NationStates Jolt Archive

Nothing to see here, just another addition (Venzuela) to the Axis of Evil.




Iran, Venezuela agree to finance third countries to oppose U.S. domination
The Associated Press
Published: January 13, 2007

www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/14/america/LA-GEN-Venezuela-Iran.php

CARACAS, Venezuela: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Saturday that they were ready to spend billions of dollars (euros) financing projects in other countries to help thwart U.S. domination.

The fiery anti-U.S. presidents whose efforts to extend their influence have alarmed Washington met in Venezuela's capital, the first stop on Ahmadinejad's tour of Latin America that will see him also visit newly elected leftist leaders in Nicaragua and Ecuador.

The oil-rich nations had previously announced plans for a joint US$2 billion (€1.55 billion) fund to finance investments in Venezuela and Iran, but Chavez and Ahmadinejad said Saturday that the money would also be used for projects in friendly third countries.

"It will permit us to underpin investments ... above all in those countries whose governments are making efforts to liberate themselves from the (U.S.) imperialist yoke," said Chavez.

"This fund, my brother," Chavez said referring to Ahmadinejad, "will become a mechanism for liberation.

"Death to U.S. imperialism!" he said.

Ahmadinejad called it a "very important" decision that would help promote "joint cooperation in third countries," especially in Latin American and African countries.

Before his meeting with Ahmadinejad, Chavez said in his state of the nation address that he had personally expressed hope to Thomas Shannon, head of the U.S. State Department's Western Hemisphere affairs bureau, for better relations between their two countries.

Chavez said he spoke with Shannon on the sidelines of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's inauguration earlier this week, saying, ""We shook hands and I told him: 'I hope that everything improves.'"

Chavez — a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro whom Washington sees as a destabilizing influence — has pledged billions of dollars (euros) of help to the region in foreign aid, bond buyouts and preferentially financed oil deals.

Iran, meanwhile, is allegedly bankrolling militant groups in the Middle East like Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, as well as insurgents in Iraq, in a bid to extend its influence.

Ahmadinejad's visit Saturday — his second to Venezuela in less than four months — comes as he seeks to break international isolation over his country's nuclear program and possibly line up new allies in Latin America.

After Venezuela, Ahmadinejad will visit newly elected leftist governments in Nicaragua and Ecuador that are also seeking to reduce Washington's influence in the region.

Chavez and Ahmadinejad have been increasingly united by their deep-seated antagonism to Washington. Chavez has become a leading defender of Iran's nuclear ambitions, accusing the United States of using the issue as a pretext to attack a regime it opposes and promising to stand with Iran.

Ahmadinejad, meanwhile, has called Chavez "the champion of the struggle against imperialism."

On Saturday, he congratulated Chavez on his December re-election and said the Venezuelan people were wise to choose "a person as important on the world stage, a person so wise as Hugo Chavez."

The increasingly close relationship has alarmed some, and critics of Chavez accuse him of pursuing an alliance that does not serve Venezuela's interests and jeopardizes its ties with the United States, the country's top oil buyer. Venezuela is among the top five suppliers of crude to the U.S. market.

Both countries are members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Chavez said Saturday that they had agreed to back an oil production cut in the cartel in order to stem a recent fall in crude prices.

"We know today there is too much crude in the market," Chavez siad. "We have agreed to join our forces within OPEC ... to support a production cut and save the price of oil."

The two governments, which already plan to jointly produce everything from bricks to bicycles and develop oil fields in Venezuela, signed another 11 accords Saturday to explore further opportunities for cooperation in areas like tourism, education and mining.

Ahmadinejad is set to travel to Nicaragua to meet on Sunday with Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla. On Monday, he travels to Ecuador for the inauguration of President-elect Rafael Correa, another outspoken critic of the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush and Washington's policies in Latin America.

Doesn't mean a whole lot.

Good.

The CIA tried and failed to have Chavez 'removed' and provoked the Iranians with the false 'axis of evil' label.

Consequences.

Good for them.

Unfortunately, it won't change much.

It's ironic how America rebelled against and imperialist government and be came imperialist itself. Washington's rolling over in his grave. I suppose that we should stop messing with other countries for our own self-interests.

Oh. I'm fucking terrified. Can you see how terrified I am? If I had boots, I'd be shaking in them, but since I'm only sitting on my sofa in a pair of grape-smugglers and a pit-stained half-shirt with my beer-belly protruding grotesquely between them, my torso hair matted with crumbs of Town House crackers and cheap Brie, you'll have to imagine the quivering for yourself.

I think my pyloric valve is about to slam shut and cause bloating.

Oh. I'm fucking terrified. Can you see how terrified I am? If I had boots, I'd be shaking in them, but since I'm only sitting on my sofa in a pair of grape-smugglers and a pit-stained half-shirt with my beer-belly protruding grotesquely between them, my torso hair matted with crumbs of Town House crackers and cheap Brie, you'll have to imagine the quivering for yourself

You sir, have lived more in this one moment than most people have in their entire lives.

Good for them.

Unfortunately, it won't change much.

Yep.

They don't have enough influence.

Venzuela has the region worried. Iran has the world worried.

You sir, have lived more in this one moment than most people have in their entire lives.

Thank you. It's good to know my art is not unappreciated. :D

Yep.

They don't have enough influence.

Venzuela has the region worried. Iran has the world worried.

