Televangelist calls for Chavez' death

AP on Yahoo ^ | 8/22/05 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson called on Monday for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, calling him a "terrific danger" to the United States.

Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition of America and a former presidential candidate, said on "The 700 Club" it was the United States' duty to stop Chavez from making Venezuela a "launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism."

Chavez has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of President Bush, accusing the United States of conspiring to topple his government and possibly backing plots to assassinate him. U.S. officials have called the accusations ridiculous.

"You know, I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it," Robertson said. "It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war ... and I don't think any oil shipments will stop."

Electronic pages and a message to a Robertson spokeswoman were not immediately returned Monday evening.

Venezuela is the fifth largest oil exporter and a major supplier of oil to the United States. The CIA estimates that U.S. markets absorb almost 59 percent of Venezuela's total exports.

Venezuela's government has demanded in the past that the United States crack down on Cuban and Venezuelan "terrorists" in Florida who they say are conspiring against Chavez.

Robertson accused the United States of failing to act when Chavez was briefly overthrown in 2002.

"We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability," Robertson said.

"We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator," he continued. "It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with."

[Antoninus]

All these tools are getting worked up over something Pat Robertson blurted out in passing. Meanwhile, this post got a miserable 17 responses:

‘New Castro’ threatens to take his feud with America nuclear - (Chavez rattling nuke sabers!)

PRESIDENT George W Bush is a “jerk”. His administration is a “mafia of assassins”. And, according to Hugo Chavez, the belligerent populist president of Venezuela, Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, lies in bed at night dreaming of him. Chavez, 50, is rapidly becoming a US nightmare in Latin America. He aroused further American anger last week by threatening to form a nuclear alliance with Iran. The prospect of two hostile, oil-rich governments working together against US interests has shocked Washington and plunged relations with Venezuela to a dangerous new low.

US officials have begun to suspect that Chavez is plotting to become the “new Castro” — the leading voice in the region of leftist anti-Americanism.

Behind the disintegrating relationship between Washington and one of its most important oil suppliers lies Chavez’s apparent conviction that US agents were behind an attempted coup that briefly ousted him in 2002.

Storming back to power after a referendum last August, Chavez has clashed with US officials over a series of issues that prompted Rice to label him “a negative force in the region”.

In his latest challenge Chavez declared that Venezuela needed nuclear energy to prepare for when its oil ran out. He said that other Latin American countries should collaborate. “We want to initiate nuclear research and ask for help from countries like Iran,” he said.

While US officials have dismissed some of Chavez’s threats as bluster, intelligence sources are concerned about claims that he has given alleged terrorists Venezuelan passports.

Venezuelan officials dismiss Washington’s complaints as offensive and undemocratic. “The US is a very ideologically oriented administration and has a lot of animosity towards us,” said Andres Izarra, minister of information. “But we can ally ourselves with whomever we want.”

Washington has attempted to isolate Chavez by wooing his Latin American neighbours but when Donald Rumsfeld, the US defence secretary, raised concerns about Chavez during a tour of the region, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil remarked a few days later: “We don’t accept defamation and insinuations against a compañero (friend).”

[Central Scrutiniser]

Tony Orlando must die.

Hey, do you think maybe God is gonna get in the smitey mode and smote Robertson?

[Howlin]

I'm not PINGING you; I'm responding to your specious posts.

And as long as you're posting ABOUT ME, I'll respond when I want to.

As for "ahh, this is the "howlin" i have heard so much about from others.....," I suppose you're talking to the other posters on here who don't like to be contradicted when they post ridiculous stuff; some of your guys have a real problem with that.

[Stellar Dendrite]

come on..that's weak. youre not getting out of this one. ill be looking forward to more tomorrow ;)

[Torie]

I have called on God to smite Indian casinos. I hope and trust God will attend to that first. Now if only I could believe 1) he exists, and 2) takes my counsel. After I get over those minor little hurdles, all things are possible.

[Stellar Dendrite]

nope, but ill leave it at that.

stop pinging me.

