Chavez Says Egypt Attack Likely Spurred by U.S. Actions in Ira

[cal04]

Venezuela's Chavez Says Egypt Attack Likely Spurred by U.S. Actions in Iraq
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez criticized the American occupation of Iraq as a threat to world peace, saying the U.S. actions appear to be spurring more terrorist attacks, including the bombings at an Egyptian Red Sea resort. Chavez, a fierce critic of U.S. foreign policy and the Iraq war, condemned the attacks that killed at least 88 people early Saturday in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, noting he also condemned the recent subway and bus bombings in London. "There is nothing that can justify abominable acts like these," Chavez said during a speech late Sunday.

"It must be asked if these acts would be occurring if the U.S. government hadn't invaded Iraq," Chavez said. "I think not." He said the invasion of Iraq, "staged on grand lies like those that said the Iraqi government had weapons of mass destruction - which never appeared - now is impacting world peace in a terrible way." Chavez, a leftist former army officer, argues the so-called war on terrorism should focus in part on trying to bridge the wide gap between rich and poor countries.

His South American nation, the world's No. 5 oil exporter, remains a major oil supplier to the United States despite tensions between Chavez and the Bush administration. "We want peace here, but if every last Venezuelan had to die in the face of the U.S. empire's irrational desire to take over oil, we're ready to die knee-to-the-ground defending our homeland's integrity,"

Chavez said. U.S. officials have repeatedly expressed concerns about Chavez's close links to Cuban leader Fidel Castro and the health of democracy in Venezuela. But they have strongly denied Chavez's suggestions that the American government is considering military action aimed at Venezuela. U.S. officials also deny Chavez's accusations that the American government has backed plots against him, including a brief coup in 2002.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBUQZH3KBE.html

[laststeamtrain]

1. Venezuela's Chavez Says Egypt Attack Likely Spurred by U.S. Actions in Ira

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez criticized the American occupation of Iraq as a threat to world peace, saying the U.S. actions appear to be spurring more terrorist attacks, including the bombings at an Egyptian Red Sea resort...
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBUQZH3KBE.html

[magellan]

2. A very obvious truth

...from a very admirable man. Too bad the idiots running our own country don't have the integrity to speak plainly and the respect for people that Chavez does.

[IndianaGreen]

3. Like magellan said, a very obvious truth to all except us!

Like Bush on the aftermath of 9/11, Blair is now asking for dictatorial powers with a British version of the PATRIOT Act.

Let our British friends know the warning of Benjamin Franklin that those that give up some of their liberties to have some security will have neither.

Police gun down worker in London subway: another tragic consequence of Blair’s war policy
Statement of the WSWS Editorial Board
25 July 2005

Menezes’ death is not a blameless consequence of the July 7 bombings, as is now being claimed. Over the past two weeks, an officially sanctioned climate of hysteria and panic has been consciously whipped up, in which the state has been given carte blanche.

The government itself has a vested interest in generating such an atmosphere in order to avoid having to answer damaging questions. Whilst police have demanded new powers to detain people without charge for up to three months, the government has made clear its intention to rush through new legislation, including making it a criminal offence to “glorify” or “condone” terrorism, with major ramifications for free speech.

It is under these conditions that it has emerged that the rules governing police use of firearms have been officially revised and a de facto shoot-to-kill policy secretly adopted.

Even as Prime Minister Tony Blair insists that emergency measures are not directed against “any community” in particular, but solely against those bent on terror, the media is filled with demands by so-called “security analysts” for all young black and Asian males to be treated with suspicion, in much the same way as Irish people in previous decades.

There is, however, one crucial difference. In March 1988, when the SAS shot dead three suspected IRA terrorists in Gibraltar, there were repeated denials that the British state had an assassination policy.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/jul2005/lond-j25.shtml

[ZR2]

4. Yes, Egypt must pull it's troops from Iraq

and do so now.....

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

5. Wrong.

Terrorists have been striking Egypt long before the Iraq war and will continue to do so due to the Egyptian government's anti-islamist policies. Hell, what a lot of people like to call "Al Qaeda" was practically *born* in Egypt. Bush's war has brought terrible consequences, but this particular incident isn't one of them.