Bush won't engage in fight with Chavez

[Say_What]

Translated: El Mono Bush can't argue with the truth (Gringo go home!)

All of a sudden Bush pretends to give a sh*t about LatAm. ..."U.S. compassion for the region..." :rofl:

<clips>

ANCHORENA PARK, Uruguay -
President Bush refused Saturday to be baited into verbal battle with Venezuela's outspoken Hugo Chavez. But Bush did give his Latin American foe a gentle, if indirect, dig.

Following his usual practice, Bush refused to utter Chavez' name during a news conference with the president of Uruguay — or even explain why he wouldn't. The meeting and appearance before reporters with President Tabare Vazquez was held just across a river from a huge anti-Bush rally hosted Friday night by Chavez, who is answering the president's trek through Latin America with jeers of "Gringo go home" and other harsh comments.

Bush drew only a quiet contrast with his fiery nemesis, who is increasing his stature in the region with colorful attacks blaming U.S.-style capitalism for poverty and inequality in Latin America at every turn. Bush said he favors a more tranquil form of engagement with his neighbors to the south.

"I would call our diplomacy quiet and effective diplomacy," Bush said.

Ignoring Chavez in favor of a focus on U.S. compassion for the region is Bush's persistent tack on his five-nation tour, which also includes visits to Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico and Brazil.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070310/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/bush_latin_america_69


Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, center, raises his fist as he speaks during a rally against the ongoing visit to several Latin American countries by U.S. President George W. Bush, Friday, March 9, 2007 in Buenos Aires. Chavez is in a two-day visit in Argentina. (AP Photo/Daniel Luna)

[Webster Green]

1. "quiet and effective diplomacy"...

CIA assassins, black-ops mutherfuckers....that sort of thing.

Fuck you chimp!

[Judi Lynn]

2. Also, remember proxy wars using Colombia as a possibility, as in this article:

Will Colombia Be the Proxy in a US Attack on Venezuela?
By Sean Donahue,
Posted on Thu Apr 28th, 2005 at 12:33:37 AM EST
The U.S. is gearing up its rhetoric against Venezuela again as Condaleeza Rice barnstorms through Latin America -- and there are subtle indications that the U.S. may be ready to increase Colombia's role in undermining the government of Hugo Chavez.

Our old friend Juan Forero wrote in Tuesday's New York Times that:
"As President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela veers toward greater confrontation with Washington, the Bush administration is weighing a tougher approach, including funneling more money to foundations and business and political groups opposed to his leftist government, American officials say."

But, he notes:

"A main problem for the United States is that Washington has little, if any, influence over Caracas. The high price of oil has left Venezuela with no need for the loans or other aid that the United States could use as leverage.

"Nor does the Bush administration have much support in Latin America, where left-leaning leaders now govern two-thirds of the continent."

Colombia appears to be the United States' one ally against Chavez -- and the U.S. is showing signs of a desire to use Colombia as a proxy to contain or topple Venezuela's government. Hector Mondragon noted in a commentary three years ago that the bill passed by the U.S. Congress authorizing the transfer of U.S. military aid to Colombia from the "war on drugs" to the "war on terror" also allowed the use of U.S. military aid to combat "any other threat to Colombia's security." At the time Mondragon suggested that this was an allusion to Venezuela.

On Tuesday, just before Condoleezza Rice arrived in Colombia, the Colombian defense ministry leaked a report on Venezuela's growing military strength to the international press, according to Reuters' Hugh Bronstein. The memo claims that "It is an undeniable fact that the rearming of Venezuela deepens the military imbalance in the Andean region," -- words that seem designed to bolster a claim that Venezuela is a threat to Colombia.
(snip/...)