If you haven't noticed lately, the U.S. doesn't really care what the world thinks.

If you haven't noticed lately, the U.S. doesn't really care what the world thinks.

In all fairness, I imagine it's quickly getting to be the other way around as well.

If you haven't noticed lately, the U.S. doesn't really care what the world thinks.

Very, VERY true.

Venezuela and Iran? Two loser states with falling oil production, massive poverty, repression and corruption? Yeah, that's exactly who I'd want to advance the cause of anti-imperialism....

I would sooner listen to Cuba than these two...at least Cuba has some honesty and provides decent living standards for its people.

Oh, right. Venezuela is "evil" now. And of course Iran is too. Why are they evil? Because people like captain booby want to invade them. Why do they want to invade them? Because they're preparing to defend themselves against invasion. Why are they preparing to defend themselves against invasion? Because people like captain booby want to invade them. Why do people like captain booby want to invade them? Because they're evil. Why are they evil? Because they're preparing to defend themselves against invasion....

I'm beginning to think that Ahmadinejad is Gay for Chavez. Boy that would be a scandel for the mullahs!


I wonder, since NSG is so anti-Imperialism... Does that mean we get some dough?

I'm beginning to think that Ahmadinejad is Gay for Chavez. Boy that would be a scandel for the mullahs!


You know, I think Ahmadinejad is kinda hot.

captain booby

I giggled.

I'm beginning to think that Ahmadinejad is Gay for Chavez. Boy that would be a scandel for the mullahs!


I wonder, since NSG is so anti-Imperialism... Does that mean we get some dough?

Try Anti-American and Anti-anything-not-Marxist.

You know, I think Ahmadinejad is kinda hot.

No one agrees?

No one agrees?

He kinda reminds me of a younger and sexier Middle Eastern GW Bush, in terms of facial features.

Politically too.

No one agrees?

Nope, sorry.

Considering how much a group of peasants can do with RPG’s and Ak’s odds are this will do quite a bit though why any money needs to be put into this at all when most of Africa has been smothered with the stuff is beyond me

You know, I think Ahmadinejad is kinda hot.

Seconded, I’m fully convinced he’s a part time model especially with the fashion

Now if only powerful countries were to oppose the US in a meaningful way, we'd be getting somewhere.

No one agrees?

Where's United Chicken Kleptos? He maintains the same thing.

I don't know, reactionary nationalist fundamentalist statists aren't my thing.

Chavez is an indication of a growing anti-American Socialist movement across Latin America... although to say they are part of an 'Axis of Evil' is quite interesting when we consider the original 'Axis of Evil', Iran, Iraq and North Korea.

Axis usually implies some form of Alliance. Iran and Iraq were very far from Allied
Nations, in fact the only thing they really had in common was they were in the Middle East, and more importantly dislikes America.

It seems that 'Axis of Evil' is a bland term used to smear any State that expresses anti-US sentiment, relying on a notion that America = good, therefore anti-American = evil. An idea which is nice and simple and easy for people to understand...

So the "not-so-evil-but-a-bit-evil-cause-he´s-a-polititian-anyway"-guy and the "dude-i´ve-got-nukes-no-really-i-have-some-because-i´m-evil"-guy are becoming allies in trying to defend themselfs against the "god-told-me-to-conquer-the-world"-monkey.
This world is totally absurd. And I´ll never ever understand what I should think about Chavez. (How about this: He knows more about democracy than the whole religious right, economic right and whatever right there is - but that´s not enough either...? Again: strange world out there.)

Nothing to see here, just another addition (Venzuela) to the Axis of Evil.
Think for yourself. America has no divine right to exert undue influence over world affairs.

Try Anti-American and Anti-anything-not-Marxist.
Anarchism and libertarianism isn't Marxist and they're popular here.

Try Anti-American and Anti-anything-not-Marxist.

There are very, very few Marxists on here.

And what’s so wrong about this? America, after all, used to fund various organisations across the globe, so why shouldn’t other countries do the same?

I giggled.

Hehe, boobies..

They can, and should, fund whoever they please. It's pretty mild considering the cowardly US-backed coup attempt against Chavez. Regardles, what is the US going to do about it? Your troops are, right now, being killed by IEDs in the most humiliating defeat since Vietnam. Your economy is in shambles because of the war. All you can do right now is whine. So, do whine some more, because the US brought this on itself when it decided it could fund coups in states that elected the "wrong" leaders. Karma's a bitch, more power to Chavez, and do whine some more, because I LOVE to see you doing it!

Has anyone else noticed that Chavez has a REALLY big head, and Ahmadinejad has a REALLY small head? (http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42448000/jpg/_42448065_meeting_ap_203b.jpg) Coincidence!? I think not. The Weird-heads are seeking to overthrow Western Society!!!!1!1!!111one

Seriously though, while Chavez is a douchebag and Ahmadinejad has some unsavoury opinions, I agree with the jist of what they're doing here. Third World nations should concentrate on improving relations with eachother to offset the influence of the World's larger powers. Hopefully Persio-Venezuelan co-operation should bring benefits to both Iranians and Venezuelans, and so I encourage it.

He kinda reminds me of a younger and sexier Middle Eastern GW Bush, in terms of facial features.

Politically too.

I've thought that, I guess that's why he keeps the beard, to avoid confusion.

