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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue
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Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:14 am Post subject: |
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| caniff wrote: |
| On the other hand wrote: |
Bush desperately needs a foreign policy success story for the history books. My guess is he'll take some sort of minor and basically meaningless military and/or economic actions against Venezuela, and then give himself the credit when Chavez's inevitable departure from office occurs. |
I don't think the Americans will be striking Venezuela with military force quite yet.
Why? They are doing a good enough job screwing themselves up on their own. They don't need any help. |
Well, my prediction was that Bush would do some sort of token act of aggression, which he will try to sell to the public as a major military initiative. Then, he'll claim that this initiative played a pivotal role in Chavez's downfall. |
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Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee

Joined: 25 May 2003
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Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:20 am Post subject: |
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| On the other hand wrote: |
BJWD wrote:
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| I sincerely hope the Americans fully keep their distance. I do not want the Left to be able to blame this looming failure on the USA. Unreconstructed socialists need to see the fruits of their ideas. |
Joo wrote:
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Time for the US to put in place a full scale trade embargo against Venezuala.
The US has to start by doing the correct thing and not buy any oil from that nation.
Next step any company anywhere in the world that does business with Venezula can not do business with the US. |
Nice to see that BJWD's reality-based counsel has gone unheeded by the more "activist" members of the board's right wing.
Joo:
Why are you so fired up about the USA taking an aggressive stance against Chavez? Love him or hate him, I don't see how he's gonna have much influence outside of his own little sphere of influence. If his policies are really so bad, Venezuela will just collapse on its own accord, leaving his left-wing fan club around the world with egg on their faces. |
You might very well be correct at the same time the US just ought not be buying oil from an enemy. It is just seems like the sensible thing to do.
You and BJWD are probably correct the US to be quiet here so I take back what I said . Nevertheless the US ought to quietly stop buying oil from Venezuela. That is just good policy.
Anyway I stand corrected. |
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Leavingkorea
Joined: 27 Apr 2007
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Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:51 am Post subject: |
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My coworkers and friends are getting constant updates from family and friends still in Venezuela and the news is never good. Inflation is out of control, wages (actual) are half of what they were a year ago etc. Basically everyone here just keeps getting told "you were lucky to get out when you did", "you got out just in time", "it's a nightmare here now", "I don't know how we can continue like this".
Someone told me today that medical insurance costs are all being bumped up because so many workers need shrinks now to deal with the stress of life and work there. It's a nightmarish situation. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994
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Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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Thomas Friedman made a point I agree with. It's something like this: The worst thing that can happen to a country is to find oil or some other valuable resource that allows the government to get a 'free ride'. All too often the unearned wealth is squandered.
The best and most valuable resource is an educated population. The government's job is to provide stability, security and laws that allow the educated population to create wealth. |
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