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2005/4/28/03337/2826

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the last few days another plot to assassinate Chavez was revealed to concern Colombia's President Uribe's top security officer Jorge Noguera, who directed the Department of Administrative Security, or DAS:

Noguera also was accused of playing host to men accused of plotting to kill Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-colombia23feb23,1,3783018.story?coll=la-news-a_section

[stranger81]

3. won't engage in a fight, but WILL kidnap at the next best opportunity . . .

that's really manly and courageous.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Touché, by god. Bush is the noble one, isn't he? n/t

[Peace Patriot]

5. "...refused to utter Chavez' name...."??? There are some odd bits in this article.

But this one has to be the oddest.

"Following his usual practice, Bush refused to utter Chavez' name during a news conference with the president of Uruguay — or even explain why he wouldn't."

"Following his usual practice..."? Is this some kind of religious fetishistic taboo thing with Bush? Really, I wouldn't be surprised if he sacrificed chickens in the Oval Office and read their entrails (or had his vampire read them). But how can it be the "usual practice" of a President of the United States not to "utter" the name of another national leader?

Doesn't that strike you as damned strange?

"...or even explain why he wouldn't." So AP, in one of the greater and more courageous journalistic inquiries of the decade, ASKED Bush why he wouldn't "utter" Hugo Chavez's name--meaning that this was something that everybody--or at least the AP stringer--noticed. And it was so noticeable that it came up in a press conference, and Bush was asked about it. And he "wouldn't" explain it.

What the hell is going on here?

One of the other odd bits. Bush was apparently so freaked by Chavez that he couldn't utter his name (--I mean, would it be like the "Spanish Inquisition" in Monty Python's Flying Circus, where, if a certain thing is said--namely, "Well, I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition"--the skit is interrupted by Catholic prelates in red robes and Spanish hats, wild-eyed to draw and quarter someone? Bush says "Hugo Chavez" and Leftist guerrillas and Flamenco dancers fly onto the stage with Cuban cigars in their mouths, to wild guitar strumming!). BUT, freaked as he was, he able to "give his Latin American foe a gentle, if indirect, dig."

A gentle (if indirect) dig? From Bush? We supposed to believe that Bush's diplomacy is "quiet and effective"? I suppose cracking kneecaps and pouring boiling oil down Latin American leaders' throats could be considered "quiet and effective." "Effective" is a chilling word. Don Corleone comes to mind. Such polite and cultured thugs. No mess. No screams. I suppose Lulu and Vasquez get what they deserve, for hosting this nasty little war criminal. But you have to wonder about AP's language. "A gentle dig"? If indirect?

"Ignoring Chavez in favor of a focus on U.S. compassion for the region..." They've got to be kidding.

Look for the "ap" in the url, and beware. A "gentle," "quiet but effective," "compassionate" Bush, with a weird Hugo Chavez fetish, is coming your way. Read between the lines! And imagine what it's like to be in that entourage of dwarfs and eunuchs on AF-1 flying over all that jungle.

[Judi Lynn]

6. "Quiet and effective" comes across as sneaky, brutal & murderous when Bush is involved. n/t

[Peace Patriot]

7. I think I may have just figured out the strange wording of this article. I think

Lulu and Vasquez laid a condition down on Bush for a state visit to their countries, that he not criticize Chavez. This may be why Lulu lectured him on respecting the sovereignty of South American countries. And it may be why the AP reporter wrote: "Following his usual practice, Bush refused to utter Chavez' name during a news conference with the president of Uruguay — or even explain why he wouldn't." The reporter may have been trying to ferret out this condition for his visit. It reads very strangely otherwise. But it begins to make sense, if you figure that Lulu and/or Vasquez made this a condition. Re-read it, with this in mind. The AP reporter is both covering for Bush--by saying "following his usual practice"--and trying to find out more, because it's certainly newsworthy, and even a war profiteering corporate news monopoly reporter may have been smelling a story about it--asked about it in a press conference, couldn't get an answer.

[Judi Lynn]

8. It "feels" right! Reading your suspicion brought the fairly rare sense of the light-bulb going on

inside my head, as illumination.