Not so much politically, Ahmadinejad is a bit of a pinko, underneath all the durka-durka-Mohammad-Jihad...

Nothing to see here, just another addition (Venzuela) to the Axis of Evil.




Iran, Venezuela agree to finance third countries to oppose U.S. domination
The Associated Press
Published: January 13, 2007

www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/14/america/LA-GEN-Venezuela-Iran.php

CARACAS, Venezuela: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Saturday that they were ready to spend billions of dollars (euros) financing projects in other countries to help thwart U.S. domination.

The fiery anti-U.S. presidents whose efforts to extend their influence have alarmed Washington met in Venezuela's capital, the first stop on Ahmadinejad's tour of Latin America that will see him also visit newly elected leftist leaders in Nicaragua and Ecuador.

The oil-rich nations had previously announced plans for a joint US$2 billion (€1.55 billion) fund to finance investments in Venezuela and Iran, but Chavez and Ahmadinejad said Saturday that the money would also be used for projects in friendly third countries.

"It will permit us to underpin investments ... above all in those countries whose governments are making efforts to liberate themselves from the (U.S.) imperialist yoke," said Chavez.

"This fund, my brother," Chavez said referring to Ahmadinejad, "will become a mechanism for liberation.

"Death to U.S. imperialism!" he said.

Ahmadinejad called it a "very important" decision that would help promote "joint cooperation in third countries," especially in Latin American and African countries.

Before his meeting with Ahmadinejad, Chavez said in his state of the nation address that he had personally expressed hope to Thomas Shannon, head of the U.S. State Department's Western Hemisphere affairs bureau, for better relations between their two countries.

Chavez said he spoke with Shannon on the sidelines of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's inauguration earlier this week, saying, ""We shook hands and I told him: 'I hope that everything improves.'"

Chavez — a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro whom Washington sees as a destabilizing influence — has pledged billions of dollars (euros) of help to the region in foreign aid, bond buyouts and preferentially financed oil deals.

Iran, meanwhile, is allegedly bankrolling militant groups in the Middle East like Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, as well as insurgents in Iraq, in a bid to extend its influence.

Ahmadinejad's visit Saturday — his second to Venezuela in less than four months — comes as he seeks to break international isolation over his country's nuclear program and possibly line up new allies in Latin America.

After Venezuela, Ahmadinejad will visit newly elected leftist governments in Nicaragua and Ecuador that are also seeking to reduce Washington's influence in the region.

Chavez and Ahmadinejad have been increasingly united by their deep-seated antagonism to Washington. Chavez has become a leading defender of Iran's nuclear ambitions, accusing the United States of using the issue as a pretext to attack a regime it opposes and promising to stand with Iran.

Ahmadinejad, meanwhile, has called Chavez "the champion of the struggle against imperialism."

On Saturday, he congratulated Chavez on his December re-election and said the Venezuelan people were wise to choose "a person as important on the world stage, a person so wise as Hugo Chavez."

The increasingly close relationship has alarmed some, and critics of Chavez accuse him of pursuing an alliance that does not serve Venezuela's interests and jeopardizes its ties with the United States, the country's top oil buyer. Venezuela is among the top five suppliers of crude to the U.S. market.

Both countries are members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Chavez said Saturday that they had agreed to back an oil production cut in the cartel in order to stem a recent fall in crude prices.

"We know today there is too much crude in the market," Chavez siad. "We have agreed to join our forces within OPEC ... to support a production cut and save the price of oil."

The two governments, which already plan to jointly produce everything from bricks to bicycles and develop oil fields in Venezuela, signed another 11 accords Saturday to explore further opportunities for cooperation in areas like tourism, education and mining.

Ahmadinejad is set to travel to Nicaragua to meet on Sunday with Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla. On Monday, he travels to Ecuador for the inauguration of President-elect Rafael Correa, another outspoken critic of the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush and Washington's policies in Latin America.

They are nuts. People who dislike America are sane. People who hate it are crazy.

They are nuts. People who dislike America are sane. People who hate it are crazy.

Gee, why would Chavez EVER hate America? All it did was attempt to coup him out and set up an US-friendly dictatorship in Venezuela, after all!

I really don't understand why they're doing this.

Chavez is a little.. shall we say... "eccentric" and it's becoming more clear that he's also a bit of an autocrat, but... ugh, getting chummy with Iran just because they also hate the US?

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, perhaps, but in this case it looks like the enemy of my enemy is a rabid dog that would as soon bite my hand as take it if I offered it in friendship. Enemy of my enemy or not, Chavez is better off without friends like that.

I really don't understand why they're doing this.

Chavez is a little.. shall we say... "eccentric" and it's becoming more clear that he's also a bit of an autocrat, but... ugh, getting chummy with Iran just because they also hate the US?

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, perhaps, but in this case it looks like the enemy of my enemy is a rabid dog that would as soon bite my hand as take it if I offered it in friendship. Enemy of my enemy or not, Chavez is better off without friends like that.

Maybe so, but Chavez may be simply using Ahmadinejad in order to be an annoyance to the man that tried to coup him - an elected leader - out.

Think for yourself. America has no divine right to exert undue influence over world affairs.


Anarchism and libertarianism isn't Marxist and they're popular here.

I've only noticed a few Anarchists; people here seem to agree that a visible, structured government of some sort is needed.

