Picking a Fight With Venezuela

[struggle4progress]

By Michael Schifter, reprinted from the NYT

Published: September 20, 2004 - The Bush administration's decision to stop supporting $250 million in loan requests that Venezuela has before international financial institutions has gone virtually unnoticed. Yet, by invoking such sanctions now, Washington risks making another mistake in dealing with Venezuela's mercurial strongman, President Hugo Chávez.

In announcing its decision earlier this month, the White House cited Venezuela's role in the international trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation. The administration deserves credit for making this issue a high priority.

There are, however, serious questions about the motives behind the decision. The trafficking rationale seems particularly odd. It is hard to see what the sanctions could actually accomplish, and how they might work to promote the interests of the United States, inter-American relations and democratic stability in Latin America. <snip>

The human trafficking rationale for the sanctions risks trivializing, and politicizing, one of Latin America's most critical problems. Independent human rights experts say that Venezuela's record, though of great concern, is no more egregious than many other countries that have somehow managed to escape similar treatment. In the State Department's 2003 report on human trafficking, Venezuela did not even appear among the five worst offenders in the Western Hemisphere. True, in the same report released in June, Venezuela had moved to the most problematic category (Tier 3). But the Bush administration has not provided compelling and persuasive evidence that warrants singling out one country. <snip>

http://www.vcrisis.com/index.php?content=letters/200409201431

[alittlelark]

1. Chavez rocks!!!

and if * steals another term (with baaaing sheeple behind him) he will be invaded,

Guess what - he won't - unless sheeple allow him to .... BACKBONES REQUIRED for the next few months!!!!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Venezuela has oil.

So I suppose we'll have to invade them pretty soon.

[Gyre]

3. Chavez was kidnaped by the CIA in an

aborted coup plot about 2 years ago. http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/august2004/190804anotherbullet.htm . He's a legitimately-elected president of a democratic country with strong popular support. He also knows bush is an ass and isn't afraid to say so. Pretty refreshing after poodles like Blair and Mushareff.

Gyre

[airstrip1]

4. Chavez knows what is coming

Why else buy all these MIGS

http://www.mosnews.com/money/2004/09/17/venezuela.shtml

Interesting to note that some Russian built aircraft appear to have outperformed their US equivalents during recent exercises with the Indian air force.

http://www.lexingtoninstitute.org/defense/040615.asp

I wonder what aircraft the Iranians have been buying.

[bemildred]

5. Interesting to see this reprinted on Vcrisis. nt