May 4, 2005
WHAT I LEARNED AT THE COLD WAR:
Rumsfeld: Venezuela Will Change Without US Action (Al Pessin, 03 May 2005, VOA News)
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Tuesday that Venezuela's leftist government and its policies will be changed by the Venezuelan people over time, without direct U.S. action. He also told a Washington meeting of political and business leaders from North and South America that they need to work together to fight instability and ensure continued security and prosperity.Secretary Rumsfeld disputed the contention of one questioner at the event, who suggested that the only way to return Venezuela to democracy is for the United States to intervene.
"We've seen countries go through periods where they behave in a way that ultimately is seen to not be in the interests of their people, and eventually something changes that. So I don't know that I agree with the premise of your question, in fact, I'm quite sure I don't," said Mr. Rumsfeld.
Mr. Rumsfeld said he used to visit Venezuela when he worked in private industry, and he believes the country's people will do something to change the current situation before long.
"Down deep inside, I think they'd like to be living in a country that's respected and where they have the freedoms to do what they wish. And my guess is they will again in my lifetime," he added.
Can't hurt to give them a nudge now and then... Posted by Orrin Judd at May 4, 2005 1:05 PM
Maybe someone should have asked him how come Cuba is still waiting for things to change. Or the Iranians? Or the North Koreans? I love Rumsfeld but that was a dumb thing to say.
Posted by: BJW at May 4, 2005 1:32 PMYou're not important enough, Hugo.
It's time for our good friends and historic allies to step up to the plate and start handling it.
Posted by: Sandy P. at May 4, 2005 2:07 PMActually, if Chavez finds a .225 (or a 9-mm) in his skull in the near future, the US now has cover.
Wouldn't it be fun to watch Castro fulminate about that?
And Sandy's right - Hugo is just a wee bit self-inflated. Still need to give him the short haircut, though.
Posted by: jim hamlen at May 4, 2005 2:38 PMIran is in rather decent shape and clost to fully liberalized just 25 years after the Revolution. North korea and Cuba only endured because of us.
Posted by: oj at May 4, 2005 2:41 PM"...its policies will be changed by the Venezuelan people over time, without direct U.S. action..."
cough*Allende*cough
Posted by: Rick T. at May 4, 2005 3:04 PMDon may yet live to see those tyrannies disappear. Communism in Cuba won't last any longer than Fidel does, and Baby Kim may be gone already.
I do find it disappointing that dictators like Chavez and Mugabe always seem to be flying hither and yon without any mysterious mid-ocean aircraft accidents.
Posted by: PapayaSF at May 4, 2005 3:28 PMThis is a fantastic site. I'll be sure to check back often.
Posted by: J. Mark English at May 4, 2005 3:33 PMJ. Mark - Did OJ pay you to say that?
Posted by: AWW at May 4, 2005 3:41 PM"Iran is in rather decent shape"
Sure. If you like the world's leading sponsor of terrorism only 24 months or so from having a nuke I guess everything is cool.
"close to fully liberalized" HA!!!!! I guess if you compare them to Saudi Arabia. You should read more blogs from Iran OJ, it isn't going as well as you think.
Posted by: BJW at May 4, 2005 3:41 PMAllende - who knew the Chileans were such good shots????
Posted by: Sandy P. at May 4, 2005 5:20 PMdoes anyone here have a good line on why gwb made the venezuelean military re-install chavez after the coup ?
Posted by: cjm at May 4, 2005 5:23 PMBJW:
All they require now is two rather easy reforms--opening up the slate of candidates in elections and not having the mullahs sign off on eveything. Other than that they have free and fair elections and a reasonably representative government.
Why shouldn't they want nukes?
Posted by: oj at May 4, 2005 5:51 PMWell, wanting them the way the French did is one thing, but wanting them the way the Crips and Bloods might is something altogether different.
Posted by: jim hamlen at May 4, 2005 7:52 PMAWW;
That's almost certainly comment spam, to generate a link back to his website (which is the only reason I comment here, after all, so I know how this works). I mean, OJ pay someone? He can't even afford to get books mailed out.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at May 4, 2005 9:25 PMThe current reality is that Chavez is tremendously popular. The previous regime was grotesquely corrupt and inept. When oil prices go down, Chavez's popularity will disappear. Even at $30/barrel oil, his government was so incompetent that the average Venezuelan was far worse off than he was even under the idiotic Carlos Andres Perez.
The productive classes of Venezuela have been moving their families to South Florida since the election of Chavez.
Posted by: bart at May 5, 2005 8:23 AM