Latin America’s Terrible Two - Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez constitute an axis of evil

National Review ^ | April 11, 2005 issue | OTTO J. REICH

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Fidel Castro - Cuba

Hugo Chavez - Venezuela

[peyton randolph]

Both Castro and Chávez should be kidnapped and placed on trial in the U.S. for a variety of crimes. However, the former is likely protected by a deal cut with the Kennedy administration. I'll settle for Chávez being overthrown and Castro being de-funded in the process.

[sure_fine]

the answer is simple and easy, delaying action on the answer is nothing short of population control

[livius]

Throughout history, Western democracies, including the U.S., have erred in ignoring the rhetoric of future despots.

Yes! It sounds as if somebody is finally taking Hugo seriously here. Mejor tarde que nunca.

[Route101]

time for Smackdown!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

U.S. exploring taming Chávez***With President Bush personally firing off questions, his administration is carrying out a top-to-bottom review of U.S. policies toward Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and his leftist ''revolution,'' U.S. officials say. One option already on the table is to create a multiagency task force of a type usually reserved for critical issues. Others include campaigns to highlight allegations of graft in Chávez' government and persuade his Latin American neighbors to help rein him in, the officials added. With Chávez appearing increasingly belligerent toward the Bush administration in recent months, ''a chain reaction has been started to review what are the options on Venezuela,'' said Miguel Diaz, with the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. ………..***

[Berosus]

Somebody had to say it, and I'm glad National Review did. Just yesterday it occurred to me that Hugo Chavez is eager to fill the vacancy in the "Axis of Evil" left when we toppled Saddam Hussein. Until now I thought Syria's Bashar al-Assad would do it, but he doesn't seem bright enough to deserve such an honor.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

He certainly has made it clear he want's to be the big cheese in Latin America - bringing all under his anti-American Bolivarian Revolution. He's been at this since the 80s.

[peyton randolph]

One option already on the table is to create a multiagency task force of a type usually reserved for critical issues.

One can only hope that they spend months developing a mission statement, a leadership vision, a set of task force core values, and engage in team-building exercises. Lots of meetings, meetings, meetings. And let's not forget a project manager to oversee everything using many charts. /sarcasm

The only thing less effective than corporate bureaucracy is government bureaucracy.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

No kidding.

___________________________________________________________

When Chavez starts something, I expect it will be by taking Guyana.

_____________________________________________________________


Venezuela calls for end to Guyana border dispute

Pro-government Venezuelan lawmakers have called for a peaceful end to a century-old border dispute with neighboring Guyana, under which it claims some three-quarters of the former British colony.

The legislators visited settlements on the border with Guyana on Saturday to sign a declaration supporting President Hugo Chavez' position that a 1899 treaty giving a mineral-rich region called Esequibo to Guyana was "null and provocative."

The declaration also urged both nations to work for a swift solution to the dispute which would be "just, long-lasting and acceptable."

"We held a special session of the parliamentary Defense Committee and then we signed the document," legislator Saul Ortega told Reuters on Sunday.

Over the past two years, Chavez's nationalist administration has revived the border controversy over Esequibo, a sparsely inhabited jungle region of some 63,600 square miles (159,000 square km) in eastern Guyana.

During his weekly radio talk show "Hello President" on Saturday, Chavez pledged cooperation "with Guyana and with all the people which live in that immense territory."

"This cannot remain in limbo for much longer, we have to solve this situation," said Chavez, after talking by telephone with National Assembly President William Lara who headed the delegation.

Lara, a staunch Chavez supporter, insisted that "we do not have a hostile stance. This is not an unfriendly gesture toward Guyana or anyone."

In recent weeks, Chavez has also strongly defended Venezuela's sovereignty over a tiny island, the Isla de Aves, amid criticism from eastern Caribbean nations.

The desert island, which is only inhabited part of the year, lies some 350 miles (565 km) north of Venezuela's coast.

Source: sohu.com
Published: July 23, 2001

[Ed_in_NJ]

Seems to me the greatest threat to US in the hemisphere is the Fox who is guarding the henhouse along our southern border.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Fox is guarding his southern boarder as we should be guarding ours.

[kanawa]

Yikes....eerily reminiscent of the 1930's

Your source is from 2001, any update on the situation?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Not that I've heard.

Anyone?

[bilhosty]

Every Communist dictatorship that survived was propped up by the Soviet Union, which in turn was propped up by the wealth of Siberia in a world economy where natural resources were economicaly very dominant (we now live in a production oriented society). The Soviet Union is gone and so are most of the governments that it popped up.

It will be the same old story. A leftist takes power. The Capitol leaves the country in a mass exodus and foreign business does not invest. There are is labor unrest and production declines seriously. Then in order to shore up or enlarge his base he redistributes money to the peasants and their buying power goes up leading to rampant inflation. When business does not produce enough to satisfy demand then consumers (and governments) spend abroad tanking an already debased currency. Inflation goes out of control and an income of 250 dollars a year goes to 400 dollars a year but prices are up 1,000% and the government collapses.

If a Marxist (Communist) government cannot sieze power during the honey moon period it never will, because in the long run it will do nothing but get weaker. In short don't worry about these guys they will take care of themselves and once agian procvide a valuable lesson to people who don't learn.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Yes communism is unsustainable and has failed everywhere it is tried but the suffering of those living under dictators makes it right to stop its inception or end its evil run.

[E Rocc]

I'll settle for Chávez being overthrown

That was accomplished...and likely would have stayed that way if we hadn't backed off our support. >:o

-Eric

[Pro-Bush]

Chaves has proved to be the man of Latin America. ...Maybe the CIA can take him out net time.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Chavez certainly is the turd in the punch bowl.

[Pro-Bush]

Can't top that one. ..lol!