Same Shit, Different
Hemisphere
By Malcom Lagauche
28 March, 2005
Malcomlagauche.com
How
can a leader of a country who instituted a program that has taught almost
two million former illiterates to read and write within a year be called
a tyrant? How can a leader of a country who incorporated land reform
that has been a huge success be called evil? How can a leader of a country
who has been instrumental in eradicating diseases that once ravaged
the nation be called troublesome? By having the name of Hugo Chavez;
thats how.
In past few years,
Hugo Chavez has worked wonders with the nation of Venezuela. He has
endured assassination attempts; a failed coup; and an illegitimate recall
vote; all sponsored by either the U.S. administration or its stooge
allies within Venezuela. Today, even former opponents of Chavez begrudgingly
admit he has done a wonderful job at the helm of their country. All
the horror stories of the rich being raped of their money have proven
untrue. The country is now prospering and for the first time, a member
of the indigenous population that encompasses 80% of the country is
in power. And, his efforts have benefited, for the first time, the majority
of the 80%.
This success is
becoming too much for the U.S. Chavez has run afoul of all that the
U.S. looks for in an allied leader. He is friends with and has collaborated
with President Fidel Castro of Cuba. In the past couple of years, his
influence has been profound in other Latin American countries. His message
is that the should be independent of the yoke of Washington. And, this
thought process is being welcomed all over the southern portion of the
Western Hemisphere.
While most of the
eyes of the world are on the Middle East, Washington is already drawing
plans to combat Chavez. Recently, the magazine National Review published
a commentary by Otto Reich, Bushs top Latin American aide during
his first term. According to Reich:
With the combination
of Castros evil genius, experience in political warfare, and economic
desperation, and Chavez unlimited money and recklessness, the
peace of this region is in peril.
The emerging axis
of subversion forming between Cuba and Venezuela must be confronted
before it can undermine democracy in Colombia, Nicaragua, Bolivia, or
other vulnerable neighbors.
The new plan of
the administration is similar to the "dual-containment" program
the U.S. used in the 1990s against Iraq and Iran. First, the U.S. will
try to isolate Venezuelas new allies and have them turn against
Chavez. This will be done economically and with military threats.
Once Chavez is neutralized, the U.S. then will go after its almost five-decade
thorn-in-the-side, Fidel Castro. Divide and conquer has worked in the
past and the U.S. has no plans to change the strategy.
While the former
peace protestors have now gone home and put their signs away, no movement
is visible that will mention a future conflict against Venezuela and/or
Cuba. A few days before the bombs fall, they will again take to the
streets and give the U.S. administration a chance to say, "See.
We have a democracy where anyone can be heard." They can be heard,
but their message is never taken into account. And, the warmongers work
24 hours a day to hone their plans; not just a few days before imminent
action. The protesters should be on the streets now. Once they finally
do hit the pavement, the plans will already have been made and set in
concrete.
I find it sad that
many people in the Arab world, as well as many non-Arabs who are aware
of the plight of Iraq, know little or nothing about the politics of
Latin America in general, or those of Hugo Chavez in particular. Techniques
the U.S. used in Latin America to prop up violent regimes and deny the
people any form of humanity were the same being used today in Iraq:
torture, deceit, stooge government appointees, etc. Now, the U.S. will
thrust on Latin America the same techniques used against Iraq: techniques
taken from the U.S. 1970s and 1980s Latin America playbook.
Who is this guy
Chavez? Maybe a lot of people who follow the Middle East do not realize
that he upset the U.S. administration of Clinton in 2000 by visiting
Saddam Hussein. Wow, the Clintonites bristled.
On August 9, 2000,
Chavez and Saddam held talks in Baghdad. The primary subject was the
price of oil. Chvez predecessors could always be counted on by
Washington to lower prices below the OPEC rate when ordered to do so.
In their meeting, Chavez told his Iraqi counterpart that those days
were gone.
In addition to oil
prices, Chavez gave the Iraqi president his support in attempting to
end the embargo against Iraq. The Venezuelan Deputy Foreign Minister,
Jorge Valero, told CBS News, "President Chavez affirmed the Venezuelan
position supporting any accord against any kind of boycott or sanctions
that are applied against Iraq or any other country in the world."
This meeting did
not go unnoticed by U.S. pundits. Patrick Clawson, research director
of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy stated, "There
is no agenda between Venezuela and Iraq, except their OPEC ties."
There may have been
no official agenda, but look at Chavez accomplishments and they
mirror those of the Baathists of Iraq: land given to people to
produce crops, similar to the program in Iraq from which two million
Egyptians benefited; upgrading the health care system; programs to include
women in the public and private sectors; making literacy programs available
to anyone in the country; etc. The progressions of the Baath revolution
and the "Bolivarian" revolution of Chavez ran on parallel
tracks.
After leaving Iraq,
Chavez called Saddam Hussein his "brother." Those in the Arab
world who support justice and oppose the imperialistic actions of the
U.S. that have destroyed Iraq must now become aware of the future plight
of President Hugo Chavez. He is on the same track as the one Saddam
Hussein pursued years ago. This time, with enough awareness and vocal
opposition, Chavez may not derail before he reaches his destination.
During his stay
in Baghdad, Chavez was impressed with Saddams hospitality. He
was openly thankful that the Iraqi president drove him around Baghdad
in his own car. No chauffeur, just the two presidents. Imagine Allawi
driving anyone by himself on the open streets of Baghdad outside the
"green zone." I would not want to be his life insurance agent.