Russia in Venezuela shopping for launch facility site-- Russian-Venezuelan trade totals $100 million a year. The Russian delegation, including Oil Vice Minister Leonid Tropko, was expected to sign pacts on tourism, Russian investment and exploring the possibility of a commercial satellite launching facility in Venezuela. They will depart Saturday.

Russia Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, left, embraces Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during the signature of cooperative agreements between Russia and Venezuela at Miraflores Presidential palace in Caracas,Venezuela, Friday, Dec 14, 2001. (AP Photo/Leslie Mazoch)

Last six months of Hugo Chavez's march toward communism

Jiang Zemin and Hugo Chavez

Wall Street Journal---WHILE CARACUS BURNS Sen. Dodd's petulance threatens national security-[Excerpt] Argentina has a debt crisis, guerrilla movements are growing in Colombia and Peru, and on Monday Venezuela was all but shut down because of a nationwide protest against the creeping dictatorship of President Hugo Chavez. The success story that was once Latin America is unraveling by the day, thanks in part to a lack of U.S. leadership.

Yet while Caracas burns, the top U.S. policy maker for the region can't assume his post for reasons of petty ideological revenge. Otto Reich--President Bush's nominee to be Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere--still can't get a hearing in Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd's subcommittee. Mr. Dodd's petulance has gone beyond the usual Beltway payback and is now creating a leadership vacuum damaging to U.S. national security.

It's hard to recall reading today's headlines, but 10 years ago Latin America's future looked bright. Democracy was on the rise, economies were growing and the era of military coups seemed to be over. The countries did this mostly on their own, but U.S. leadership was crucial. The U.S. nurtured free-market economic ideas and helped against Marxist rebels. That trend stopped during the 1990s, as the Clinton Administration mostly ignored the region for more glamorous priorities. The result today is a region threatened by repression, violence and economic decline.[End Excerpt]

FREE OTTO--While the eyes of the world focus on the Middle East, the war on terror has its targets in this hemisphere, too. Unfortunately, President Bush's designated envoy to the Americas must fight this country's shadowy enemies with both hands tied behind his back. Otto Reich, Bush's nominee for assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, is being held hostage by Sen. Christopher Dodd (D., Conn.) who refuses to hold a confirmation hearing on Reich's candidacy. Dodd apparently would rather brood over Reich's performance in the Reagan administration than permit him to address these clear-and-present dangers today:…….

Senators urged to act on presidential nominees --[Excerpt] The White House yesterday called on Senate Democrats to act on a backlog of 157 nominations, including a candidate who a Republican senator suggested is a victim of anti-Catholic bigotry.

"It's time for the Senate to act on the president's nominees and assure that the important work of America's government can be done," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

Mr. Fleischer singled out two stalled nominations: Otto Reich for assistant secretary of state, and Eugene Scalia for Labor Department solicitor. Of Mr. Reich, he said the Democrat-controlled Senate Foreign Relations Committee "refuses even a simple request to give the man his day in court or a fair hearing."

A spokeswoman for committee Chairman Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware did not respond to several requests for comment. [End Excerpt]

This is NOT a warm and fuzzy.

"There is much to be said for unilateral action. It is efficient, time-saving, and usually effective."

Hoooooooooooaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! You've got that part right Mr. Pfaff. Hahhahaha!

Christopher Dodd and the Democrats are blocking the man who Bush wants in place because he knows the lay of the land and he knows communists!

Otto Reich must really have their number---Stop Otto Reich.org

It is efficient, time-saving, and usually effective."

Doesn't George Bush know that ain't the way government's supposed to work! Ha!

I'm basking ... gawd it feels good for a change! &;-)

Thanks for the Link, EXCELLANT. My weekend reading is Complete. However, The choice of Reich evoked vehement opposition on the left. Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) and Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) vowed to fight.

Seems the Dynamic Duo? have a problem with John Wayne Bush

Dodd likes this image so much he has it on his senatorial web page.

Bush nominee deserves better than old grudges Otto Reich was nominated on July 12 to be assistant secretary of state for Western Hemispheric Affairs. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has not even bothered to schedule Fa confirmation hearing for Reich, and has no plans to do so. The reasons have nothing to do with Reich's competence or qualifications, and everything to do with Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd's affinity for Cuba's Fidel Castro and the communist Sandanista regime in Nicaragua.

(Dec. 12, 2001) Nicaragua's Ortega Drops Immunity in Sex Abuse Case-- By Ivan Castro MANAGUA, Nicaragua (Reuters) - Sandinista leader and former Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega has surrendered his immunity from prosecution as a member of the National Assembly to face his stepdaughter's sexual abuse accusations.

