Post #75

Subject: A modest proposal

There is one word, a solution for all of our troubles in Iraq: VENEZUELA! https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ve.html

“Hugo CHAVEZ, president since 1999, has promoted a controversial policy of ‘democratic socialism,’ which purports to alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking globalization and undermining regional stability. Current concerns include: a weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized military, drug-related violence along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples. “

Hugo Chavez is a bad man. He called George W. Bush “the devil.” He’s against globalization. And nothing screams international terrorism like “democratic socialism!” :p I’m sure our government can cherry-pick the evidence into scaring us all.

But why Venezuela? Oil. Hugo Chavez is sitting on a lot of oil. Our steady supply of oil can be from there if we invade. Certainly, military operations would be a lot easier against a close neighbor just across the Gulf of Mexico than half-a-world away.

And the Iraqis don’t appreciate us. I’m sure that we would be greeted with sweets and flowers in Venezuela! :p

In my Post #74, I quoted “The wars against radical Islamic insurgents,” by Charles Krauthammer: “But you cannot reasonably argue that in 2007 Iraq is not the most critical strategic front in the war on terror. There's no escaping its centrality.” Uh, that is my whole point: In 2007, yes, the Iraq War is a drain on and a diversion from the War on Terror and making us less secure. Our real enemy that has/is working on an atomic bomb named “George W. Bush” is in Afghanistan not Iraq.

So, let’s refocus on Afghanistan and trade a steady supply of oil from Iraq for a steady supply of oil from Venezuela.