Thursday, September 21, 2006

Chavez shakes it up at the UN

Chavez stole the spotlight from Iranian madman Ahmadinejad at the UN with a fiery speech in which he denounced US imperialsim and called Bush the devil. His speech received a huge round of warm applause. This is sure to nix Venezuela's bid for a seat on the U.N. Security Council and will fuel Chavez' critics. For myself, I have some mixed feelings about Chavez and how he has been running his country since receiving a huge mandate from his population. All I know for sure is I spent ten days with some Venezuelans a few years ago, when Chavez was first elected and they loved him as a leader and thought he would save their country from the decades old, crass exploitation of the country by the oligarchy there.

And frankly I find Condi's response a little disingenuous. "I think it's not becoming for a head of state," she said. I have to ask as opposed to what? Her boss' constant judgemental berating of other countries and their leaders for not kowtowing to his policies? Furthermore for all the critics that claim Venezuelans are not a free people, I have to ask as opposed to what? Our country where our president now claims the power to seize any citizen without probable cause and hold them incommunicado for as long as he likes, (which so far has been years), without charging them with a crime or allowing them access to an attorney? Just ask Padillo how he feels about that.

I won't have time to read or view Chavez' speech for a couple of days and I may have more to say after I read it, but in the interim you can see the video yourself here and a transcript is available here. Draw your own conclusions.
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9 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with both chavez and ahmednejad that the US should mind it's own business, but without their massive oil revenues these guys would be like any other third world presidents. So I'm not really impressed.

1:36:00 PM  
Blogger Kathy said...

You bring up a good point about the oil reserves giving those two a stage, Lester. However, I don't feel that negates their message. Bush was in front of the world saying "bring it on" and "you're either with us or against us." How becoming is that for a head of state?

Our country's image has been greatly tarnished because of Bush and the Republicans. I'm afraid we're in a precarious position right now. The rest of the world is beginning to see us differently and we're losing our moral authority and standing. That leaves us vulnerable, and it could also leave us on the outside looking in someday when we need it the most.

6:58:00 PM  
Blogger Libby Spencer said...

I have to agree Kathy. I think Bush set the tone for the rhetoric. How different is what Chavez said different from Bush talking about the axis of evil? He calls them evildoers. They call him the devil. It's a cultural thing.

Lester you're right, without the oil, neither of them would have a forum in our press.

9:22:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

But Hugo...my man...loose the suit.

When your tailor said "Hugo," he didn't mean "Hugo Boss". The 4-button, Euro-trash look is so out!

12:53:00 AM  
Blogger Libby Spencer said...

LOL Kvatch. He could use some fashion help but I think in VZ he would be considered styling...

8:13:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

one of the most compelling criticisms I've seen of ahmadenejad was some conservative radio guy calling him out for his members only type windbreaker he wore on 60 minutes. the truth hurts. he looked like a pervert.

I think bush is crazy to avoid ahmedenajd and plan this big regime change in Iran. it doesn't matter who the next leader is. they could have 10 regime changes, they are never gonna find someone who is open to relations with israel and also has legitmacy with the iranian people.

2:05:00 PM  
Blogger Libby Spencer said...

Lester, Bush doesn't give a flying leap about Iran or regime change. What he cares about it inventing an imagined crisis so he can justify going in there with bombs to create an October surprise that will tip the US election to the GOP -- again.

I think he's going to do it. Too many little clues adding up lately. We can only hope that this time it backfires and the people realize Bush is a fucking meglomaniac who doesn't have a clue about what effect this is all having on the actual national security of our country.

3:16:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://blog.lewrockwell.com/lewrw/archives/011380.html

doesn't look good

6:15:00 PM  
Blogger Libby Spencer said...

Yikes Lester. I saw a Raw Story report yesterday where Rove was promising an "October surprise" besides. You know they're going to bomb Iran.

12:17:00 PM  

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