Posted on 08/30/2006 3:35:52 AM PDT by Flavius
DAMASCUS, Syria — Thousands of Syrians lined the streets of the capital Wednesday waving banners and flags to welcome Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who pledged to stand by Syria in opposition to American "imperialist aggression" in the Middle East.
Syrian President Bashar Assad hosted Chavez at the People's Palace, where the two leaders strolled down a red carpet alongside a 21-gun salute while a marching band played the Syrian and Venezuelan national anthems.
"We have the same political vision and we will resist together the American imperialist aggression," Chavez told reporters upon his arrival at the Damascus airport late Tuesday. He said the two countries will sign a document opposing U.S. "aggression" in the Middle East.
Assad greeted Chavez at the airport and thanked him for his support for Middle Eastern nations, saying the Venezuelan president has made "great stands" in support of Arab causes.
"We appreciate your sincere feelings toward the peoples who have their rights and are under occupation, as well as your sincere humanitarian and moral sentiments," Assad was quoted as saying through an interpreter.
Chavez has built close ties with Iran, Syria and other Mideast countries while his relations have grown tense with the U.S. and Israel.
Earlier this month, Chavez compared Israel's attacks on Hezbollah militants in Lebanon to the Holocaust and withdrew Venezuela's ambassador to the Jewish state. Israel responded by recalling its ambassador to Venezuela, criticizing what it called Chavez's "wild slurs."
Last month, Chavez visited Iran and received the country's highest state medal for supporting Tehran in its nuclear standoff with the international community. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called the South American leader "a brother and trench mate."
Asked about Chavez's visit to Syria, U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey suggested the Venezuelan leader should remind Damascus about its international obligations to prevent the Hezbollah militant group from receiving weapons in southern Lebanon.
He cited a 2004 U.N. resolution that called for the disarmament of all guerrillas in Lebanon and the Aug. 14 cease-fire resolution that called for an arms embargo against Hezbollah. Israel accuses Syria of supplying arms to the Lebanese militia.
"We think what's important for anyone having discussions with the Syrian government to do is to emphasize the need for Syria to meet its international obligations," Casey said Tuesday. "And that includes complying with its long-standing obligations under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559, as well as the additional ones placed upon it in Resolution 1701."
Chavez consistently accuses the U.S. of conspiring to oust him and often asserts the CIA is working to destabilize his government. President Bush's government has repeatedly labeled Chavez a threat to democracy, but U.S. officials have denied trying to overthrow the leftist Chavez.
Syrian state-run newspapers hailed Chavez's visit Wednesday. An editorial in the Tishrin government paper called him a "brave man" and said his visit showed Venezuelans and Syrians were "standing in one trench because their enemy is the same."
"Damascus is receiving today a man of steadfastness ... who stands in the face of huge challenges and says `no' to U.S. policies and plans," it said.
Chavez's visit provides "support and backing to the forces of justice, freedom and independence," said an editorial in the ruling Baath party's newspaper.
So I guess he won't be making a quick stop to Tel Aviv.
Yes, and it has a name: Fascism.
Not unlike the Czechoslovakians in WWII
They could claim he was trying to smuggle arms to the Hezzies.
Venezeula and Syria have joined forces to strangle us into submission. How frightening ([sarcasm]).
This guy Chavez really must have some kind of inferiority complex that he is constantly trying to compensate for. Earth to HUGO:: Venezeula is not a world power and never will be--no matter how many third world despots you chat up. Deal with it.
What's he gonna do? Nationalize Syria?
-Eric
OK, CIA, it's time for one of your 'mysterious' plane crashes.
Maybe a brave Venezuelan will step forward and plug a few holes in that chubby, ugly, b*st*rd friend of Jimmah.
One way or another, i don't think he'll survive his term in office.
Sorry... can't... stop... laughing... from the last line...
I hate to suggest we need them but maybe we could call up Clinton's team for this. It was, after all, one thing that they were good at.
Is this article from the Onion?
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