The conflicts between the US, Cuba and Venezuela are not basically about personalities or hubris. Oh if it were that simple ! It starts with the Monroe Doctrine and 19 invasions of Latin and South America countries by the US since this ’ keep out of my backyard policy’ of every president since Monroe. Over 90% of the press, radio and tv in Venezuela is in private hands so the rich do not lack from an inability to express their views. Unfortunately those views are not shared by the majority of Venezulans, as three elections have demonstrated. Trading oil with Cuba for Doctors and other professional services as well as industrial exchanges with Brazil and Argentina have angered the US. As a member of OPEC Venezuela has by passed trade in US dollars and done so at rates and terms beneficial to all theses countries. Potential deals with China are real challenges for the US. Sending in the marines may not work this time around , too many countries too few GI’s. CAFTA has been sold not as a trade policy but primarily as a security concern to ’save Nicaragua’ and some other countries for Corporate US interests. So slash and burn capitalism, privatization, will halt or slow the democratic wishes for the masses already improvised by centuries of exploitation from within and without their borders...now its name is called free trade....One and a half million Mexican farmers have been driven from their land because they cannot compete with high subsidization(welfare or state socialism, take your pick) of corporate American farms under NAFTA... Where the Wolf as failed in Iraq his chances may be slightly better as chief head hunter for the WTO. But if I were him I would not get to comfortable as things have a way of changing rapidly and ’blowback may already be on its way . john
The conflicts between the US, Cuba and Venezuela are not basically about personalities or hubris. Oh if it were that simple ! It starts with the Monroe Doctrine and 19 invasions of Latin and South America countries by the US since this ’ keep out of my backyard policy’ of every president since Monroe. Over 90% of the press, radio and tv in Venezuela is in private hands so the rich do not lack from an inability to express their views. Unfortunately those views are not shared by the majority of Venezulans, as three elections have demonstrated. Trading oil with Cuba for Doctors and other professional services as well as industrial exchanges with Brazil and Argentina have angered the US. As a member of OPEC Venezuela has by passed trade in US dollars and done so at rates and terms beneficial to all theses countries. Potential deals with China are real challenges for the US. Sending in the marines may not work this time around , too many countries too few GI’s. CAFTA has been sold not as a trade policy but primarily as a security concern to ’save Nicaragua’ and some other countries for Corporate US interests. So slash and burn capitalism, privatization, will halt or slow the democratic wishes for the masses already improvised by centuries of exploitation from within and without their borders...now its name is called free trade....One and a half million Mexican farmers have been driven from their land because they cannot compete with high subsidization(welfare or state socialism, take your pick) of corporate American farms under NAFTA... Where the Wolf as failed in Iraq his chances may be slightly better as chief head hunter for the WTO. But if I were him I would not get to comfortable as things have a way of changing rapidly and ’blowback may already be on its way . john