U.S. says Venezuela complicit in attack!!

[AGENDA21]

WASHINGTON - The State Department accused Caracas city officials of complicity Friday in an attack on the car of U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield in the Venezuelan capital.

Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns summoned Venezuelan Ambassador Bernardo Alvarez to the State Department and told him that Venezuela was in violation of an international treaty that requires the host countries to ensure the safety of foreign diplomats, department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

The incident "clearly was condoned by the local government," McCormack said.

Pro-government activists bombarded Brownfield's car with fruit and vegetables and a group of motorcyclists chased the convoy, at times pummeling the vehicles with their fists.

McCormack said local government officials were handing out snacks to the perpetrators as Brownfield was participating in a ceremony at a Caracas stadium. The event included a gift of baseball equipment to children. McCormack said it was the fourth government-sponsored attempt to intimidate U.S. diplomats in Venezuela, three having occurred in the past three weeks.

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/politics/14291437.htm

[TerdlowSmedley]

1. So, we were wrong. It's NOT Iran that the US will invade next!

[tatertop]

15. That might be way easier than Iran

Then again, who knows?

[jsamuel]

2. "bombarded Brownfield's car with fruit and vegetables"

THE ATTACK OF THE CENTURY!!!

:rofl:


Not that it was a good thing, but the article makes it sound like the Venesualan government made a suicide bomber blow up his car or something.

[NNN0LHI]

3. Wow! Weapons of mass vegetables were used in the attack n/t

[EllieGreen]

13. You owe me a new keyboard. n/t

[Peace Patriot]

14. Oh, NNN0LHI! We have to preserve that one--Weapons of Mass Vegetables--

WMV's!

Let's do some subject lines:

"Chavistas Attack US Envoy with WMV's! This is WAR!"

"WMV's in Venezueala! Bush Junta outraged!

"Chavez Has WMV's! Tensions Rise!"

"Taut-Faced US Envoy Escapes WMV Attack in Venezuela"

"US Accuses Chavez of Hiding WMV's! (Oops--splat!)"

I could go on.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :bounce: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[area51]

22. Condi sez:

"We wouldn't want the mushroom cloud to turn out to be ... a mushroom."

</stupid joke> :spank:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

30. It's ok, it had to be done

:rofl:

I would have if you hadn't :)

:rofl:

[neoblues]

4. Ahar! Finally a Pretext....

Remember, they have Oil! And, they've not been groveling sufficiently at our feet... Why, they've positively been impudent to our King... can invasion be far off?

[matcom]

5. VIVA CHAVEZ!

:thumbsup:

[Cha]

17. Si, y Viva Tacos,

tambien! :toast:

[matcom]

26. y Viva Las CHICAS bonitas

tambien :P

[xchrom]

6. now -- with a clear conscience -- bush can

declare war on venezuela.

[ixion]

7. see, in Venezuela, they don't use free speech zones

they just protest right there next to the POS with whom they have a gripe. :evilgrin:

But really, causing an international incident over thrown veggies? Me thinks they doth protest too much.

[rzemanfl]

8. Wasn't the U.S. in charge of Iraq when the U.N. building blew up?

Why didn't we "ensure their safety????"

[Jose Diablo]

9. Uh, well thats different, the 'UN is worthless'

Or so they'd say.

:)

[orwell]

10. I Knew It...

...It begins with banana bombs, but soon escalates to melon mines.

I hear they can deliver a watermelon warhead to the east coast within 45 minutes!

Oh the humanity...

[Coastie for Truth]

11. The War To Retake "Our" CITGO refineries and oil fields

(when I was in high school I parked cars, washed cars, and pumped gas in a CITGO Station - we called it "Cities Service" back then).



<>

:hi:

[Sinti]

12. What about the children?!

Brownfield was bringing toys for their children and they attacked him mercilessly. They hurt his feelings dammit -- drop the bombs!

[Media_Lies_Daily]

16. Who are the NeoCons going to attack next? Iran or Venezuela?

[Marie26]

18. They wouldn't... would they?

Hey, there's the answer to the anti-immigrant fever. If they stoked Americans anger at Saudi terrorists to attack Iraq, why not stoke anger at illegal immigrants to attack Venezuela? It makes perfect sense in some twisted way.

[ShaneGR]

19. This is serious business, US Diplomats should not be threatened...

I would classify this as a threat, not an attack. It's kind of like saying, not only are we not going to protect you but we may aid demonstrators in harrassing you.

Then the thought opens up, what else might they allow to happen?