_Bush started trying to separate Lula from Chavez back when Colin Powell was the Sec. of State, and _Bush sent him directly to Lula in person to tell him to avoid Chavez. They were trying hard to isolate him a long time ago.

Lula's speech referring to national sovereignty would be his stern reminder that they are "wise" to _Bush's schemes, with a warning.

I'm SURE you're right, and Lula described his terms of accomodation as rejecting any use of his country for a platform against the new Latin American solidarity.

If _Bush had any sense at all, he'd forget trying that veiled threat crap, as well. Maybe it was more of a face-saving attempt, but he should realize he is completely unwelcome there, and if he doubts it, he should look out the window at the multitudes with signs inviting him to go home.

If you are right, and I believe you are, this is a very positive step forward when Brazil and Uruguay reclaim their sovereignty. It should get easier in the future, with any luck.

[HuffleClaw]

9. bush probably THINKS its very very clever and cute

and hasn't the first clue how childish it is. and who's gonna dare tell him?

[Doctor_J]

23. It's kind of like his Democrat Party thing

he has the intellect and sophistication of a Gold Coast 8-year-old. The .001% of the world that doesn't hate his guts think it's funny

[timtom]

29. I have a similar sort of fetish

about *'s name. I will not utter his name. He is "the one who calls himself 'President'", and I will not listen to him speak and I will not listen to any MSM stories about him.

[rodeodance]

22. Bush signals disdain for Hugo Chavez

Bush signals disdain for Hugo Chavez


Bush signals disdain for Hugo Chavez

By TOM RAUM, Associated Press Writer Sun Mar 11, 7:24 AM ET

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay -President Bush claimed progress on trade with Uruguay's president on Saturday, courting another leftist leader on his Latin American tour. "We care about the human condition," Bush said, trying to co-opt the populism of one influential leftist rival he won't meet: Venezuela's firebrand, Hugo Chavez.


In a part of the world where the U.S. invasion of Iraq is particularly unpopular, Bush is not talking much about the global war on terror. And while he won't mention Chavez by name, his soft-sell pitch clearly is intended to counter the Venezuelan leader's rising stature and rants that blame Latin America's poverty on U.S.-style capitalism.

"I would call our diplomacy quiet and effective diplomacy — diplomacy all aimed at helping people, aimed at elevating the human condition, aimed at expressing the great compassion of the American people," Bush said at a joint news conference with Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez. As he has on other stops, he mentions increases in U.S. aid programs during his presidency.

..............

The Bush administration is trying to strike a freer-trade deal with Uruguay. But the efforts are complicated by the country's membership in a rival South American trading bloc.

[mcscajun]

10. Link?

?

[Judi Lynn]

11. Got it for you. It's from the Washington Post. There's something funny about this story.

Here's the link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/11/AR2007031100372.html

You note their headline is: Bush Signals Disdain for Hugo Chavez

The same AP story, published at a tv station's website uses this headline:

Bush Claims Progress With Uruguay's President

http://www.wftv.com/politics/11221477/detail.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Interesting difference in the attitude of the two headline writers, wouldn't you say?

[Joe Bacon]

13. Yep, and the Whoreshington Post is kissing Bush ass as always!

It is just amazing to see Pravda on the Potomac in action. Is there no lie they will not tell for the Nazi Party?

[IndianaGreen]

17. It is disturbing to see how the "free" American press has become a megaphone for Bush

It is laughable to hear Bush speak about his concern for the "human condition." Torture, rendition, and secret military tribunals show how the US cares for the "human condition."

Add to the invasion of Iraq, and the training and funding of death squads all over the world, it screams volumes about how much the Bush regime hates freedom.

[Thor_MN]

12. Here's a link. I'm just shocked at this....

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/03/11/ap3505215.html

[Judi Lynn]

14. Is there even one person in the entire WORLD who believes any part of Bush's claims in this article?

My God, you'd think it has to be a completely different man from a completely different administration to be able to say those things without being incinerated on the spot.

