Is Venezuela going nuclear? Conversations w/Iran

[leveymg]

Central casting call - Wanted: new western hemispheric bad guy and madman to replace aging Castro. Must be able to also assume role of nuclear-armed terrorist mastermind previously acted by Osama bin Laden.

Appear prepared to play scene from script below. Bring resume and headshot, Universal Propaganda Studios, George H.W. Bush Center for Intelligence, Langley, Virginia 22041. EOE.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/editorial/outlook/3192626
May 21, 2005, 6:48PM
Houston Chronicle Op-Ed
OMINOUS QUESTION
Is Venezuela going nuclear?
Conversations with Iran give cause for concern
By DOUGLAS MACKINNON

>SNIP<

To the minute number of people who understand the threat Chavez poses to the United States, his recent hosting in Caracas of Iranian President Mohammad Khatami was disturbing enough. But a high-ranking official for a Latin American government has disclosed to me details about that visit that should send shock waves throughout our government.

During a private meeting between Chavez and Khatami, I was told, Chavez made it known to the Iranian leader that he would like to "introduce nuclear elements into Venezuela." My contact said "nuclear elements" meant "nuclear weapons."

It will be easy for many to dismiss such talk as false or the fantasies of a madman, but that would be a critical mistake. I have no doubt that Chavez is mentally disturbed, and I also have no doubt that his hatred of the United States and President Bush in particular is dictating his erratic behavior. High oil prices have made Chavez an antagonist to be reckoned with, and we ignore such a menace at our peril.

<snip>

After receiving the report that Chavez might be trying to acquire nuclear technology or weapons from Iran, I met with a high-ranking U.S. official to voice my concerns and ask what he thought about such speculation. He answered me point blank: "It would not surprise me. Chavez is dangerous, underestimated and capable of almost anything. We are hearing a number of curious and disturbing reports. He is actively working to recruit terrorist nations and developing countries into his campaign of hatred against the United States."
<SNIP>

Chavez with a nuclear weapon is bad enough. Chavez with a medium-range ballistic missile just minutes from the southern United States is a disaster waiting to happen. I told the senior U.S. official that I thought Chavez posed a greater threat to our national security than Osama bin Laden or any terrorist operating out of the Middle East. He looked at me and said, "You know, I agree with you 100 percent."

<snip>

MacKinnon was press secretary to former Sen. Bob Dole. He is also a former White House and Pentagon official, is married to a Venezuelan and has been to the country a number of times.


:bounce: B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) :crazy: :dunce: :+ B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) B-) :bounce:

[whistle]

1. Total republican neo-con bullshit.....

[GirlinContempt]

2. what the......

!!@&)(*#&$*&Q%#@

OK, this is beyond.... ARGH
UGH
What do you say to something like that? Aside from 'please call your local mental hospital for further assistance'

[GirlinContempt]

4. !

Convinced as I am and as I am from my government that the world needs a new moral architecture over all I believe that this should be the first topic to debate in our world of today, ethics, moral.
-Hugo Chavez

[leveymg]

5. LOL! One of the funniest pieces of propaganda I've ever read.

Includes every cliche in the book. A classic by Bob Dole's former script writer. Just had to share this.

:spray: :rofl:

[GirlinContempt]

6. He needs his

head examined.

[doublethink]

3. And the guys unnamed sources for this story are .........

"a high-ranking official for a Latin American government" ....... "a high-ranking U.S. official" -snip-
I could just sit here on my computer and quote fricking ghosts out of the air and come up with a better story if I put my imagination to it. I am done with anonymous propaganda story's like this. Just like FAUX news and their favorite line "Some People Say" "Some People Say" ... anyone see 'Outfoxed'? ..... Peace.:)

[Bok_Tukalo]

7. Why are only oil-producing states that seek nuclear weapons a threat?

What about Brasil?

[Jack Rabbit]

8. This is not to be taken at face value

I seriously doubt Chavez in interested in nuclear weapons. Even if he were, he probably wouldn't be able to develop one until the neocons are out of power. Hopefully, with their passing, developing nations like Venezuela will have less reason to feel threatened.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

9. The only threat Chavez poses is his ability to alter the lifestyles

of a few well to do Amurkans. Too bad he doesn't care if he knocks down a few millionaires with his wake. Too bad he feels that more than a few (indigenous types) should be able to prosper off the land, commie bastard. :)

[Jack Rabbit]

10. More information

So much for my post no. 8

From Reuters via CNN
Dated Sunday May 22

Chavez: Venezuela interested in nuclear technology

Caracas --Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Sunday his government was interested in nuclear energy and could start talks with Iranian partners to study possible atomic and solar power projects.

Chavez, a fierce critic of the United States and a leftist ally of Communist Cuba, said Venezuela and other Latin American countries could develop nuclear energy as an alternative power source for civilian purposes.

"We are interested too, we must start working on that area... the nuclear area. We could, along with Brazil, with Argentina and others, start investigations into the nuclear sector and ask for help from countries like Iran," Chavez said on his regular Sunday TV program.

"It is for development, for life, for peace and energy," the president said during the program broadcast at an event in Caracas for Iranian companies.

Read more.

Posted by Township75 in the Environment & Energy forum

[leveymg]

14. Not all propaganda is lies. Indeed, there must be a kernel of truth

for it to be really effective. The opinion piece by McKinnon is still ineffective propaganda because it so overstates the alledged threat that Chavez might pose. It's like the claims that some Contra supporters were making in the early '80s that the Sandinistas threatened Florida if they bought a few Mig-21s. That was as absurd then as this story is now.

Even if there was a real relationship between Venzuela and Iran, it's going to be long time before Iran is in a position to supply anyone with nuclear fuel rods, much less warheads to place atop fictious Venezuelan missiles.

[Jack Rabbit]

15. That's true, but it hasn't stopped the regime for simply lying up to now

You'll have a hard time convincing me that anybody in the regime seriously thought Saddam was a threat to his weakest neighbor. Or that John Bolton didn't know that his charges about Cuba developing biochemical weapons were a lot of hooey.

Of course, we are in agreement about Chavez' capability to get nukes from Iran or even materials to develop nukes anytime soon.

To reiterate what I said in post 8, by the time Chavez is able to develop a nuke, the neocons will be out of power and nations like Venezuela will feel less threatened.

[morgan2]

11. if we attack venezuela

I think all hope for this country will be gone. I don't think I would even want to consider myself an American after that.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

12. And such an act would absolutely enflame anti-Americanism

among Latin Americans, as if it isn't bad enough already.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Among Latin Americans?

How about among anybody who looks beyond the US corporate media for news and information?

[Michael_Bush]

16. poor Chavez

We have tried to overthrow him how many times now? I think it is up to three?

He IS talking with China, China is talking to Iran, China has nuclear weapons but wouldn't want Iran to have them, WAY to close, but Venezuela would be a GREAT distraction from the US.

The Chinese play hardball and I could just see them helping out. However, even in Chavez had nukes and the long range missiles to deploy them, who cares? As everyone here has said, he would only want them to defend himself against us.

The only way for Venezuela to threaten us is to point those nukes at its oil wells, now THAT would get our attention.

Bush's extremist empire tactics are backfiring faster than the little kids can handle, it didn't play out this way in the sim!