U.S. Reaches Out to Some Oil-Rich Nations

[leftchick]

<snip>

WASHINGTON - Searching for energy supplies and allies against Iran, the Bush administration is reaching out to leaders who rule countries that are rich in oil and gas but accused of authoritarian rule and human rights violations.


The presidents of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Equatorial Guinea are all getting special attention. The effort sometimes seems at odds with President Bush's stated second-term goal of spreading democracy.

"If those countries were not oil producers, we would probably not be meeting with their leaders," said Michael O'Hanlon, a foreign policy analyst with the Brookings Institution. "There is some tension with Bush's democracy-promotion agenda. They are pulling in different directions."

Bush meets Friday at the White House with the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliev. Vice President Dick Cheney next week visits the central Asian nation of Kazakhstan and its leader President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060427/ap_on_go_pr_wh/oil_allies

[Skip Intro]

1. so we'll now beg freedom-haters for their oil. I'm so poud to be American.

n/t

[0007]

2. junior is crying for help.....

CBS News

Bush is also looking for help in confronting Iran's nuclear ambitions. He raised the issue during Hu's visit but failed to win a commitment from the Chinese leader. Beijing does not want to entertain sanctions against one of its major oil suppliers.

Azerbaijan shares a border with Iran, and Bush hoped to enlist the mostly Muslim nation's help in leaning on Iran to end its uranium enrichment program. But Aliev told a foreign-policy forum here on Wednesday that "Azerbaijan will not be engaged in any kind of potential operation against Iran." Human rights groups have accused Azerbaijan of restricting political and human rights.

Given Bush's emphasis on democracy, he should use Friday's visit "to discuss Azerbaijan's democracy deficit," said Jennifer Windsor, executive director of Freedom House, an independent organization that promotes democracy worldwide.

State Department spokesman Adam Ereli defended the warm reception given Aliev, saying human rights is certainly an important issue between the two countries _ but so are energy security, stability in the region and the fight against terrorism.

[Solon]

3. Interesting article...

I especiallly liked this part, I guess he's only reaching out to those he likes, democracy be damned.

Nigeria and Venezuela have become unstable suppliers.

OK, Nigeria is on the brink of civil war, and Venezuela has been supplying heating oil at below market cost for the past year. Why doesn't Bush be diplomatic to Venezuela and keep his hands off it? Just an idea, its not like they are going to cut off the spigot tomorrow, but when you treat one of the nations supplying you with hostility, expect hostility in return, be friendly and they will be friendly, seems a simple concept, I think its called the "Golden Rule" or something. Not that Bush has ever heard of that.

[IndianaGreen]

4. so a free and democratic Venezuela is an enemy while

the tyrants that run Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Equatorial Guinea are our friends. No wonder Amerika has no credibility left in the world!

[rodeodance]

5. ---she told Fox News.------

....Rice courted the news media, racing through five television interviews in 17 minutes. Rumsfeld gave no separate interviews. At one point, he arrived early for a meeting and saw an array of television cameras inside the room. He shook his head at the reporters and turned on his heel.

Before the two Cabinet members left Baghdad on Thursday, Rice dismissed any suggestions of tension. "Secretary Rumsfeld and I have an excellent relationship," she told Fox News. "We're working very hard together. We're actually having a great time here in Iraq."

[Orrin_73]

6. Oil-Rich isn't that an oxymoron

Which oil producing country is rich?