dagblog - Comments for "Why does Hugo Chavez Hate Us?"

One of my most common gripes

A Guy Called LULU — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:48:37 +0000

In reply to Why does Hugo Chavez Hate Us?

One of my most common gripes which I bring to Dagblog refers to propaganda by our government which is often, I would say usually, mindlessly and unquestionably passed on by various media outlets and which is propaganda aimed at our citizens for the purpose of garnering support for things which I believe they would not otherwise support.
Another example:

"It's Blame Iran Week"

http://www.moonofalabama.org/2013/01/its-blame-iran-week.html#more

Four different stories involving Iran in some nefarious affairs were published last week. They have all one thing in common. There is actually no proof that Iran was or is involved in any of these.

These four stories, all in the same week, blame Iran for this or that without any proof. All these stories base their claims on this or that anonymous U.S. official or secret intelligence. All these stories are pretty likely to have no Iran involvement at all.

But the Obama administration, which provides those anonymous officials, seems to be in full "blame Iran" campaign mode now. The media, led by the New York Times, are again the ever willing messengers used to brain wash the public with such dubious stories. Iraqn is bad, bad, bad. And we need to bomb, bomb, bomb it now. What, if not this, could be the purpose of this nonsense?

As the links I posted show,

PeraclesPlease — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 07:50:07 +0000

In reply to it's easier for Chavez with

As the links I posted show, GDP and poverty rates and disparity between rich and poor are better under Chavez than his predecessor. Somehow not completely a phony poseur.

You realize of course that

PeraclesPlease — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 07:49:31 +0000

In reply to There is evidence that the

You realize of course that with our controlling the playing field and our verified record of supporting Latin American coups and intrigues over the last 200 years, folks south of the border have good reason to speculate, both from precedent and because it vitally concerns them.

Whether Venezuela voted in a monkey or a wizard, it mostly doesn't affect us, and why our own monkey Bush felt it necessary to comment on their internal choice, beats me. But time and again, we've shown we only care about free elections when our favored candidate wins, such as when we actively pumped up Chamorro over the Ortega brothers in Nicaragua, only to see her go out in disgrace and the Ortegas come back as elder statesmen. All that war, all that "1 day from the Texas border" rhetoric for nothing, only to destroy our credibility.

The Haiti coup was also

PeraclesPlease — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 07:28:42 +0000

In reply to The FAIR article was rather

The Haiti coup was also tendentious, but following indications, it's pretty easy to surmise we were knee deep in both.

I consider much of Chavez's bloviating just twisting the tiger's tail when the tiger tries to twist his. Yeah Depardieu declared Putin some kind of democrat as well, all over a tax emigrant issue. Shame considering Putin's sordid record on freedoms, confiscations, corruption, destroying Chechnya. But people will seek allies where they find them.

There is evidence that the

Michael Wolraich — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 05:57:41 +0000

In reply to I just skimmed the Wiki

There is evidence that the CIA had foreknowledge of the coup attempt but not that it was actively involved. That doesn't mean that it wasn't actively involved, but without evidence, I don't care to speculate.

Thank you, I had heard or

Resistance — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 05:19:26 +0000

In reply to The Spaniards probably sank

Thank you, I had heard or read somewhere, that the sinking was intentional, so that America could declare war on Spain.

The Spaniards probably sank

Aaron Carine — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 02:16:53 +0000

In reply to From the article U.S.

The Spaniards probably sank the Maine. Most of the survivors said they heard two explosions, and at least two people who weren't on the ship SAW two explosions. In 1911 a guy said he had warned the American consul that the Spaniards were going to attack the ship.

The Rickover team's account of the sinking was screwed up. They made at least one technical error, refused to consider the likely possibility of a low intensity explosive, and ignored the fact that the ship had alarms to detect fires, which pretty much nixed their spontaneous combustion theory.

The FAIR article was rather

Aaron Carine — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 01:26:44 +0000

In reply to Why does Hugo Chavez Hate Us?

The FAIR article was rather tendentious, declaring as a fact that Washington tried to overthrow him when the evidence isn't that conclusive(they didn't give a source for their assertion that the U.S. embassy was conspiring with the plotters).

People have some good reasons to dislike the U.S. government, but if they also praise worse people, as Chavez does, then their anti-Americanism isn't rooted in moral feelings.

I just skimmed the Wiki

A Guy Called LULU — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 01:10:13 +0000

In reply to The only thing that

I just skimmed the Wiki article on the coup to check U.S. involvement. I didn't remember details, just that I had been convinced at the time that U.S. operatives were in up to their necks. I feel the same way now based on what I have read and remember but I also see that the gov is denying everything. Who would of guessed. But, it's possible they have clean hands and no doubt some people believe their claim. The thing I am getting at is that while you criticize Chavez, and you have a lot to work with, you throw in the caveat that you condemned the coup. Do you have an opinion on our country's involvement in that coup that you are willing to share. I mean, if they did try to encourage and facilitate the overthrow of a popularly elected leader, that is a significant thing.

Unlike Castro, I don't think

PeraclesPlease — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:24:43 +0000

In reply to it's easier for Chavez with

Unlike Castro, I don't think Chavez is known for torturing and imprisoning. That should be basic distinction #1. In terms of the structural stuff, there's always hardcore fights between left & right - I'm sure a right-wing government would gerrymander and pack the courts and whatever just as well.