Ortega, who lost his third bid to return to the presidency in Nov. 4 elections, went to a criminal court in Managua on Wednesday to declare his innocence and voluntarily give up his legislative immunity.

``The election campaign is over. The elections are over. And I believe this is an opportune moment to close this case,'' said Ortega, who ruled Nicaragua as the head of the leftist Sandinista party from 1979 to 1990.

``We reject these accusations. I'm innocent and I hope justice will be done.'' His stepdaughter, Zoilamerica Narvaez, a 33-year-old sociologist, shook the Sandinista party in 1998 when she accused Ortega of sexually assaulting her over many years and during his presidency.

Narvaez has accused Ortega in the courts, but he rejected the charges and until now has shielded himself with the immunity that is the privilege of all Nicaraguan legislators.

Narvaez said on Thursday she was surprised Ortega had given up his immunity, and that she had evidence to win his conviction in court.

``If the legal process goes ahead in line with the law and is transparent, I am sure I have in my hands the evidence to demonstrate that Daniel Ortega is a sexual offender and is responsible for all the damages I suffered over 19 years as a result of sexual violence,'' she said.

Zoilamerica Narvaez, (C) stepdaughter of Nicaraguan Sandinista Front leader Daniel Ortega is helped by friends during her courtroom arrival in Managua December 14, 2001. Navarez' accusations of rape against her stepfather, Ortega, have severely damaged his public reputation. REUTERS/Oswaldo Rivas

Ortega is the first Nicaraguan leader voluntarily to surrender immunity.

He said he made the decision after consulting with his wife, Rosario Murillo, who is Narvaez's mother, and with his other children.

Narvaez has gone to the Inter-American Human Rights Commission, a body attached to the Organization of American States, complaining that Nicaraguan courts have unfairly delayed justice in her case.

Is the Globe taking another shot at her homeland?

They have to be adversarial or we won't take them seriously.
But they never seem to be adversarial toward LIBERALS, do they?

I'm basking ... gawd it feels good for a change! &;-)

ENJOY!

"ENJOY!"

I am! I am!

Lone, When was the last time you visited our illustrious sinator's webpage? LOL

"I need Otto Reich in place," Secretary of State Colin Powell pleaded with senators on October 3. Eight weeks later, Reich's State Department office literally remains empty, its desk unoccupied and bookshelves bare. Even as an overworked career diplomat juggles crucial security and economic matters in Reich's absence, Dodd could care less.

"That nomination's not going anywhere. That's the end of it," Dodd recently snapped. He has hurled at Reich a number of easily refuted ethical charges pertaining to his 1980s service as director of State's Office of Public Diplomacy and as Ambassador to Venezuela. However Dodd will not let his subcommittee hear Reich defend himself. Perhaps Dodd fears looking foolish once Reich demonstrates his innocence. Source

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If Christopher Dodd truly believes his charges against Otto Reich, why doesn't he bring them out in the hearing instead of blocking it.
Could it be that Otto Reich has enough votes for comfirmation?

Obfuscation, prevarication, protraction ... the players are in place, playing their games.

The best launch sites are near the Equator, where you can take advantage of the Earth's rotation to help toss an object into orbit. Southern most point in Russia is about 45 N. Africa is too politically unstable and economically underdeveloped to attract this kind of investment. I won't read too much into Ruskies wanting a launch facility in South America. The Europeans already have one there.

IT'S ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY....something that seemingly offends the left mightily. TOO BAD!!!

. the players are in place, playing their games.

Bush better make some moves to counter the goings on here in this hemisphere.
Dodd and his crowd are either satisfied with the trend, too damn stupid to understand it, or benefiting from it. Could be all three.

I won't read too much into Ruskies wanting a launch facility in South America. The Europeans already have one there.

I think I'll worry about it.

which are to make a fundamental change in the world balance that will leave the United States in charge, its ''rogue nation'' enemies defeated and disarmed, and the Russians and Chinese (and Europeans) all permanently reduced to secondary roles.

Pardon me, but in order to be reduced to a secondary role... you would have to have had a primary role to begin with. That those who had primary roles in the past do not have them now, is simply because those nations allowed themselves to slip. If they want primary roles, then they will have to assume some responsibility and work towards the goal, instead of trying to reduce the US to secondary status in order to make things equal.

If you let the whiners run your business, they will only keep sawing off table legs to make things 'even,' and end up with nothing more than a huge pile of sawdust and a board on the floor.