[pop goes the weasel]

15. I think Hugo already knows he's not on the xmas card list

That whole coup thing was a much plainer signal.

[sevenleagueboots]

16. Chavez: "He doesn't even smell of sulfur anymore..."

World leader in U.S. coke production, Columbia, is the gimps next stop. $4 billion
on tap to buy off their sorry asses.

"Bush today is a political cadaver," Chavez, mixing humor, sarcasm and bombast in his characteristic style, told tens of thousands of admirers at a soccer stadium decorated with anti-Bush banners and the ubiquitous image of Ernesto "Che" Guevara, the Argentine revolutionary. "He doesn't even smell of sulfur anymore. He no longer has that virtue."


http://fairuse.100webcustomers.com/mayfaire/latimes01.htm

[Judi Lynn]

21. Good quote in that link, sevenleagueboots

"If you truly want social justice in the world, order the immediate withdrawal of the troops from Iraq," Chavez scolded Bush, scoffing at the president's recently declared commitment to reverse inequality in Latin America. "Use that gigantic budget for investments in food and health."

Also, very interesting to see this note:

Polls have shown that U.S. policy is regularly more unpopular in Argentina than anywhere else on the continent.
(snip)

Did NOT know this before reading it here. It's not a shock, considering their history of that hideous Kissinger-supported death and torture festival, Argentina's military coup and junta, and later, the _Bush family friend, Carlos Menem's "magic touch" with their economy. From an article written in 2003, before Argentina's new President Kirchner got things turned around very well:

As in the rest of South America, people in Argentina are questioning the free market policies that have reigned during the last decade and have resulted in continuing corruption, deepening poverty and rising unemployment. Fed up with mafia-style party politics, the steady deterioration of social conditions and an economic system that has padded the pockets of the rich as it has driven the middle and working classes into poverty, Argentines are read for a change.

The political winds suggest they will choose a candidate who will break with more than a decade of U.S.-promoted free market policies. Indeed, three of the top four presidential candidates have promised stronger state intervention and a more vigorous commitment to Mercosur. But one man stands in the way: Carlos Menem.

The former president’s policies, backed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – including the Argentine peso’s one-to-one peg with the dollar, which was considered the hallmark of his administration’s economic program – are blamed by many with driving the nation into financial ruin. But Menem left in the nick of time – in 1999, two years before a deepening recession led to a banking freeze, debt default and currency devaluation, which shattered the peso’s parity with the dollar.

Thus, he has been able to deflect criticism of the economic crash to his successor, while he takes credit for the years of economic growth and stability while he was president. Despite widespread dislike, and even hatred, of Menem, he continues to be competitive in polls. A victory by Menem, who has crossed paths with Lula more than once, would almost surely represent a setback to this budding partnership between Argentina and Brazil.

Even if Menem is defeated, hope for real change remains dim in Argentina. While new social movements and grass roots organizations hold promise, they have yet to meld into a political force powerful enough to unseat an entrenched and venal political elite and to reform a hierarchical and patronage-based political system. Meanwhile, most people here remain apathetic of the political system and distrustful of the presidential candidates, none of whom has been able to capture more than 15 percent in recent polls. There is little evidence that Argentines have any more faith in the democratic process than they did in October 2000, when 40 percent of the population abstained or handed in spoiled ballots in congressional elections, an unusually high figure in a country where voting is mandatory.
(snip/..)

http://www.narconews.com/Issue27/article591.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome to D.U. :hi: :hi: :hi:

[rebel with a cause]

27. what would a debate between Chavez and bush be called?

Quick wit vs nit wit. ;-)

[EFerrari]

18. "World flips Bush the bird."