Libertarianism is popular? Then why the hell is everyone that's not center or center-left frequently the target of mudslinging?

He kinda reminds me of a younger and sexier Middle Eastern GW Bush, in terms of facial features.

Politically too.

You ruined him. :(

Anyway, as the leader of a muslim nation, he probably isn't gay.

If I was Chavez I would focus on solving the drastic crime and unemployment problems in my country before trying to combat U.S. imperialism.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/01/10/venezuela.chavez.ap/index.html
This may be slightly off the subject, but read the Commission to consider 'indefinite re-election' part of this. "Indefinite re-election", the people still get to decide obviously, but doesn't that sound suspicious to anyone.

You ruined him. :(

Anyway, as the leader of a muslim nation, he probably isn't gay.

Look up Persian Art on Wikipedia... Iran is a pretty gay country.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend...
Is this why we gave WMD (gas) to Saddam?
oh wait.. I forgot.. he Was our "friend" those years...

If I was Chavez I would focus on solving the drastic crime and unemployment problems in my country before trying to combat U.S. imperialism.well If you solve the Imperialism problem.. you do solve unemployement.. and for the long term too.
And If you solve unemployement.. you solve most of the crime problem.

good leaders plan for the long term.

Do you expect Chavez to like us after we tried to setup a puppet state in his country?

I giggled.

Yeah I wasn't meaning to be insulting to the OP or anything, I mostly just wanted an excuse to say booby. Boobies. Boobs.

well If you solve the Imperialism problem.. you do solve unemployement.. and for the long term too.
And If you solve unemployement.. you solve most of the crime problem.

good leaders plan for the long term.

How would solving America's "Imperialism" problem solve unemployment???

Look I'm not pro or anit-imperialism but the United States is currently the strongest country in the world. It's going to have influence in other countires, especially since it's also Capitalist. Being top dog in the yard it, like every top power before it, will attempt to stay numer one forever. Any threat no matter how small is going to be noticed.
The U.S. will inevitably fall like the British, Spanish, and Roman Empires. Someone will replace the U.S., (China?) and do the exact same thing as all the empries before it including your country would Imperialize because people in general are greedy and power hungry.

You can complain that U.S. is bad because it's Imperialist and attacks anything that is a threat. :) :mp5: but what do you expect? To just watch as everyone else tries to become the strongest nation? It's all about power. Every improvement a country makes is to gain more power in the long run.

It is pointless to get pissy at Chavez and its pointless to get pissy at the U.S. they are just doing what every country in history has done. Being the strongest nation, supporting it, or opposing it.
P.S. In the modern world it's harder to not be affected by the U.S. in any aspect so pick NOW.

This is the consequence when America plays dirty games with other countries. Now the bully is realizing his mistakes, he made one too many enemies :D. So much for being a superpower, it can't even control a city. Now they want to run away from Iraq through "blame & run" tactics. If American troops are having a hard time controlling the Iraqi chaos, what do you think a rag tag Iraqi army (more like a militia because they are poorly trained and only given an ak47-old models at that) and police (entrusted with a glock against well armed insurgents) can do against a well disciplined and determined enemy? There's no WMD's, there’s no democracy there (much worse then Saddam's era), just lost another potential friendly country (Iraq) and made more foes. Some Americans ignore these negatives and actually believe they're winning and that ignorance will lead to the drainage of American resources (blood and money wise). Some countries (especially European nations) want a second power, probably China or an EU or both to offset America's global dominance. How the cookie crumbles.

Originally Posted by Zarakon
If you haven't noticed lately, the U.S. doesn't really care what the world thinks.

In all fairness, I imagine it's quickly getting to be the other way around as well.

Somebody find this man a gold star (and some high quality cheese)

How would solving America's "Imperialism" problem solve unemployment???sans decades long US imperialism.. SouthAmerica's economy would be doing better..

better economy generally means less unemployement.

sans decades long US imperialism.. SouthAmerica's economy would be doing better..

better economy generally means less unemployement.

No, its because South America has been ruled generally by socialist governments which have destroyed economies. Its far more important to control inflation rather than unemployment, one will always affect the other but inflation is the key, South America failed on this.

No, its because South America has been ruled generally by socialist governments which have destroyed economies. Its far more important to control inflation rather than unemployment, one will always affect the other but inflation is the key, South America failed on this.

Brazil had an inflation of thousands a year under a very capitalist government installed by the previous dictatorship. A dictatorship that the US supported. Any other points you might want to add?

No, its because South America has been ruled generally by socialist governments which have destroyed economies. dont you mean to say Commie pinko? ;)

I wonder what would happen if all U.S. territories and places that the U.S. military occupies like Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands revolted in a Gandhi-like way...

I wonder what would happen if all U.S. territories and places that the U.S. military occupies like Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands revolted in a Gandhi-like way...

A nuclear lolocaust, that's what.

Yawn. Yet more hot air from Mr. Chavez and Mr. iranianpresidentwhosnameicantspell. I care very little.

A nuclear lolocaust, that's what.

I wish our people were more mature...

Yawn. Yet more hot air from Mr. Chavez and Mr. iranianpresidentwhosnameicantspell. I care very little.

His name is actually quite easy to spell once you split it up.

Ahmad-in-e-jad... Ahmad as in the name, 'jad' which is a word for 'clan', and then the little pesky bits of grammar in between.

