Analysis: Chavez will arm the people

World Peace Herald ^ | February 25, 2005 | Carlos Coello

[Righty_McRight]

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has ignited new controversy with his plans for "units of popular defense" throughout the country to defend it from a possible attack from "imperialism."

Chavez, who has referred on many occasions to a possible U.S. invasion, said, "If imperialism ever has the idea of challenging Venezuela it would have to deal with Bolivar's people, who is prepared to defend their sovereignty, their motherland."

[ken21]

the elimination of chavez makes sense.

he's just going to fester and form alliances with the chicoms and castro.

[pillbox_girl]

In a word; OIL

Does Venezuela produce enough oil to actually matter? Or does it produce just enough oil to make Chavez think it matters.

I seem to remember a while back, this little toad tried to sway the world by cutting off Venezuelan oil production, but nobody even noticed.

[Righty_McRight]

I think we get 10% of our oil from him.

[pillbox_girl]

Is that 10% of the total world supply, or 10% of the U.S. supply?

If it's 10% of the U.S. supply, then isn't that a small enough percentage for us to just boycott his oil and bankrupt his nation. The price at the pump would go up (it seems to go up regardless), but I'd almost be willing to ride my bicycle more just to see Chavez and his tinpot government collapse under the weight of their own rhetoric.

[barkeep]

I don't have a solid figure. At times Venezuela has been an important supplier due to geography. Before our latest Nobel Peace Prize candidate Chavez went nuts, Venezuelan oil was seen as a preferable import to middle eastern supply. World oil supply is fungible, if Chavez cuts us off the effect will be an increase due to shipping costs, but nothing massive, at least so long as the Arab oil keeps flowing. At this point, more inconvenience than real problem, but it would make us more vulnerable to events in the Arab world.