Posted on 05/13/2003 1:08:57 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
There's another foreign policy problem brewing, this time in our own hemisphere--an attempt to make Venezuela a second Cuba. Strongman Hugo Chávez, who led an unsuccessful coup attempt in 1992, was elected president in 1998 in a popular vote of revulsion against the embedded corruption of the existing political elites. Since then, Chávez has been doing everything he can to turn his "presidency" into a dictatorship like Fidel Castro's. He used his initial popularity to gut constitutional checks on his power. Regime opponents now face arrest and even outright murder. Chávez is setting up vigilante committees in neighborhoods to inform on people. These committees also serve as an armed militia to back Chávez.
Venezuela has been a democracy since 1958, when a courageous leader, Rómulo Betancourt established representative government following a dictatorship. In the early 1960s Betancourt beat back Castro's efforts to overthrow Venezuela's democracy. Now Chávez wants to turn back the clock. He's cozied up to terrorist groups around the world, including those waging a murderous guerrilla war in neighboring Colombia.
Venezuelans of all classes and occupations have taken to the streets to protest Chávez's actions. He was thrown out briefly in a coup last year, but the coup collapsed when it became clear that the old corrupt elites were going to return to their money-grabbing ways and would take their time restoring democracy. Chávez's smile, however, was soon wiped off his face as spontaneous protests continued. There was a general strike a few months ago, the effects of which sharply reduced Venezuela's oil production. But Chávez has clung to power.
Whether Chávez's rule should continue is supposed to be the subject of a referendum in August, but this Castro wannabe has made it clear he won't leave office voluntarily. He will either try to postpone the election or use his armed thugs to rig the results.
The U.S. has reacted gingerly lest Chávez play the anti-U.S. card--always an option in Latin America--to shore up his sagging popularity. The U.S. should make clear that a clean August vote must take place--that Chávez must not be allowed to set up a virtual dictatorship, even if that means oil prices go up because we embargo Venezuela's oil exports. When Venezuelans see that we're serious about Chávez, perhaps their army will do what it should have done a long time ago--send Chávez to Havana on a permanent vacation--and then promptly return to the barracks.
there ya go, billbears--how many gonna come back and say, "Billbears, you were right about Venezu...oh whatever that country is down there. We need to go down there and kick some backsides....."
[/sarcasm]
Professor Scranton is a proponent for overthrowing Noriega and throwing the US out of Panama, from the canal WE built. She speaks for China, as a a volunteer or whatever I don't know.
She seems to be affiliated with some of these university-NGO groups used by the "liberation" communists and dillettante socialists themselves used by Castro, Chavez's Venezuela affinity groups, and China. I had found some web links back before this clinton course started, but wasn't able to recall them today.
C-SPAN to Broadcast Entire Clinton Course
Monday, 23-Dec-2002 8:20PM PST
Story from AP / BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer
Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press (via ClariNet) LITTLE ROCK (AP) -- Next semester the whole country can get a lesson in Bill Clinton.The C-SPAN public affairs cable network will broadcast every class of "The Clinton Presidency," a new course at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock that will examine the former president's achievements and scandals.
Guest lecturers will include longtime Clinton lawyer David Kendall, Clinton confidant and counsel Bruce Lindsey, former NATO commander Wesley Clark and the former president himself. Clinton critics, including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, also have been invited.
"The nation continues to be obsessed with the Clinton years," said political science professor Margaret Scranton, who will teach the course. "But the tabloid times are past ... In the classroom, our job is to reflect on the deeper meaning and the perspective that time can give us."
An agreement between C-SPAN and the university was reached last week, Scranton said.
The course, which begins Jan. 16, will examine Clinton's impeachment, his campaign style and his rise from a Southern governor to a political powerhouse, as well as issues such as foreign policy, health care and the economy.
I think it was to keep the China white flowing into Europa, amoung other interests of the Chinese.
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