</This has been a public service announcement from the Coalition Of People Who Get Annoyed At People Who Don't Bother To Learn Spellings (COPWGAAPWDBTLS).>

I've only noticed a few Anarchists; people here seem to agree that a visible, structured government of some sort is needed.

Libertarianism is popular? Then why the hell is everyone that's not center or center-left frequently the target of mudslinging?
You need better observational skills.

You ruined him. :(

Anyway, as the leader of a muslim nation, he probably isn't gay.

No they just hide in the closet, I'm seriously thinking that he's a homo, he acts it.

Nothing to see here, just another addition (Venzuela) to the Axis of Evil.




Iran, Venezuela agree to finance third countries to oppose U.S. domination
The Associated Press
Published: January 13, 2007

www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/14/america/LA-GEN-Venezuela-Iran.php

CARACAS, Venezuela: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Saturday that they were ready to spend billions of dollars (euros) financing projects in other countries to help thwart U.S. domination.

The fiery anti-U.S. presidents whose efforts to extend their influence have alarmed Washington met in Venezuela's capital, the first stop on Ahmadinejad's tour of Latin America that will see him also visit newly elected leftist leaders in Nicaragua and Ecuador.

The oil-rich nations had previously announced plans for a joint US$2 billion (€1.55 billion) fund to finance investments in Venezuela and Iran, but Chavez and Ahmadinejad said Saturday that the money would also be used for projects in friendly third countries.

"It will permit us to underpin investments ... above all in those countries whose governments are making efforts to liberate themselves from the (U.S.) imperialist yoke," said Chavez.

"This fund, my brother," Chavez said referring to Ahmadinejad, "will become a mechanism for liberation.

"Death to U.S. imperialism!" he said.

Ahmadinejad called it a "very important" decision that would help promote "joint cooperation in third countries," especially in Latin American and African countries.

Before his meeting with Ahmadinejad, Chavez said in his state of the nation address that he had personally expressed hope to Thomas Shannon, head of the U.S. State Department's Western Hemisphere affairs bureau, for better relations between their two countries.

Chavez said he spoke with Shannon on the sidelines of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's inauguration earlier this week, saying, ""We shook hands and I told him: 'I hope that everything improves.'"

Chavez — a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro whom Washington sees as a destabilizing influence — has pledged billions of dollars (euros) of help to the region in foreign aid, bond buyouts and preferentially financed oil deals.

Iran, meanwhile, is allegedly bankrolling militant groups in the Middle East like Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, as well as insurgents in Iraq, in a bid to extend its influence.

Ahmadinejad's visit Saturday — his second to Venezuela in less than four months — comes as he seeks to break international isolation over his country's nuclear program and possibly line up new allies in Latin America.

After Venezuela, Ahmadinejad will visit newly elected leftist governments in Nicaragua and Ecuador that are also seeking to reduce Washington's influence in the region.

Chavez and Ahmadinejad have been increasingly united by their deep-seated antagonism to Washington. Chavez has become a leading defender of Iran's nuclear ambitions, accusing the United States of using the issue as a pretext to attack a regime it opposes and promising to stand with Iran.

Ahmadinejad, meanwhile, has called Chavez "the champion of the struggle against imperialism."

On Saturday, he congratulated Chavez on his December re-election and said the Venezuelan people were wise to choose "a person as important on the world stage, a person so wise as Hugo Chavez."

The increasingly close relationship has alarmed some, and critics of Chavez accuse him of pursuing an alliance that does not serve Venezuela's interests and jeopardizes its ties with the United States, the country's top oil buyer. Venezuela is among the top five suppliers of crude to the U.S. market.

Both countries are members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Chavez said Saturday that they had agreed to back an oil production cut in the cartel in order to stem a recent fall in crude prices.

"We know today there is too much crude in the market," Chavez siad. "We have agreed to join our forces within OPEC ... to support a production cut and save the price of oil."

The two governments, which already plan to jointly produce everything from bricks to bicycles and develop oil fields in Venezuela, signed another 11 accords Saturday to explore further opportunities for cooperation in areas like tourism, education and mining.

Ahmadinejad is set to travel to Nicaragua to meet on Sunday with Ortega, a former Marxist guerrilla. On Monday, he travels to Ecuador for the inauguration of President-elect Rafael Correa, another outspoken critic of the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush and Washington's policies in Latin America.

If this was World War III in the offing:
Ahmadinejad would = the new Adolf Hitler
Hugo Chavez would= the new Benito Mussolini
Kim Il Sung= the new Hirohito

Ohhh...why can't the USA be evil for a change? Conquest is much more fun than liberation.

The US has done some evil things in its past already. Like the illegal conquest of the soverign Kingdom of Hawaii in the 19th Century.

And what’s so wrong about this? America, after all, used to fund various organisations across the globe, so why shouldn’t other countries do the same?

By America I guess you mean the U.S.
Used to?
Still does surely?
Multiple ones in Venezuela for example.

Gee, why would Chavez EVER hate America? All it did was attempt to coup him out and set up an US-friendly dictatorship in Venezuela, after all!

Remember US admin fanboys hate context, Chavez is merely paranoid
thinking the US has any naughty intentions towards him and his country.

I really don't understand why they're doing this.

Chavez is a little.. shall we say... "eccentric" and it's becoming more clear that he's also a bit of an autocrat, but... ugh, getting chummy with Iran just because they also hate the US?

