Radical Noesis - Thinking outside the box

Ah, is that the crux of the matter? Oil shipments from Venezuela? Of course, there is the old stand-by of stopping Venezuela from becoming a "a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism."

What is the "beef" with Chavez? He cares about the poor of Venezuela and has angered the rich, the oil companies, and the U.S., by bringing part of Venezuela's oil production back to the people. It is no secret that the U.S. has been behind several attempts to oust him, and rig elections to get him out of office. Those attempts to get a "friendlier" President have not subsided.

US plays both Venezuela sides While the Bush administration engages in a war of words with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the US government has been giving permits to American arms dealers to sell weapons, tear gas, and other riot-control equipment to Venezuela.

At the same time, the US Congress has indirectly funded anti-Chavez pro-democracy groups."

But should Pat Robertson be promoting assassination of anyone for any reason? Whether that is for oil or to block "communism?" Who would Jesus assassinate?

Robertson, stated that the death of Chavez would not result in cutting oil exports to the U.S. However, his living might. Chavez has threatened to cut exports to the U.S. if the U.S. doesn't stop trying to undermine Venezuela's national sovereignty.

Chavez has accused the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) of spying, and has http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0810/p01s04-woam.html" target="_blank" title="Ceaser, CSM, 8/10/05">kicked the DEA out of the country. He is concerned (and with good reason) that the U.S. might invade Venezuela, and has warned he is prepared to fight back.

Many might ask "Who cares about Venezuela?". Well Venezuela is the fifth largest exporter of oil to the U.S., and it doesn't have to travel around the planet to get there. Add in the oil deals between Venezuela and China, and loss (or decrease) of that supply could be devastating for the United States. Almost 59% of Venezuelan oil production comes to the U.S., and Venezuela expects exports to China to "soar."

So there are a variety of "interests" at play in Venezuelan - U.S. relations: oil ownership (and profits thereof); oil availability; and let's not forget the Free Trade Act of the America's (FTAA) which Bush supports and Chavez (among others) does not.

How do the citizens of the United States feel about overthrowing governments for oil? It is hard to say. We are paying billions to control the oil of Iraq, but the majority probably don't believe that oil is the driving force. However, Venezuela is very clearly about oil and U.S. "interests." Robertson is a politically savvy guy. It is hard to imagine that he just tossed off remarks about assassinating Chavez. The "700 Club" consumers, Pat Robertson, and the politically oriented Christian right is supporting the Bush administration all down the line - hoping for a theocracy it seems. Is Robertson "carrying water" for the neo-cons? Is he planting the seeds and justifications for violent action against Venezuela? Whatever he is doing, the interconnections of religious ideology, corporate hegemony, U.S. interests, and empire, are clear in Robertson's comments.