Posted on 12/30/2010 7:37:09 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Well, well, well. Do we detect a hint of sulfur in Barack Obama’s reaction to Hugo Chavez today? President Obama has kicked the Venezuelan ambassador out of the US in retaliation for the rejection of Obama’s choice of ambassador to Venezuela:
Washington has revoked the visa of the Venezuelan ambassador to the US, the US state department has said.
The move comes amid a diplomatic dispute between the two countries over President Barack Obama’s choice of ambassador to Caracas, Larry Palmer. …
The US move in effect expels Venezuelan envoy Bernardo Alvarez Herrera.
Alvarez Herrera isn’t in the US at the moment, which means Obama effectively locked him out of the country. Venezuelan officials in Caracas confirmed the revocation on Twitter this morning. That leaves both countries without an official representative in the respective capitals.
Obama essentially called Chavez’ bluff with strictly reciprocal action. Chavez dared him to cut diplomatic ties altogether, but Obama didn’t go that far. Officially, diplomatic ties remain in place and both embassies remain in operation. If Chavez wants to cut diplomatic ties, he’ll have to do it himself.
Undoubtedly, Chavez will escalate his war of words against Obama and the US, but he’d better be careful. The US is the major consumer of Venezuelan oil, the only real source of income Chavez has. We can find our own oil — if Obama lets us — but Chavez may find it more difficult to unload his highly sulfuric crude elsewhere. The US has the best ability to refine it, and his new allies in Iran and Russia are net oil exporters, not importers. If Chavez manages to entirely kill the oil industry, which is the long-term direction he’s taking anyway, the shortages and poverty it will cause will eventually find him fleeing Venezuela for asylum in Tehran or Moscow, or perhaps on the wrong end of a military coup.
I think he should have offered asylum to the Venezuelan ambassador.
I was quite pleasantly surprised at this move Obummer made. I thought that we would be kowtowing to one of his ideological buddies and apologizing and offering to replace the ambassador with someone more “acceptable”.
This is a pleasant change for once.
Maybe the November elections might have somthing to do with this.
I’ll give credit where credit is due.
I’m glad to see Obama (for once) stand up to the cretins of this world instead of trying to accomodate them.
Obama should know better than to put his trust in fellow leftist Chavez.
this is very puzzling, why would 0bama dis his cuz?
Some of the nastiest fights in history have been between competing socialist factions.
I would like to see the internal documents from State on this.
Can you say Kabuki Theater?.
I knew you could.
1 down, 11,999,999-ish to go???
yup. And he bowed to the Saudi King out of respect like he bowed after that for other leaders.....
Where's wikileaks when you need them?
Can you say Kabuki Theater?
Yes, I can.
Doubtful. More likely there is something bigger in play here that we're not privy to. Watch and see.....
Bump for reference.
You, Sir......are a Funny man..!
Outstanding
3.00 gas is not high enough? Lets go for 5.00! Timing is everything!
That sir, is hilarious. Top Notch.
One egotistical Marxist trying to outdo the other.
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