Trying to link Venezuela to terrorism

banging the war drums over iran has taken considerable time and energy away from what would otherwise be a natural tendency to bang them over venezuela... somehow, we knew that rummy wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to do so in the conducive environment of a western hemisphere defense ministers meeting, by invoking - what else? - terrorism...

The recent military build-up in Venezuela by U.S. nemesis President Hugo Chavez has other countries in the region worried that the weapons could end up in the hands of terrorists, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Monday.

"I can understand neighbors being concerned," said Rumsfeld, who is attending a meeting of Western hemisphere military leaders here this week.

Asked whether he believes Venezuelan officials' contention that the weapon buys are strictly for defense and not a threat to the region, Rumsfeld said, "I don't know of anyone threatening Venezuela — anyone in this hemisphere."

venezuela, for its part, believes it has reason to worry...

Chavez ... has repeatedly charged that United States is planning to invade his country ... . And he said Sunday that he's heard the Bush administration is plotting to assassinate him or topple his regime.

predicting the u.s. reaction wasn't hard to do...

U.S. Army Gen. Bantz J. Craddock, chief of U.S. Southern Command, called the accusation "mindless" and "way over the top."

but, given the neocon obsession with regime change in any oil-producing country that isn't kissing u.s. ass, pooh-poohing chavez' concern is more than a tad bit disinegnuous, wouldn't you agree...?

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