Vote for My Colombia Deal or I'll Brand You a Chavez Supporter!
April 10th 2008, by Nikolas Kozloff - CounterPunch
It's now crunch time for Bush and his Colombia free trade agreement: the President has sent the deal to Congress, thereby forcing a vote within 90 legislative days.
"The need for this agreement is too urgent -- the stakes for our national security are too high -- to allow this year to end without a vote," Bush said. "The stakes are high in South America," he added. "By acting at this critical moment, we can show a watching world that America will honor its commitments. We can provide a powerful rebuke to dictators and demagogues in our backyardWe can show millions across the hemisphere that democracy and free enterprise lead to a better life."
The political strategy is clear: facing an uphill battle for his trade deal in Congress, Bush hopes to intimidate the Democrats by linking them to Hugo Chávez of Venezuela. Either pass my deal, Bush is saying, or allow Chávez to further expand his geopolitical influence in South America.
It's a shrewd move on Bush's part.
MORE:
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/3342http://snipurl.com/241oy