against Venezuela and others, using the Colombia "free trade" deal (free fire zone against union leaders); also, we learned over the last few months, Exxon Mobil is in accord with it as well, trying to freeze $12 billion in Venezuela's assets. Stage #2, as laid out by Rumsfeld, is "swift action" by the U.S. in support of "friends and allies" in South America. Whatever does he mean? My best guess: U.S. boots on the ground in support of the white separatists in Bolivia, who intend to declare their "independence" from Evo Moralies' central government this May, and split off the gas/oil rich provinces. That will cause a major fracas, and possibly a war--what Rumsfeld has been angling for.
See
"The Smart Way to Beat Tyrants Like Chávez," by Donald Rumsfeld, 12/1/07http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/30/AR2007113001800.htmlHe doesn't mention Bolivia. But I think that's the backup plan--for if the war trap they'd set up with Colombia failed, which it did.
And the "smart way" to beat real tyrants like Bush and Rumsfeld is
not to have a war--which is why Chavez so deftly avoided one with Colombia last month, and whey he and the presidents of France, Ecuador, Argentina and others have been trying to bring Colombia's 40+ year civil war to an end (starting with the hostage negotiations that the Bushites sabotaged). War is bad. Peace is good. Lula da Silva called Chavez "the peacemaker" last week. Chavez is smart. Bush and Rumsfeld are stupid and what is worse, arrogantly stupid. Chavez and allies are going to win this one. But Bolivia is a very tricky business--a major test of everyone's peacemaking skills.
Great article I just ran across recently from ZNet, at Venezuela Analysis, on how Chavez and Correa are outmaneuvering the Bush Junta and its global corporate predators in numerous ways.
Varieties of Imperial Decline: Rearguard Success, Strategic DefeatJanuary 3rd 2008, by toni solo - ZNet
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/3031Viva la revolución!