Posted on 03/01/2006 8:12:07 AM PST by Wiz
March 1, 2006: Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has been making noises about running the Dutch out of nearby Caribbean islands, areas that the Netherlands have owned for centuries. In response, the Dutch are trying to orchestrate a suitable, and scary, message for Chavez. The Dutch are trying to get the United States to make a port call with an aircraft carrier, and its accompanying warships, at one of their Caribbean islands. This would be part of a series of "messages" that they're sending to Venezuela. An additional "message" is an invitation to the Venezuelans to take part in a navy/marine exercise that the Dutch are going to run in the Caribbean later this year.
(Excerpt) Read more at strategypage.com ...
I stand corrected. Thank you.
All this is a neat exercise in fantasy but what would happen if Castro decided to step in and help his friends?
As I said, we live in intersting times.
This is the real Hugo Chavez. Parrot and all. 
Hugey The Pirate! Arrr, Arrr!
Is the parrot wearing a beret?
None would make me happy.
I meant it in regard to humuiliating Chavez.
Yes, the parrot mascot is wearing a tiny red beret.
Looks like we need to send in the folks from "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" to give Hugo and the bird some fashion tips...
BYSTANDER: "Hey, can that animal talk?"
PARROT: [Shruggs shoulders] "I don't know"
All he needs is an eye patch to be a hispanic Long John Silver
If we do send a carrier or some other battlegroup, not only will it tick off Chavez, but also the folks here who are prone to knee-jerk reactions. Bonus.
Or England-Argentina. Only this time, there will be no "Hand of God" for the Argies.
Will castro and crew swim over to help?
"The cradle-to-grave welfare enabled by the umbrella of the American military and American taxpayers, needs to end.'
Yeh - they beg for help all over the world, and when we do they cry "American Imperialism" and "The U.S. Army is everywhere, just like the Roman legions".
Just out of curiousity, are you willing to concede that the Dutch and the Americans have mutually-compatible interests in this matter? Or should we roll out the red carpet for Chavez because some of us here have our panties in a wad?
All your base are belong to us.
Well, there's not many shreds left of the Monroe Doctrine after John F. Kennedy pretty much decimated it in his "heroic" settlement with the USSR over the Cuban missle crisis
Which side of the picture is the parrot's backside, left, or right?
gotcha.
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