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, perhaps, but in this case it looks like the enemy of my enemy is a rabid dog that would as soon bite my hand as take it if I offered it in friendship. Enemy of my enemy or not, Chavez is better off without friends like that.

Your last sentence sounded a little more like US friendship, certainly how
it worked for Iraq and there are those who will provide you with lists of
ex US friends and how they got treated.
Chavez may be a good influence on Iran
certainly he will have the capacity to be a more positive influence than people who threaten to attack Iran every few minutes.

If I was Chavez I would focus on solving the drastic crime and unemployment problems in my country before trying to combat U.S. imperialism.

Cos of course the country did not get to have the crime and unemployment problems it has while being run in US interests.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/01/10/venezuela.chavez.ap/index.html
This may be slightly off the subject, but read the Commission to consider 'indefinite re-election' part of this. "Indefinite re-election", the people still get to decide obviously, but doesn't that sound suspicious to anyone.

Well it is a comission rather than him deciding and it is examining the term limits he himself introduced there was no limit to the number of terms a president could serve before that.

It is still not a good sign though, I hope he does not weaken and seek to serve more terms.

No, its because South America has been ruled generally by socialist governments which have destroyed economies. Its far more important to control inflation rather than unemployment, one will always affect the other but inflation is the key, South America failed on this.

Controlling inflation increases unemployment
Controlling unemployment increases inflation

There is nothing that clearly shows it is more important to control inflation at the expense of employment although it certainly suits certain groups of people to do so.

Can you name countries in South America whose economies collapsed under socialist rule, without external US influences?
Cos there are sure a lot that were capitalist and US friendly that imploded but
I'm struggling to think of left wing ones that weren't undermined or overthrown by US actions or by the actions of those with US funding.

If this was World War III in the offing:
Ahmadinejad would = the new Adolf Hitler
Hugo Chavez would= the new Benito Mussolini
Kim Il Sung= the new Hirohito

Or more realistically

Whoever controls Bush would be the new Hitler
Tony Blair would be the new Mussolini

And as he is a nasty man but would be on the other side for most of the war
Kim Il Sung could be correlated to Stalin.

Unfortunately the world seems to be sadly missing what might be called
the good guys.
Still maybe they will appear when it all really kicks off after all Churchill
was a waste of space until ww2

Controlling inflation increases unemployment
Controlling unemployment increases inflation


That's not actually true. Although it used to be thought that this was the case, there have been several periods of both high inflation and unemployment together. Hopefully, someone more knowlegible in Economics could explain it a little better than I.

They can, and should, fund whoever they please. It's pretty mild considering the cowardly US-backed coup attempt against Chavez. Regardles, what is the US going to do about it? Your troops are, right now, being killed by IEDs in the most humiliating defeat since Vietnam. Your economy is in shambles because of the war. All you can do right now is whine. So, do whine some more, because the US brought this on itself when it decided it could fund coups in states that elected the "wrong" leaders. Karma's a bitch, more power to Chavez, and do whine some more, because I LOVE to see you doing it!

No offense here but do you even know about american history? Do you know how many people died in Vietnam? Then compare that to the little over 3000 that we have lost and then try and say again that this is the biggest humiliation since.

That's not actually true. Although it used to be thought that this was the case, there have been several periods of both high inflation and unemployment together. Hopefully, someone more knowlegible in Economics could explain it a little better than I.

Well, there are other factors that affect unemployment besides the tightness or laxity of the labor market; the pure Phillips curve only works in a truly free labor market that doesn't include the effects of other economic factors, such as supply shocks, productivity growth, and inflationary expectations.

For example, in the 1990's (until 1999), the inflation rate and the unemployment rate both fell. Why? Because of falling prices for commodities, faster productivity growth, and tighter fiscal policy. These three helped contain demand-pull inflation by keeping labor and product costs under control and thereby reducing inflationary expectations. It wasn't until 1999, when oil prices rose by over 300%, that we began to see significant increases in inflation; in fact, in 1998 it had fallen to as low as 1.3% despite unemployment under 4.5%.

However, there generally is a tradeoff between unemployment and inflation even though it is often muted or worsened by other factors.

Look I'm not pro or anit-imperialism but the United States is currently the strongest country in the world. It's going to have influence in other countires, especially since it's also Capitalist. Being top dog in the yard it, like every top power before it, will attempt to stay numer one forever. Any threat no matter how small is going to be noticed.
The U.S. will inevitably fall like the British, Spanish, and Roman Empires. Someone will replace the U.S., (China?) and do the exact same thing as all the empries before it including your country would Imperialize because people in general are greedy and power hungry.

You can complain that U.S. is bad because it's Imperialist and attacks anything that is a threat. :) :mp5: but what do you expect? To just watch as everyone else tries to become the strongest nation? It's all about power. Every improvement a country makes is to gain more power in the long run.

It is pointless to get pissy at Chavez and its pointless to get pissy at the U.S. they are just doing what every country in history has done. Being the strongest nation, supporting it, or opposing it.
P.S. In the modern world it's harder to not be affected by the U.S. in any aspect so pick NOW.

Couldn't agree more, i think this sums it up rather nicely

If this was World War III in the offing:
Ahmadinejad would = the new Adolf Hitler
Hugo Chavez would= the new Benito Mussolini
Kim Il Sung= the new Hirohito

you are comparing a persian to hitler and a socilaist to mussolini?

are people actually that stupid?

