Actually, hard to say now, it's likely Chavez who is financing and/or facilitating today some of what we are going after Iraq and other terrorists for doing. And the US govt, I'm afraid, is shy about upsetting their oil imports from Ven on the eve of Iraq invasion and possible ME oil interruptions to make that connection public and say so, loud & clear!
Chavez, and his unbridled praise for, active alliances and support for/with, and openly proclaimed desire to have Venezuela become like; Cuba, Iraq, Libya, and China does not equate to a sustainable future supporter of U.S. interests or oil, not by a long-shot. But, very dangerously, just the opposite!
This is not empty rhetoric from Chavez to be ignored, but even as others have reported that he: "...has Cuban and Colombian paramilitary forces at his disposal." Where do you think they came from? And, should we be surprised to also discover that China is sufficiently comfortable with Chavez to have made more 'investments' in Venezuela than in all of the rest of South America, including Mexico, combined!
Chavez, according to the top military that have recently left him, is an active supporter of the FARC/ELN Columbian revolutionists, that US is currently fighting, and they are supported materially in exchange for lucrative drug trade that's transported via official health dept vehicles here across Venezuela with Puerto Rico as the foreign destination.
And, Chavez donated 1 million $'s to Al Queda in Afganistan shortly after 9/11. He also publicly excused his Chavista supporters burning USA flags then by saying USA brought 9/11 upon itself.
If U.S. supports Chavez by their silence, for illusion of stable oil in the short term, this administration will eventually be seen to have facilitated and allowed another, much more dangerous, Cuba in this hemisphere!
The millions of brave Venezuelans, along with his top military that have deserted him, and are now in the streets protesting Chavez's cubanization of their beloved country know it all too clearly, they've been having to live through it...
Variations of that same "NO CUBA HERE!" sentiment is on a lot of those banners being carried down there right now...
We all here in the U.S.A. better get up-to-speed on this historic fight for freedom in Venezuela that'll surely impact us here, and quick, too!
Attitude-wise, we could hope here in the USA for no better allies than the Venezuelan people. According to the just published 2002 Global Attitudes Survey by the Pew Research Center in Washington; 82% have a favorable opinion of the USA, and that is amongst the highest ratings of all the 44 countries surveyed. And, in regard to supporting the US led war on terrorism, 79% favor it while only 20% oppose it!
Clearly, no country in South America holds more promise for being a strong and effective ally and supporter of the USA, perhaps none better in this entire Hemisphere, *when* Chavez is gone and remnants of his regime are fully rooted out. Also, though, there is no current government in this hemisphere that is a more "Clear & Present Danger" to the USA with the continuation and expansion of Hugo Chavez type initiatives. Unchecked, Chavez will be able to do throughout this hemisphere what Fidel and Saddam have only dreamed/wished they could do!
-Shane