Should we be Thankful for Hugo Chavez?

It's true he is an authoritarian blowhard and general nuisance, but it is nice to have somebody who makes an even bigger ass of himself than our George.

Comments

  1. Anonymous4:30 PM

    Imagine how even more upset you'd be with him if he had actively supported a military coup attempt against Bush. :)

    You're close enough to the border that your POV could be a little less U.S.-centric.

    ReplyDelete
  2. CapitalistImperialistPig5:58 PM

    I'm not upset with Chavez, and I'm a long way from any border with Venezuela. I think he did pull a dumb stunt that hurt him and his country. Such childish tactics may gratify his ego, but do nothing to expose Bush's many real faults, nor, in my opinion, do they do anything for Venezuela. More likely, they destroyed his hopes to get Venezuela elected to a Security Council seat.

    I'm no fan of Amadinejad nor of the rulers of his country, but he was much smarter, making his critique in a relatively polite and reasonable fashion.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous1:43 PM

    CIP,

    IMO Chavez's comments were intended to please his domestic audience more than anyone else and they should be judged in that light. Also, I think that you'll find that most people outside the U.S. take far less issue with his theatrics than you do.

    Having said that I agree that he probably could have been less theatrical and more polite, but let's be honest, if someone tried to have you killed, wouldn't you be tempted to call them the devil also :)?

    ReplyDelete
  4. CapitalistImperialistPig6:30 PM

    I don't blame him for being angry at GW - I'm that too. Such tactics may play well to the yahoos, but uttered on the world stage just look buffonish.

    ReplyDelete

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