On second thought, they can't do much with $2 billion dollars. They can either fund their own home projects or they can choose one or two countries to "help" out. It's not enough money to fund projects on a massive global scale.

you are comparing a persian to hitler and a socilaist to mussolini?

are people actually that stupid?

The fact that one is a Persian is meaningless. Especially given the fact that, just like Adolf Hitler, he has called for the total annhihiliation of the Jewish race.

And the fact that Chavez is socialist does not refute the fact that he is just as militant and fascist as Benito Mussolini was.

No offense here but do you even know about american history? Do you know how many people died in Vietnam? Then compare that to the little over 3000 that we have lost and then try and say again that this is the biggest humiliation since.

By saying it's the biggest humiliation since Vietnam they are saying that Vietnam was a bigger humiliation than Iraq, and Iraq is bigger than any other humiliation after Vietnam up to the present day.

By saying it's the biggest humiliation since Vietnam they are saying that Vietnam was a bigger humiliation than Iraq, and Iraq is bigger than any other humiliation after Vietnam up to the present day.

Political pundits do not = historians.

The fact that one is a Persian is meaningless. Especially given the fact that, just like Adolf Hitler, he has called for the total annhihiliation of the Jewish race.
Destruction of Israel, big difference. If he wanted to destroy Jews, you'd think he would've already killed the ones in his own country.

And the fact that Chavez is socialist does not refute the fact that he is just as militant and fascist as Benito Mussolini was.
No.

Destruction of Israel, big difference. If he wanted to destroy Jews, you'd think he would've already killed the ones in his own country.


I don't think the mullahs would support it. Ahmadinejad's personal hatred of Jews doesn't spill over in to the rest of the regime, especially the mullahs who are interested in keeping everything under control than pursuing any kind of religious crusades.

If anything, he's a "useful idiot" for prodding Western nations and diverting public sentiment without endangering the clerical regime.

I don't think the mullahs would support it. Ahmadinejad's personal hatred of Jews doesn't spill over in to the rest of the regime, especially the mullahs who are interested in keeping everything under control than pursuing any kind of religious crusades.

If anything, he's a "useful idiot" for prodding Western nations and diverting public sentiment without endangering the clerical regime.

Well thank you for pointing out another hole in his theory: Hitler actually had power in Nazi Germany, the same cannot be said for Ahmadinejad.

The fact that one is a Persian is meaningless. Especially given the fact that, just like Adolf Hitler, he has called for the total annhihiliation of the Jewish race.

And the fact that Chavez is socialist does not refute the fact that he is just as militant and fascist as Benito Mussolini was.

he called for the destruction of the israeli state. the jews in iran have never been interfered with.

are you seriously going to try and argue he is a left wing fascist? as militant as Mussolini? :rolleyes:

pathetic stuff. can you make any rational argument about why these men are bad without hysterical godwin-esque nonsense like that?

you do a great disservice to those who suffered under hitler and mussolinini. and in chavez's case, those whose political tradition fought fascism tooth and nail

The fact that one is a Persian is meaningless. Especially given the fact that, just like Adolf Hitler, he has called for the total annhihiliation of the Jewish race.

And the fact that Chavez is socialist does not refute the fact that he is just as militant and fascist as Benito Mussolini was.

*Sigh*

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

If I was Chavez, I wouldn't ally myself with a country that has numerous human rights abuses on it's records.

http://newsblaze.com/story/20070113073820tsop.nb/newsblaze/TOPSTORY/Top-Stories.html
"Three independent United Nations human rights experts have called on Iran to stop the imminent execution of seven Iranian Arab dissidents on charges of "being at war with God," citing allegations of torture and "trials that made a mockery of due process."

http://www.iranian.ws/iran_news/publish/article_19981.shtml (This one rattles off lists of abuses).

And there are numerous others.

Oh, not to mention the entire holocaust denier thing. http://newsblaze.com/story/20070111081520tsop.nb/newsblaze/TOPSTORY/Top-Stories.html

Even if the U.S. has become an imperialistic power, this is hardly the way to go about changing things. It just makes Chavez seem like a nut.

If I was Chavez, I wouldn't ally myself with a country that has numerous human rights abuses on it's records.



will we list the scummy regiemes past and present the US is allied with?

will we list the scummy regimes past and present the US is allied with?I'm not going to deny that the U.S. has done horrible things, because we have, but I will say that allying with Iran to fight America is still morally reprehensible.

The fact that one is a Persian is meaningless. Especially given the fact that, just like Adolf Hitler, he has called for the total annhihiliation of the Jewish race.

And the fact that Chavez is socialist does not refute the fact that he is just as militant and fascist as Benito Mussolini was.

Hitler called for the annihilation of much more than just the Jews. He called for the annihilation of all non-Aryans. And plus, Hitler was well-liked by his people and had a lot of power. Ahmenidijad isn't too well-liked in Iran (hasn't done much that he said he would) and he's more of a figurehead for Iran than someone with power.

Ahmenidijad isn't too well-liked in Iran (hasn't done much that he said he would) and he's more of a figurehead for Iran than someone with power.

