Casually surfing during my breakfast I stopped at Spain's state TV, TVE. They may have been focused on the latest announcement of ETA deposing its armed struggle unilaterally but they still had time to trash Chavez. In Spain the state TV always has round tables of 3-4 journalists coming from both sides of the political spectra. This morning they were all considering Chavez words on Qaddafi yesterday a disgrace. Even though they had debated before whether Qaddafi should have been sent to trial or shot outright. TVE puts a video of Chavez.
Indeed one must wonder about Chavez yesterday at Church stating that Qaddafi had been murdered by the empire and its European allies, that he was a martyr, that he will long be revered, that it was not over because there a "pueblo" in Libya with dignity. I suppose that no one showed Chavez the video I put in my blog yesterday about said dignity.
We must wonder about the why of such a decision to support Qaddafi to such an extent (without ever sending any concrete help that we know of, not even an offer of safe exile). But we also must note that Chavez language now places Europe and the US on the same imperialist footing. It is too simplistic to see this a a reaction from Europeans not willing to receive him anymore, so toxic he has become in recent months, just as he last ally, the PSOE of Spain is about to leave office. Venezuela can only lose from such politicking, and we can hardly see what Chavez can expect to really gain when we see how easily China and Russia ditched Qaddafi at the end.
And we can also dismiss the friendship between the two creeps. After all, it bears repeating, Chavez support was only hot air as far as I can see (at least he sent Maduro to Syria, more than what eh did for Qaddafi). Even if El Nacional recounts the main accords between Libya and Chavez, that is not where the link is. True, now that Qaddafi is gone the new Libyan regime will have time to dig through the rubble and reveal some of the not very kosher agreements between Chavez and Qaddafi.
But personally I think that the whole support is a joint effort between the Castros and Chavez who know that revelations are coming and who are already setting the stage to dismiss them just like they tried to do with the FARC computers in the last couple of years. Amen of perceiving their eventual fate in the Sirte mirror. The Castros who know that they will be toast in Europe once the PSOE is gone are willing to burn bridges with Europe, and Chavez is letting himself be dragged in that silliness.
Unfortunately for Chavez Libya has no common frontiers with Venezuela and if they find stuff they will have no reason to hide it as a blackmailing tool. Or will they?
The new Libya administration should return Bolivar's sword ASAP, to be presented to the next in line for due retribution (Castro). Long live the Liberator!
ReplyDeleteIt could be much more simple: Thugo's obstinate support for Ghadafi may have been just another stupid ideological alliance of 2 dictators who share certain "revolutionary" stupid approaches to power, and also share a wealth of oil.
ReplyDeleteMuch like Chavez now, Ghadaffi was able to get away with murder, literally, for decades only because of his OIL. Forging fake alliances, making shady deals, while oppressing his people. The International Community played it dumb all those years, and kept buying his precious oil. Even after the Pan Am murders, and other terrorist acts: Europe, Asia, Russia, even the US and the other American countries had interests with Libya because of its oil and money. They turned a blind eye to all Gaddhafi's abuses all those years, much like they put up with Saddam Hussein forever (until he invaded Kuwait, more oil..) and like they are now putting up with Chavez with his oil.
These dictators don't really care about the international community, they know they can get away with ANYTHING (almost, except 911 or invading other countries). Because everyone wants their oil and money. China will buy it, the USA needs it. So does Europe. So Ghadaffi, Chavez, Hussein and even Iran get away with murder everyday. Chavez can call Bush or Obama the "devil", imperialists, assassins, or whatever every day of the week. He can call Britain the same, or Spain. They will still buy his oil.
How many HUGE business deals did the Western World do with Ghaddafi's Libya for decades, while he was killing his own people, promoting terrorism, messing up the entire Arab world, for decades? Spain, France, Russia, Canada, UK, the USA, China.. all making deals with Libya.. and Venezuela, and Iran, and Syria, and Yemen. Why? Money interests of course.
Otherwise Chavez, Ghadaffi and all the other dictators would have been crushed long ago, with solid economic sanctions if not like they crushed Noriega and others without oil, like Grenada and many African nations. That's all.. They tried messing with Cuba, but the Russians were protecting it.. and too close to the USA.