:)

[IndianaGreen]

19. Latin America Tours: Bush v. Chavez (BBC map)

Here is the map of the Latin America tours by the Apostle of Evil, Bush, and the Apostle of Good, Chavez. This has been quite an interesting duel, grossly underreported by the rightwing megaphone that is the American press.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6438753.stm

[MAGICBULLET]

25. I'm sorry...

But calling the psycho-babbling Chavez an "apostle of good" is very disappointing to hear nowadays as we are entertained by how much we relate to his loathing for Bush. He's funny when rants, don't get me wrong, he gets me to chuckle, but coming from a statesman, it's not so tactful and there could be many better ways to get his point across that wouldn't also make him look like the military brute that he is. Chavez is a complete hypocrite!! He claims so much to be the champion for freedoms and democracy yet he shuts down media outlets of his opposition and is constantly finding ways to revise his country's constitution to further keep himself in power. He has been power since 1998 with a current term that will probably put him up for re-election in 2013. Since winning in the December elections he has increasingly become more and more authoritarian, whereas he's nationalized the telecommunications industry as well as electricity sectors. While he always claims he's nationalizing the country's oil sector, he's more like forcing foreign oil companies to change their agreements or contracts to ones where they are minority shareholders. The VEN gov't has previously compensated investors through a voucher mechanism that gives them credit toward future investments. He is at risk of making the country go bankrupt, most of the middle class gone and an upper-class starting to pack their bags to leave. Between 2000 and 2005, the number of Venezuelans living in the U.S. doubled to about 160,000, according to the latest U.S. Census numbers (who knows how accurate that is?) Most Venezuelans migrating to the US cite the political and economic instability of the country as their main reasons for leaving, many also cite rampant and random violence. He's recently arrested a retired General on suspicion of conspiring to overthrow the president, a story that is dubious, to say the least. I don't, however, blame his wariness and belief that the US is plotting to overthrow him, with that, he has every right to be worried. Overall, he uses his oil as a weapon and the social programs for the poor that he generates are really not decreasing the amount of poor people living in the country, just giving them band-aids. I give a them both middle fingers for being hypcritical idiots one just ranting and the other giving him the silent treatment.

[IndianaGreen]

26. The vast majority of Venezuelans support Chavez--sorry about the rich

and their lapdogs in the middle class!

We should have our own Bolivarian revolution in America. Let's see how Big Oil, Big Pharma, and Rupert Murdoch like it when the real silent majority find out that they can take power if they unite.

"Labor Creates All Wealth"

[Peace Patriot]

30. For those who suspect that these statements are untrue...

--that Chavez is a "military brute"

--that Chavez is "a complete hypocrite"

--that Chavez "shuts down media outlets of his opposition"

--that Chavez "is constantly finding ways to revise his country's constitution to further keep himself in power"

--that Chavez "has increasingly become more and more authoritarian" (straight from Cardinal Lara!)

--that Chavez and Venezuela have no right to change their agreements with foreign oil companies

--that Chavez is bankrupting the country

--that most of the middle class is gone

--that Chavez "uses his oil as a weapon"

--that any of the policies of the Chavez government are dictated by one man, and are not the consensus of the 60%-plus electoral majorities that he and the Chavista National Assembly have garnered in transparent elections.

If you suspect that these assertions are lies and propaganda, but you don't know much about the subject, I suggest www.venezuelanalysis.com. It's a well-written, informative leftist web site, that presents Chavez and his government warts and all, and does much to help us understand the huge popularity of Chavez and the Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela and across Latin America.

[Rydz777]

20. Improved weekend

My weekend has been improved by not attending to the news of Bush's trip. However, I admit one point of curiosity: has el Arbusto spoken any Spanish during the trip? Was the laughter side splitting?

[truthisfreedom]

24. Same game as when he lost to Gore. He has never uttered Gore's name either.

bush does what rove says, and rove says "don't say your enemy's name."

Funny how bush doesn't hesitate to say Bin Laden's name, and even quote that diabolical killer. bush is not enemies with Bin Laden, obviously... they are in cahoots. rove's made it easy to see through this mafia administration.

[Cha]

28. Of course, bush won't get into

a fight with Chavez..The Dixie Chicks could take bush.. one of them.