Ahmedinejad is facing stronger opposition every day, and unless the US does something very stupid like increase their attacks on Iran, he'll most likely be out soon. In fact, he wouldn't be there if the US had not done something very stupid against Iran that he used to radicalize opinions there.

On the original topic, I didn't read anything about "war" in the article. It is a common fund to help third world countries finance projects without having to go to the usual gang of mobsters. Whether the new mobsters are any better, that's another thing.

On Ahmadinejad's popularity in Iran:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmadinejad#Student_protest

I'm surprised at this actually, in Iran you usually don't see anti-government protests do you?

On Ahmadinejad's popularity in Iran:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmadinejad#Student_protest

I'm surprised at this actually, in Iran you usually don't see anti-government protests do you?

I'm guessing that Iran isn't as free-speech-friendly as the West (yes, including the "imperialistic pigs" aka the US) and that political protesters are more than just frowned upon. Then again, using similar countries to make an inference might not be such a smart plan.

Im surpirsed Kim Jong didnt hop out of his Laz-e-Boy, and give Chavez a call, too get into the action.

Im surpirsed Kim Jong didnt hop out of his Laz-e-Boy, and give Chavez a call, too get into the action.

They would have asked him for money for the fund and he only has fake money.

They would have asked him for money for the fund and he only has fake money.

Or counterfeit American money.

Or more realistically

Whoever controls Bush would be the new Hitler
Tony Blair would be the new Mussolini

And as he is a nasty man but would be on the other side for most of the war
Kim Il Sung could be correlated to Stalin.

Unfortunately the world seems to be sadly missing what might be called
the good guys.
Still maybe they will appear when it all really kicks off after all Churchill
was a waste of space until ww2

Cheney is Hitler.
Bush is the Morphine high Goering.
Fox is Gobbels.

Im surpirsed Kim Jong didnt hop out of his Laz-e-Boy, and give Chavez a call, too get into the action.
Nah he'd more likely call up and beg for some of that money.

Thank you. It's good to know my art is not unappreciated. :D

Hell Nazz, you should know it's only lost on those who live in little boxes..

;)

Or counterfeit American money.

But it's really good fake money.

Of course, the guy still has a personal fortune of several billion dollars (most likely invested in capitalist portfolios, gold and bank accounts) so he could still be pretty generous with real money.

But it's really good fake money.

Of course, the guy still has a personal fortune of several billion dollars (most likely invested in capitalist portfolios, gold and bank accounts) so he could still be pretty generous with real money.


But why be generous when he can buy more tanks from China to fight the Evil Imperialist Aggressors. Plus, tanks are significantly more phallic than any warchest.

But why be generous when he can buy more tanks from China to fight the Evil Imperialist Aggressors. Plus, tanks are significantly more phallic than any warchest.

And nukes are the most phallic of all! I mean, naming your missle the "Taepodong" takes some serious balls...

China's not going to sell him any more tanks until he stops trolling them with his dong.

And nukes are the most phallic of all! I mean, naming your missle the "Taepodong" takes some serious balls...

China's not going to sell him any more tanks until he stops trolling them with his dong.

Scratch that, he can take his money to build an arsenal of Dongs. Nations tremble in fear of being overrun with the awesome power of the Dong.

Phear the Dong.

Scratch that, he can take his money to build an arsenal of Dongs. Nations tremble in fear of being overrun with the awesome power of the Dong.

Phear the Dong.
That's not all. There's a new level of escalation. I hear Iran has the lube.

I always like george carlin. I believe he said something about war being about people invading other people to proove their dick is bigger.

you are comparing a persian to hitler and a socilaist to mussolini?

are people actually that stupid?

Mussolini was socialist for a time, anyway.

Oh. I'm fucking terrified. Can you see how terrified I am? If I had boots, I'd be shaking in them, but since I'm only sitting on my sofa in a pair of grape-smugglers and a pit-stained half-shirt with my beer-belly protruding grotesquely between them, my torso hair matted with crumbs of Town House crackers and cheap Brie, you'll have to imagine the quivering for yourself.

I think my pyloric valve is about to slam shut and cause bloating.

Props for that. That fucking rocks.

I'm beginning to think that Ahmadinejad is Gay for Chavez. Boy that would be a scandel for the mullahs!


I wonder, since NSG is so anti-Imperialism... Does that mean we get some dough?

Oh come on. Don't be like our congressmen, know the difference. Mullahs are in Afghanistan, and Ayatollahs are in Iran.

you are comparing a persian to hitler and a socilaist to mussolini?

are people actually that stupid?

There's nothing wrong with comparing a Persian to Hitler. They are "Aryans" (I balk at this term) after all. It's just that Ahmadinejad has nowhere near the brains Hitler had, nor the support/resources.

And yes, Mussolini was basically a socialist as well. I'm all for Chavez standing up the US, and mocking the US's 'pro-democracy-but-only-if-you-agree-with-us' bullshit stance just as much as the next guy, but Chavez is crazy. I just support the Venezuelans' right to elect a crazy guy. I will not, however, say that this guy is the best thing for the world. Cuz he's far from it.

Mussolini was socialist for a time, anyway.
s.

And yes, Mussolini was basically a socialist as well.



seriously?

thats why he smashed the unions, rounded up communists and created a corporatist fascist state?

No doubt you will be arguing that National Socialists are to the left as well because the S word is in there!!

Socialist Fascists. Astonishing bullsit.