Hugo Chavez

[Oddman]

When I hear people sound off on Chavez, I wonder if they are just worried that someone would have the audacity to challenge America the Mighty and their world domination. His oil assets are well documented, making me feel it is pure economics that make American politicians worried.

It makes me wonder if the world will ever detract from the feeling that there needs to be one almighty empire in order for there to be, well, order. Chavez has some strong points, many of which I am sure will be disputed here. But can anyone claim he is an actual threat to America's security? After all, wasn't it Reagan who really rallied South American countries to unite against America?

I am more interested in learning other's opinion on this matter than advertising my own position...( I relalize my position is somewhat exposed, but I still would like to hear a concise counter argument...)

[theloniusfleabag]

Say, Oddman,

Do you find it odd that out of the some 30+ guests just viewing the board index, one of them was reading an old 'Chavez" thread, and now (rather than responding to the old thread) you miraculously post a new one? Then, you would think that this:

I am more interested in learning other's opinion on this matter than advertising my own position...( I relalize my position is somewhat exposed, but I still would like to hear a concise counter argument...)

isn't going to be recognized as trolling?

[Oddman]

OK, seriously...I do not bother with threads older than a day....for some reason, and you can chalk it up to wanting to stay current, i just like to hit "refresh" every once in a while then see if I want to post.

Honestly, I can understand your suspicion, even while not knowing if there is in fact a similiar thread or comment made previous to my post, but I am new, not a troll, and not for the life of me knowing what it is you are referrig to.

Read my earlier posts and you might find that I am jabby on occasion but always try to balance the tides.

Whatever it is you think I am doing you are mistaken.

[Oddman]

...also, just to be as specific as possible, I did skim to a few pages back to read to topics just to make sure there were no Chavez threads. So in all fairness, I either went blind or did not see a Chavez related thread. Furthermore, I did not respond to any Chavez threads.

What is it you are trying to say?

[mcqueen625]

...also, just to be as specific as possible, I did skim to a few pages back to read to topics just to make sure there were no Chavez threads. So in all fairness, I either went blind or did not see a Chavez related thread. Furthermore, I did not respond to any Chavez threads.

What is it you are trying to say?

My concern about Venezeula, and Chevez is the fact that he is buying up large caches of armaments from Russia such as fighter jets, and he is actually opening a factory to manufacture Russian assault weapons. He has a history of oppressing his own people, and any attempt to further arm his oppressive regime is a worry for the free-world.

As for Russia's involvement in Venezuela's arming themselves is for Russia attempting to restart the cold-war, and employing as many totalitarian countries as posible.

North Korea and Iran somehow feel that they can do as they please, threaten whomever they please and to hell with what the rest of the world wants. Maybe it is time for the toothless United Nations to do something about this type of country. Both of these countries are doing exactly what Hitler did in the warm-up to WW II, because there was no intervention he was able to take over a large chunk of the world. He was counting on teh fact that nobody wanted to stop him, and relied on the diplomatic process to allow him to continue with his agenda. It was only when England saw fit to call Hitler on this agenda that the rest of the free world also stepped forward.

Eventually the world is going to have to step up to the plate and stop countries like Iran, N. Korea, Venezuela, and Russia. Every time the U.S., England and most free countries proposes escalating sanctions including the use of force if necessay, Russia, China, and France threatens to use their vetos to stop any such actions.

[Oddman]

What are any of the countries you cited, meaning Iran, Korea and Venezuela doing, that the U.S. isn't doing or hasn't done?

Is it just natural for western citizens to believe that America is the only nation authourized to build up military prowess?

[GostHacked]

My concern about Venezeula, and Chevez is the fact that he is buying up large caches of armaments from Russia such as fighter jets, and he is actually opening a factory to manufacture Russian assault weapons. He has a history of oppressing his own people, and any attempt to further arm his oppressive regime is a worry for the free-world.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/internation...,688071,00.html

http://www.zmag.org/content/LatinAmerica/blum_coup.cfm

Regardless of the coup that tried to oust him, yet the people voted him back in. If you find the results of that election shady, but the 2004 US election was not, then you really need to wake up.

OH and the US would be all happy if Venezuela was ordering military products from Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas, Northrop, RAND, ect ect. But since it is Russian .. ohhh bad bad bad.

[Argus]

What are any of the countries you cited, meaning Iran, Korea and Venezuela doing, that the U.S. isn't doing or hasn't done?

Is it just natural for western citizens to believe that America is the only nation authourized to build up military prowess?

I think it's fair to ask the reason behind a military buildup. America's reason is obvious. Why is China building up its military? Why is Venezuala? And why do North Korea and Iran need nukes? For defensive reasons? Highly unlikely. No one would want to invade North Korea. It's got nothing anyone wants except a huge army and starving people. Invade Iran? Preposterous. It's more than double Iraq's population and you can see the trouble the Americans have there. As for Venezuala, there hasn't been a war in south America since the Argentines took on the British. What's with Chavez' wild cries of American invasion and ridiculous militarism? Combine this with his noted interference with his neighbours and his friendship with Cuba and Iran and any democratic nation would have cause to be suspicious and worried about what this guy has in mind. I mean, what kind of judgement does this loony have that he goes to North Korea to "build alliances"? There are allegations he's supporting leftist guerrilas in neighboring Columbia, and his interference in the Peruvian election was as tactful as a drunken elephant. I think Canada would be damned worried if he was located near us.

[Toro]

Chavez helped elect Alan Garcia President of Peru by supporting his opponent.

And the PAN candidate in Mexico started rising in the polls when they started linking Chavez with the left-wing candidate in Mexico.

[rover1]

Hugo Chavez is a harmless fool. Let him alone, he is amusing. It is true that he has some domestic problems which will likely lead to his undoing, but the people of Venezuela will deal with that.