starve a third world marxist thug!

[Kathy29]

Have we all been ignoring Senwhore Chavez? He's a communist and in accordance with communist culture an atheist. So what's he doing praying to Allah? He is an active supporter of Iran and recently prayed that Iran would be successful in it's "struggle" against the imperialist United States. He can take steps to assist, which would mean an Iranian airbase in Venezuela, while at the same time withdrawing oil.

That's what we're facing.

[Maggie_T]

How about descent then?

:question:

[Rhino]

Communism being a descent into........ [insert doomsday scenario of choice]

[Maggie_T]

Have we all been ignoring Senwhore Chavez? He's a communist and in accordance with communist culture an atheist. So what's he doing praying to Allah? He is an active supporter of Iran and recently prayed that Iran would be successful in it's "struggle" against the imperialist United States. He can take steps to assist, which would mean an Iranian airbase in Venezuela, while at the same time withdrawing oil.

That's what we're facing.

Kathy, Chavez does not support Islamofacists because he believes in Allah. He supports them because they share his same vicious hatred for America.

As for his praying to Allah, that was all smoke and mirrors to ingratiate himself with Iran. If Iran prayed to the Tooth Fairy, Chavez would pretend to do the same. Such is the left's endless capacity for deception.

[Maggie_T]

Communism being a descent into........ [insert doomsday scenario of choice]

Oh (sorry, it's been a hard day). http://fool.exler.ru/sm/shy.gif


Insert doomsday scenario? Communism IS doomsday scenario.

[Rhino]

Okay. Descent into Barney reruns, then. LOL!

[Maggie_T]

:grin:

[Rink]

Originally by Kathy29:
Have we all been ignoring Senwhore Chavez? He's a communist and in accordance with communist culture an atheist. So what's he doing praying to Allah? He is an active supporter of Iran and recently prayed that Iran would be successful in it's "struggle" against the imperialist United States. He can take steps to assist, which would mean an Iranian airbase in Venezuela, while at the same time withdrawing oil.

That's what we're facing.


NTM the fact that Chavez is building up a huge military despite the fact that he has no natural enemies and scaring his neighbors by doing so, can we say expansionism from Chavez? to move in to his neighbors countries with the excuse of 'liberating' the poor?

THAT alone is also a threat to the U.S.

The only reason Chavez supports the Iranians and 'praying' to Allah is to get support from the enemies of America and gaining more allies to himself.

Esp allies who have some powerand leverage in the world.

[omegatrump]

I believe Chavez is a threat. He by himself, No. Chavez is making himself a part of a network of evil. Like Castro in days gone by he is supporting the development of Communist ideals any place in Latin America that will listen to him, including Mexico.

Chavez has an allie for conquest in our very own Judas W Shrub, who See's the Marxist tainted hordes of invaders as only "good for America". They do the work Americans won't do.

Have you ever really thought about that statement? "do the work Americans won't do", Have you ever stopped to consider how utterly stupid that statement is? Do you suppose Karl thought that one up?

[DeclinetoState]

I think the original Judas thought he was being clever. I think Bush thinks he's being a "compassionate conservative." But I'm concerned that the results may be equally disastrous. Bush should know that if he kisses Ted Kennedy's rear end (which he's done, though I hope only in a figurative sense), he'll only get burned (or farted or crapped on, to further the metaphor); why should he expect a different result from kissing Fox's or any other foreign leader's behind?

Bush needs to be a man. If Chavez only cares about helping the people of Venezuela, that shouldn't be a problem. He can do whatever he wants there, but he shouldn't be allowed to mess with us. Bush should make sure he understands that.