Posted on 02/18/2006 7:42:10 PM PST by Thunder90
CARACAS: Venezuelas president Hugo Chavez warned late Friday he was taking potential steps to cut off oil shipments to the United States, in the event Washington crosses the line.
The US government must know that if it crosses the line it wont be getting Venezuelan oil, the leftist leader said, repeating similar threats he has made in his long, simmering dispute with the United States.
Chavez, who did not clarify how Washington might incur such a sanction, apparently was reacting to Thursdays call by US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice for an international united front against Venezuela.
I have to say that Ive begun taking steps on the matter, but I wont tell you what they are, Chavez told a meeting of pensioners in Caracas. They think I cant take these steps, because we wont know where to place our oil. Aha! Thats where they are wrong, Chavez said.
Many countries ask us for more oil and weve had to answer that we cant give them any more because, among other things, (of) the million and a half barrels of our production that goes to the United States.
Rice called Chavez a challenge to democracy on Thursday and said Venezuelas close ties with Cuba were a particular danger in the region.
She told the US Congress she had recently spoken of the Venezuelan problem on the telephone with the foreign ministers of Austria, Spain and Brazil.
The international community has just got to be much more active in supporting and defending the Venezuelan people, Rice said.
Chavez has called Rices remarks a threat, and accused US president George W Bush and British prime minister Tony Blair of launching a plan against Venezuela aimed at keeping him from being reelected in coming December elections.
The plan has been launched. They are trying to get Spain, France, Germany and all of Europe against us, Chavez said.
He called upon Venezuelans to embrace resistance to imperialism, his shorthand for the US government. afp
It doesn't matter. We will still pay about the same price for oil, some of it Venuzulean. Its a world market, if they sell to anyone, it affects the world price.
How do we official reply with "we dare you".
Freekin' Nimrod...
Chavez needs a dirt nap.
And in retaliation, the US would, of course, stop paying him money for goods and services not rendered. Lets see who lasts longer.
Your threats amuse us. What line did you have in mind?
I am starting to wonder if Pat Roberts was right, maybe he should be taken out : )
All left-wing tyrants should be taken out. The world would be a far, far better place.
Of course Robertson was right. The smear campaign against him for saying this and other things was wrong. Robertson was a Wall Street lawyer in the 50's who became a preacher and has always been a businessman, looking for ways to bring money in for what he thinks is a good cause, his ministry. I'm not a big supporter of his because the dollar signs always seem to stand out more than the crosses but I support him when he says something right. What he said about Chavez was dead on.
Things in the oil patches are heating up all over the world.
The Chinese are trying to rush through a major oil field development project with Iran before US Security Council sanctions come into play. They will have a 51% interest. Muslims in Nigeria are making all kinds of threats against the oil fields there. Bolivia just elected a left wing politician, and he wants to nationalize Bolivia's large gas fields.
The faster we move to alternative sources of transportation and heating fuel, the less power these guys will have.
Fool cells and high breds will not curb our appetite for oil.
Only shortages, long gas lines and high prices will do that.
BUMP
Sooner or later the Venezuelan military will settle this guys hash.
Does Chavez need to bed Cindy Sheehan again to calm down.
Sadly not a chance.
Chavez has effectively purged or bribed any and all powerful military leaders in Venezuela already ever since the 2002 coup attempt.
The Russians and the CIS countries are also playing the oil card.
You know we are busy down there also.
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