Looks like Fred has found a new whipping boy? Chavez has taken the place of Carter as the pimple on the world’s ass?
It’s gotta be killing you to see that the US has failed to accomplish ANYTHING remotely related to progress in Iraq and at the same time taking a backseat in Latin America.
Chavez has and will keep the trust of his people, as witnessed in the failed coup attempt a few years back.
Wanting the Latin American countries to make their own decisions free of the heavy hand of US policy is not a bad thing.
Right-wing or left wing governments, Latin American countries do have issues regarding crime/death rates because poverty breeds contempt. Chavez is heading down a path that you might not like, but nevertheless, it just might work.
If you’re gonna continue to condemn Chavez, shouldn’t we also discuss Pinochet and Fujimori, a couple of fine examples of US approved disasters down South??
So now that statistics did not work in proving your point and the very ones that you provided were used against your argument, your solution is to no longer use statistics but merely “quotes” from people in Iraq. Okay… haha I will take that as about the best concession that you are prepared to give that this little exchange did not exactly go in your favor, eh?
But I do take your point that conditions on the ground in Iraq are terrible, but they are also terrible in East Timor, Haiti, Palestine, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and now even in some Western nations.
I think that the thing that is getting lost in all of this discussion is that when regimes fall, there are free for alls for many years until things stabilize. I remember the fear and horror that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. Remember all the soaring crime rates and horror stories about taking cabs in Moscow, etc.? Ditto for Sao Paulo. Ditto for Bogota. Ditto for Mexico City. Ditto for Caracas. The list is endless. I am not disputing the fact that Iraq is violent but it is not the only arena and the violence was not absent prior to the US invasion. How’s that for an olive branch?
No response spook? ah poor loser…
Sorry, I “missed” this…
I am glad that you agree.
No progress in Iraq? Er, where is Saddam? Zarkawi? no elections? no transfer of power? no cfm of the end of wmd programs? no end to Iraqi ability to invade neighbors? Gosh what a long list of no accomplishments. We are not taking a backseat to anyone in Latin America, Chavez is. Hear about the elections in Peru? Colombia? What is Brazil doing?
Rah Rah Chavez! But if you want to say that the Iraqi crime rate and death rates are to be attributed to the leadership, then what do you have to say about the article detailing the huge rise in murders since Chavez took over?
Absolutely, but you seem to be glad that Chavez is attempting to use the same type of influence. Why okay for one but not the other?
Oh, so we are back to poverty? Then, if I were to take a look at poverty rates say in India or China or Bangladesh, I would see the exact same levels of crime?
Yeah, let’s all hold our breath. Chavez is the first-ever Latin American populist with a poor grasp of constitutional law and economics. Yeah, maybe it could work this time. See Peron.
Happy to.
What do you mean by approved? We dealt with both, had nothing to do with their coming to power if that is what you are trying to suggest. Anyway, Chile is now the star economy of Latin America. And under Fujimori, Peru made great strides which is a damned sight better than the record left by your populist variety so what exactly would you like to talk about? How populists have failed everywhere but that Chavez is nonetheless right to pursue such policies? Sounds like it doesn’t make sense, what do you think?
[quote]Yeah, let’s all hold our breath. Chavez is the first-ever Latin American populist with a poor grasp of constitutional law and economics. Yeah, maybe it could work this time. See Peron.
[/quote]
I thought Chavez was humping the leg of Bolivia these days…or is that the other way around??