Posted on 02/02/2006 10:34:18 PM PST by proud_yank
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has compared Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to the Nazi leader Adolph Hitler, saying both were elected legally and then "consolidated power." Secretary Rumsfeld made the comment as part of an answer to a reporter's question about the election of left-wing leaders in Latin America.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, Secretary Rumsfeld told the questioner that the rise of corruption in democratic governments in Latin America caused voters to look for what he called more "populist" leaders.
"We've seen some populist leadership appealing to masses of people in those countries and elections, like Evo Morales in Bolivia, take place that clearly are worrisome," said Mr. Rumsfeld.
Secretary Rumsfeld said he would not characterize the situation as "a new wave of left-wing anti-American regimes," as the questioner did. But he went on to criticize the leftist Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chavez, who has become a sharp critic of the United States and a close friend of Cuba's communist leader, Fidel Castro.
"We've got Chavez in Venezuela with a lot of oil money," he noted. "He's a person who was elected legally, just as Adolph Hitler was elected legally, and then consolidated power, and now is, of course, working closely with Fidel Castro and Mr. Morales and others. It concerns me."
As Secretary Rumsfeld spoke, President Chavez was preparing to travel to Cuba late Wednesday to visit President Castro and accept an award from the United Nations for promoting Latin American culture.
Secretary Rumsfeld did not comment on, and at that time may not have known about, Venezuela's expulsion of a U.S. military attaché. The official, a U.S. Navy captain, was accused of spying. Several Venezuelan military officers have been accused of passing information to the U.S. military through the embassy in Caracas. There was no immediate response from the U.S. government.
The whole stinking, socialist-state of MA is in bed with Chavez. I'd love to radio in coordinates for an airstrike!
I just hope we realise who is behind Chavez, and why he is such a threat... The Kremlin and the Forbidden City.
that's why they compare Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, etc. to the Nazis; because they don't realize how terrible the Nazis were.
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True enough, but that is not what you said. You were disparaging Rummy's comparison to Chavez who is a profoundly evil man, easily capable of eclipsing Hitler.
No no no no no no no no no no no no!!!!!!!!
I was getting off that topic and into why it's so common to call people Hitler when you don't like them. I agree that Chavez is comparible to Hitler and the Nazis. In fact, if you read my very first post, I said I was glad that someone had the backbone to say it.
It's a complete misunderstanding. I humbly apologize.
(BTW, people usually tell me I'm wise beyond my years. But who knows?)
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