You can't make stuff like this up. http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/03/23/rumsfeld.venezuela.ap/
Venezuelan plans for world domination must be stopped. Thousands of assault rifles would definitely destabilize an entire hemisphere.
You know what the funny part is? One of the initial actions in rebuilding Iraq of the good old CPA was to apparently to order, inter alia, 50K handguns and thousands of Ak-47's for the new Iraqi army. Buying more guns for Iraq? LOL, maybe they should buy some more sand and muslims too.
so if i understand correctly you fell, inter alia, that venezuela, governed by glynch's favorite democratic thug, buying 100k assault weapons is a good thing, martha?
Great point, basso. Really a silly thread by all standards. Liberals are especially sore about the last few elections and the fact that the Republicans control congress and the white house. The liberal positions have been shot down by the will of the American people - the liberals have lost. This leads them to go on a Bush administration smear campaign to make the winner look bad, thereby attempting to make themselves look better. It's the classic principle of consistency from psychology. Nobody wants to be a loser, not even liberals who should be used to it by now.
The point is that 100k assault rifles aren't going to destabilize the entire hemisphere. Are you defending what Rumsfeld said? PS I notice you never answer questions, but ask a lot. You didn't answer the question about your lack of support for democracy in regards to Chavez. You didn't answer the question about if you were opposed to Bush I and Ronald Reagan when they were supporting and covering for Hussein during the worst years of his massacres. So I won't be surprised if you don't answer this one either. I don't mind, but I was curious if you had a strict policy of only asking and not answering questions.
This was a case of folks pointing out the ludicrous statement made by Rumsfeld. Do you believe that the entire Western Hemisphere would become unstable if Argentina bought some rifles?
I don't know how the Professor Emeritus of the Bush Doctrine can show up in a Chavez thread since the Bush Doctrine (Venezuela version) was to applaud the overthrow of a democratically elected leader (and many would say, help plan and support, thought that part is inconclusive - see Nat'l Sec. Archive) in favor of a ruling military junta. Of course, Chavez is kind of a chump, but he's their chump for better or worse. This of course is quite different from Bush doctrine v2.0 in which elections are the end-all be-all in an ode to popular sovereignty - but then we have to invoke the Hezbollah codicil - which means that popular support of un US-friendly leaders is way uncool, and probably undemocratic. Anyway, back to the issue at hand, is it a good thing that he bought a bunch of small arms? You know what? I can't really say. I don't know much about the present state of the firearms of the armed forces of the state of Venezuela. Perhaps they are rusty, or they don't shoot well anymore. Maybe they jam frequently. I don't know. But unlike Don, I'm not that worried about it truthfully. I'm pretty sure the Hemisphere (Southern? Western?) is going to make it. Likewise I don't think the Hemis-Fair Park n San Antonio is going to be assaulted by rifle toting Venezolanos any time soon - nor for that matter is the long gone Hemis-Fair Arena or its famed Baseline Bums. Anyway, I just thought it sort of amusing, in a wry Gallic sort of sense, that Mr. "Hey-we-seriously-need-to-militarize-space-real-soon" is kept up at night by this sort of wanton proliferation.
You need to read more carefully. He didn't say that the "entire Western Hemisphere would become unstable". He said that he couldn't imagine it being good for the hemisphere. Big difference. He also didn't even mention Argentina anywhere in the statement. He mentioned Venezuela. They are two separate countries, in case you're not familiar with South American geography.
Texxx, as it has recently come to light that you are a high-school graduate still in the process of matriculation and learning about the big world we live in, I am going to have to ask you to refrain from commenting until you are more fully credentialed.
lol. Sorry you got me there. I meant Venezuela. Let me rephrase the question then. Do you think that it is bad for the whole hemisphere that Venezuela bought some rifles?
I will agree with Donald that it's not a good thing that Chavez and his Venezuelan state have added to their arsenal of weapons. Chavez has really been on a media-assisted misinformation campaign to make the US out to look like the devil to the poor uneducated masses of Venezuela. Read the attached article on the oil industry and Venezuela's Petroleos de Venezuela. It's so ridiculous in terms of media spin that I was laughing aloud while reading it. http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=25231 There was also an interesting article about a week ago in either the WSJ or the Economist (can't remember which, but both are outstanding publications, though) on how Venezuela is taking actions to economically and militarily undermine the US. Chavez is clearly an enemy of the US.
Sam, now that you've mentioned that you're latino, what is your opinion on the Venezuelan situation? Perhaps you could offer some insightful perspective on this as a latino. I would welcome your point of view.
Texxx, I am glad you have taken the opportunity to call upon the wisdom of one of your elders and recognize me as a valuable resource. Unfortunately I must finish this important business on which I am working at the moment, the present incompletion of which is due in no small part to my being overly generous in dispensing my wisdom to the BBS public these days. So I will pass presently but am going to definitely take this request under advisement.
I'm not crazy about Chavez, and I'm not crazy about the Venezuelan oligarchy either. I think Rummy is worried about urban warfare (see Iraq) if the Bush Administration decides to militarily intervene, which might not be an impossibility. If Chavez does some things that affect our oil supply, and/or started taking euros instead of dollars, he'd be walking a fine line with Bush and company, imo. Keep D&D Civil!!
bigtexxx, you,basso,and trader jorge are so far up Bush's a$$ it's surprising he hasn't got colon cancer yet. When it comes to credit card companies pushing their own agenda through the republican held congress and senate with ease you guys seem to be at a loss for words. Why is that? Is that the will of the people you talk about? Now we come to a subject that the WH and republicans are good at, media assisted misinformation campaigns. Like Bush ads saying if Kerry where in the WH gas prices would go up even more, let's not forget everyone's favorite male internet reporter. You know the old saying "it takes one to know one".
process of matriculation That sounds down right painful. The simple solution to the Venezuela problem is to let the Red States (tm) democratically elect their government. Thank me later.