[GSlob]

"What would Jesus do, Pat? What DID Jesus do?"
Why, Jesus simply went ahead with cursing that blasted fig tree, and it died on the root. Today's greenpissers are still wringing their hands. He also sent the devils into Gadarene swine, and exterminated the whole herd without so much as blinking. From here one could see that if somebody is a swine then it is OK.

[Howlin]

As long as you post openly on this forum, people are free to respond.

[Types_with_Fist]

Now if only I could believe 1) he exists, and 2) takes my counsel.

Oh, you can be sure He exists. That's the easy part. As for "counsel"? Rots of ruck. I have an extensive agenda and have had no break in getting Him to adopt any part of it.

[Stellar Dendrite]

"All these tools are getting worked up over something Pat Robertson blurted out in passing"

Tools is right! It reminds me of the sort of reaction a leftist would have....hmmmmm

[punster]

It says something about Pat Robertson's lack of intelligence.

If you are planning an assassination of a scumbag like Chavez, you certainly do not go around publicizing the plan. The publicity will damage your side much more than the tactical gain of eliminating the enemy.

Besides, there is a some probability that Pat Robertson may have committed a Federal crime, by calling for the assassination of a foreign leader.

[Torie]

It must be frustrating believing in 1 and no luck with 2. :)

[mcg1969]

Nah, I'm writing this with her in the bathroom now, and tomorrow I likely won't be on.

Let me just sum up here. I am a political realist. I know damn well that it isn't satisfactory for Chavez to grow in power. We have to do something about him, but I genuinely don't believe assassination is it. I do think there are far better scenarios. Supporting an insurgency or a coup is a good choice, for example, because it involves the citizens themselves, so it is more politically justifiable, particularly if the victors hold true democratic elections afterwards.

The real problem I had with your "Right on!" comment though, truth be told, is not what it implied about your specific policy. Rather, it was the fact that Pat Robertson saying that on national television was incredibly, incredibly, stupid. It fuels Chavez's paranoia, it fuels anti-Christian hatred in this country, it further damages his credibility and that of his ministry, it turns peace-loving potential believers away, etc. etc. Thus my primary objection to you is that you basically cheered him on.

Now if you and I had read, say, the Weekly Standard article on Chavez, and a no-name writer had talked about the practical ramifications of various methods for destabilizing his government, and on a random Freeper thread you had said, "what about a covert assassination plot?", well, it would have been a bit different.

OK, she's out now. I swear, I gotta go. But I will read your response later.

[Torie]

you certainly do not go around publicizing the plan

You just send in folks with poisoned tipped umbrellas or someting.

[Types_with_Fist]

It must be frustrating believing in 1 and no luck with 2. :)

Yes. For analogy sake... it's similar to my son's frustrations with my decisions on his wishes.

[garv]

It would be amusing if it wasn't so disturbing. Robertson's comment is at worst (or best) a roundabout endorsement of assasinating Chavez. A reasonable, and possibly advisable position. Meanwhile, the thread is bombarded with moral relativists throwing out "hypocrite" at anyone who dares side with Robertson.

For some strange reason though, the word hypocrite is not associated with fighting a war against muslim fanatics bent on killing all non-muslims all the while pretending that religion plays no part in it.

[HockeyPop]

Chavez and the Chinese have inked more than just economic agreements. There are now several hundred chinese military special forces and advisers in Venezuela, not to mention chinese high tech military hardware including long range radar. In addition to exporting socialism and anti Americanism, Chavez wants to go nuclear and the Chinese will help him with that as well. Chavez's mentor, Castro, has been teaching him well.

[Stellar Dendrite]

"It fuels Chavez's paranoia, it fuels anti-Christian hatred in this country, it further damages his credibility and that of his ministry, it turns peace-loving potential believers away, etc. etc. Thus my primary objection to you is that you basically cheered him on."

As if there couldnt be more anti-christian hatred. Come on, lets get real here. In a world this dangerous we can't be tiptoeing around, wondering what statements will or wont fuel a commie's paranoia.

I have a hunch we did it during WWII. I wont bother looking up to see FDR's or other politician's quotes WRT hitler....

We are still at war with communism whether the world wants to admit it or not, and should seek out all options in eliminating this cancer on humanity

[Liberty Valance]

Pat steps in it again. He also chuckles as he talks. Weird.