Has the Venezuelan Ambassador been attacked recently in the streets of Washington? Any vegetables thrown? DC police handing our food or water to the demonstrators? No. And if there were large numbers of American citizens protesting the Venezuelan Ambassador, you can bet they would certainly not be allowed to hit his car with their fists or toss objects at his car. Why? Security. Violence is never acceptable in a civilized society unless in defense.

Ask yourself this question. Do you really want diplomatic communication between the US and Venezuela to stop? The top profit producer of the Venezuelan government is the United States via oil sales. A massive shortage of fuel coming from Venezuela to the US would raise your gas prices to well above $3.00 a gallon avg/US price. Perhaps even above $4.00.

While I support Chavez's announced goal of prosperity for all Venezuelan's, I do not believe his current course is benefitting either his own people or the US populace. Trade between our countries can help the citizens of Venezuela just as Chavez states he wants to do, but some of the strategies Chavez is following will end up possibly permanently devastating his trade status with the United States and invite a military conflict based solely on economics (For both peoples).

Srry, I try to look at he macro rather than the micro.

[Boredtodeath]

20. No harm to Venezuela, just the US

Venezuela has plenty of buyers for that oil. Losing trade with the US only means they ship the oil to someone else.

Typical Ugly American attitude - assuming WE are the only buyers available and somehow are entitled to that oil.

[Pastiche423]

23. Are you serious?

VIVA CHAVEZ!

[K-W]

24. Trade with the US does not help the majority of the people,

This is serious business, US Diplomats should not be threatened...

I would classify this as a threat, not an attack. It's kind of like saying, not only are we not going to protect you but we may aid demonstrators in harrassing you.

Then the thought opens up, what else might they allow to happen?

Has the Venezuelan Ambassador been attacked recently in the streets of Washington? Any vegetables thrown? DC police handing our food or water to the demonstrators? No. And if there were large numbers of American citizens protesting the Venezuelan Ambassador, you can bet they would certainly not be allowed to hit his car with their fists or toss objects at his car. Why? Security. Violence is never acceptable in a civilized society unless in defense.

If the story is true you have some fair points here. There is no excuse for violence.

Ask yourself this question. Do you really want diplomatic communication between the US and Venezuela to stop? The top profit producer of the Venezuelan government is the United States via oil sales. A massive shortage of fuel coming from Venezuela to the US would raise your gas prices to well above $3.00 a gallon avg/US price. Perhaps even above $4.00.

I don't think anyone wants that.

While I support Chavez's announced goal of prosperity for all Venezuelan's, I do not believe his current course is benefitting either his own people or the US populace.

So the vast increases in education, healthcare and food programs dont benefit the people? How so?
And what about the poor Americans recieving discounted heating oil from Venezuala? They dont benefit?

Trade between our countries can help the citizens of Venezuela just as Chavez states he wants to do, but some of the strategies Chavez is following will end up possibly permanently devastating his trade status with the United States and invite a military conflict based solely on economics (For both peoples).

Except of course that that it is the US and not Venezuala who's policies are forcing conflict. Venezuala would be more than happy to keep trading with the US and to have a perfectly peaceful relationship with the US. It is the US that sees an independent populist government as unacceptable and demands that Venezuala conform to Washington's wishes or face consequences.

And as I stated in the subject line, trade with the US (or at least on the US's terms) does not benefit most of the people in Venezuala, a lesson they learned through experience.

[Mika]

25. Umm

A massive shortage of fuel coming from Venezuela to the US would raise your gas prices to well above $3.00 a gallon avg/US price. Perhaps even above $4.00.

I don't think anyone wants that.

Well, it sure would push Americans to reduce giant SUV use, and it would provide incentive for alternative/green energy.

I think that some of us really do want that.


That said..

Viva Chavez!

[TheBaldyMan]

21. Peanuts of Mass Destruction.

maybe Chavez should just recall all ambassadorial staff from USA and require all US embassy staff to leave Venezuela.

That would definately guarantee their 'safety'. In Vemezuela public figures oftem come under attack from ill-disposed parties, how many times has the Bush regime attempted a coup against Chavez?

[raysr]

27. Hey, see

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x876759

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

28. The Venezuelans use fruit, we more civilized people, us Smart Bombs.

Not to mention napalm, White phosphorous, cluster bombs, and all the other high priced toys the military/industrial complex gives the politicians and pentagon to play with.

[oasis]

29. Ugh, fruit salad. The horror, the horror.

:scared: