Pragmatopian Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7112424.stm Just when you think he can't get any more childish and petulant, he does. As a staunch opponent of George W, I wish I could like Chavez, but his clear ignorance prevents it. It's clearly possible for a working class hero to rise up and lead his nation. Unfortunately the 'working class hero' is more often the biggest bully in the playground who threatens his way to the top, appealing to the basest instincts of his bretheren and swiftly dispensing with the democratic processes that put him there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7112424.stm appealing to the basest instincts of his bretheren and swiftly dispensing with the democratic processes that put him there. Blair................Brown - across..............Brown here? On a broader level, it shows that postions frequently fail to tally with ability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarroo Ushtey Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 Not sure why you think this shows story Chavev to be "childish and petulant". the biggest bully in the playground who threatens his way to the top, appealing to the basest instincts of his bretheren and swiftly dispensing with the democratic processes that put him there. Also, who has he bullied? Tarroo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triskelion Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 Colombia. Chavez was working as a mediator between the Colombian Government and the Farc rebels. The Colombian President decided to sack Chavez as Chief Negotiator so in response, Chavez broke off ties with Colombia. It is rather petulant behaviour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 Given the US history in the area, I'm surprised they aren't doing more there to try and influence events in Columbia like they used too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinahand Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 Colombia. Chavez was working as a mediator between the Colombian Government and the Farc rebels. The Colombian President decided to sack Chavez as Chief Negotiator so in response, Chavez broke off ties with Colombia. It is rather petulant behaviour. Its a bit more than that - he was going over the head of the Columbian president - doing things he'd agreed not to do. In a civil war situation that's reckless. I don't know - its a shame that an effort to free hostages seems to have come to naught. Even worse Chavez has used it to grandstand, but that sort of goes with the territory where Chavez is concerned. And now he's cutting off relations with Columbia (and Spain?) out of peeque. Venezuela has huge oil wealth - at $100 per barrel it will be making money hand over barrel! But the indications are Chavez is squandaring that wealth for dogmatic, ideological reasons - if you ask me he wrecked the hostage negotiations for the same reason. I think it is unclear if he's got a democratic mandate - he may well have one, but he's buying it with populist policies which just aren't sustainable. That's sad - Venezuela is dirt poor and needs to develop its economy away from its over reliance on oil which doesn't provide jobs and the basics of an economy. He's not doing it. He's not Mugabe, but he's not that different from Castro - mix populism, authoritarianism with economic madness and what do you get? Chavez seems to be trying to find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 Correct me if I'm wrong but don't FARC have an interest in and a major control over the coke trade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pragmatopian Posted November 26, 2007 Author Share Posted November 26, 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7112424.stm appealing to the basest instincts of his bretheren and swiftly dispensing with the democratic processes that put him there. Blair................Brown - across..............Brown here? On a broader level, it shows that postions frequently fail to tally with ability. I think it is stretching it a bit to put the three Bs in the same boat as Chavez. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 Ah but I like to try. It's only in degrees maybe. Countries rarely get the leaders they deserve or perhaps they do if you take a karmic position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesemonster2005 Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Chavez is a hero. In the present day he's one of only a few South American leaders willing to stand up to the imperialistic tendencies of the United States. He's not perfect but he's done a great deal more than previous Venezualan presidents to redistribute the wealth among the people of Venezuala rather than among a select few like previously happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinahand Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Redistribute wealth - pah. He is destroying the mechanisms to create wealth. His policies stagnate and stiffle. Populism is always a dangerous policy - but Chavez is blind to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarroo Ushtey Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 He is destroying the mechanisms to create wealth. .....FOR THE RICH. Before Chavez, what wealth did the "man on the street" ever hope to have? Now, under Chavez he at least has hope. Tarroo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Chavez turns back time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Temporal anomalies - tricky. the president simply wants to be in a different time zone from his arch-rival, the United States. So can we expect him to try and shift Venezuela into a different dimension next? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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