Too bad Chavez takes himself seriously because he would be a big hit on Comedy Central otherwise. The reality is that he is simply "dying" to be recognized.
ReplyDeleteThe many secret alliances between Chavez and Quadaffi may never be exposed-for example-was/is Chavez also involved in some of the African countries with terrorist groups that Quadaffi was involved with? Maybe, so.
ReplyDeleteReally, goes back to Cuba also being involved in African wars and armed groups-could be soon the Libyans will be exposing some of this-something to wait for..
Castro's Cuba-must fall. Burn the bridge from the other side-then Chavez will fall-and all of ALBA.
ReplyDeleteAnd none NONE will be remembered as martyrs.
Sledge got it right and I am even going a step further: I am contrarian on this one as far as Chavez is concerned. Before I get lynched, let me first state that I despise Chavez and that I am VERY happy that Quaddafi is gone.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Chavez was not Quadaffi's only friend. He had quite a few well respected friends among the leader's in the world, present and past. To start with, the holier than thou ex "freedom fighter" Mandela had a very close friendship with him and helped him broker the Lockerbie "treaty".
He had close alliances with Berlusconie, Sarkosy, Putin and other European and African leaders, many of whom he met with on a regular basis. Up until the protests in Lybia which eventually brought him down, he was treated and respected as the leader of Lybia, was addressesd as "his excellency" at the UN and allowed to speak in the General Assembly until as recent as 2010. He also attended the G8 meeting in 2010 as President of the African Union, where he shook hands with Obama.
There was, as far as I know, only one important man who got it right and never flinched and called him a "Mad Dog" 25 years ago: US President Ronald Reagan, who, had it not been for negative world opinion (UN as usual!) would have finished him in the operation "El Dorado Cañon" bombing of several targets in Lybia in 1986. Let's not forget that France, Spain and Italy didn't allow the US to fly over their airspace which made the operation so much more difficult. Also Qaddafi got a phone call from the Italian politician Bettino Craxi, allowing him to seek protection in bomb shelters which saved his life.
So what's my point? It is that all his friends, incl. The UN switched sides immediately when it became clear that Quaddafi's time was up, except Chavez (and probably a few other thugs) stood with him as a friend til the end. Before that, recently, nobody in the world REALLY condemned Qaddafi, quite the contrary, he was allowed to make amends and allowed to be incorporated in the world of nations again. The point is NOT how deep these friendships were or their motives for them, or God forbid defending Chavez' stupid speech, the point is the HYPOCRISY that is the standard now in the world. Quaddafi went from (supposedly) respected leader of Lybia, to dead stinking fish in a matter of months without having recently added to his despicable acts.
How about doing the same with the Castro brothers (and others) who have committed as much if not more murders than Quadaffi? And would the world also abandon them? I doubt it, actually I am quite sure that e.g. most of Latin America would back Cuba all the way.
Mike
"How about doing the same with the Castro brothers (and others) who have committed as much if not more murders than Quadaffi? And would the world also abandon them? I doubt it, actually I am quite sure that e.g. most of Latin America would back Cuba all the way."
ReplyDeleteMike - I would like to see if this is really true.
Venezuela-should not be trapped by Cuba-and in order to break free-can invade Cuba and free the Cuban people in the process. Nobody in Central or S.America will do anything --not to mention"the rest of the world"...
Worldwide Hypocrisy is right, Mike. See how much the "international community" cares when there's a genocide with millions dead as in Rwanda or Congo Darfur Srilanka or Bangladesh..
ReplyDeleteOr did the USA or Europe say anything to the UAE, after 15 of the 19 terrorists form 911 plus Osama's money and family came from the Arab Emirates? nah.. too much oil to buy there.
Sledge the 9/11 terrorists came from Saudi Arabia not UAE. Why should we expect the world to care about how dictators run their countries. Unless it impacts on a world power reality dictates that they will be left alone. The world does not have the capacity remove all the dictators that lead countries look at how expensive and devastating the attempts to remove dictators in Iraq and Afghanistan are. If people want to overthrow bad leaders it has to come from the people who are being ruled not the outside world.
ReplyDelete