Reply #11: I have to agree with his prognosis. And frankly this Bush junket strikes me as

[Peace Patriot]

damned strange. Isn't he supposed to be "surging" or something? On to "victory" in Iraq? Isn't the entire U.S. military over there, fighting and dying, and lurking in the Persian Gulf?

I mean, what gives with this? There is hardly a South American country that Bush can safely show his face in. Colombia maybe. He's taking a $4 billion check there, to beef up the death squads, but even there, there is a huge scandal right now about the paramilitaries. And Uribe has shown no interest in engaging in plots against Chavez. South America for South Americans seems to have caught on even in Colombia.

His other stops:

Mexico: Obviously to schmooze with Calderon about oil, compare notes on stealing elections, and perhaps deliver a check for CS gas and other weapons to beat down the people of Oaxaca. Better stay out of Mexico City.

Guatemala: Like most of Latin America, a big leftist (majorityist) movement, led by Nobel peace prize winner Rigoberta Menchu (running for president; like Evo Morales in Bolivia, 100% indigenous); scene of the slaughter of 200,000 Mayan Indians in the '80s, with Reagan's direct complicity; aim is probably to head off Menchu (somehow) and encourage a return of the death squads.

Uruguay. Leftist government, mostly European population. To encourage the fascists and stir up racism against brown heads of state?

Brazil: Ah, Brazil! There's a prize! But Lulu will have none of it, I assure you. He has the advantage. He'll squeeze Bush for items of benefit to Brazil and the region. He is a friend of Chavez, and was the leader of the big third world country revolt at the WTO meeting in Cancun a few years ago. Brazil is already seeing benefit from Venezuela's regional largesse, in bailing Argentina out of World Bank/IMF debt, creating a good trading partner for Brazil, Venezuela and others. And they just opened a new bridge between Brazil and Venezuela over the Orinoco River. They are talking about a South American "Common Market" and common currency--which may be why Bush is going to Brazil--to try to head that off. Also, Brazil is a big country--plenty of places to hide Bush and his U.S.-flagged entourage, to avoid any unseemly behavior by large crowds of Brazilians.

That's it. Most of the continent is off limits to Bush.

I think it has something to do with the Corporate Reich that put Bush/Cheney in power. They are not happy. Bush has "lost" South America. Plundering the Middle East has not turned out to be a cakewalk. And South America has ceased being easy pickins--with its tough new leftist governments with awesome democratic support, all banding together. What's a Corporate Reich to do? So Bush has to score some points--or possibly his sponsors will abandon him? Something like that. It's odd the countries he is NOT going to. Paraguay. Maybe too many jokes and dire looks about that all over South America. Peru--where he could schmooze with bought and paid for president Alan Garcia. He could score there--some more "free trade," some cocaine (but Garcia likely won't be able to control leftist protests). No Paraguay. No Peru. No Ecuador. No Bolivia. No Argentina (where daughters cavorted recently). No Venezuela. No Chile (a surprise--or did socialist President Michele Batchelet--who was tortured by US-backed Pinochet--tell Condi Rice to go jump out of an airplane, when she came sidling down there to prep for Mr. Guantanamo Bay? If I was Michele Batchelet, I would have.). Where else can't Bush go? Nicaragua (Daniel Ortega, President! Har-har-har-har-har-har!). Maybe Bush will pull a surprise and drop in on Castro, and open his remarks with, "Love is never having to say you're sorry."

I'm getting crazy. Why is Bush going to South America, with the US fleet in the Persian Gulf, and our boys and girls dying for his puppetmaster's "Grand Illusion"?