Democracy in Argentina?

Washington Times ^ | Thursday, January 3, 2002 | House Editorial

[JohnHuang2]

"Elections now!" thousands of pot-banging demonstrators chanted Tuesday night as they flooded the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina's capital. Amid an escalating economic crisis and the Argentine legislature's recent assault on democracy, their outrage is unmistakable and thoroughly justified. On Tuesday, lawmakers scrapped the March 3 presidential elections and put in place a leader of its own choosing, Sen. Eduardo Duhalde, to hold power through 2003. Yesterday, the Peronist Party leader was given a farcical inauguration ceremony, making him Argentina's fifth president in two weeks.

[JohnHuang2]

Quote of the Day by SkyPilot

[ambrose]

Moreover, Mr. Duhalde himself inspires little confidence. During his stint as governor of Buenos Aires, he ran up such huge debts that the province is now bankrupt. In 1999, he launched an unsuccessful, circus-like presidential bid, run by political strategist James Carville,

That's all I needed to know... this guy is bad news. I weep for Argentina.

[JohnHuang2]

My sentiments exactly, ambrose.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

(Jiang Zemin hugs Hugo Chavez) Things look bleak in Venezuela too. Democracy is taking a beating from Hugo Chavez.

The New Australian--(June 15, 2001) --Latin America: Beijing makes its move by Peter Zhang -- The recent revelation that Castro has allied himself with Beijing and is now receiving shipments of Chinese weapons has caused something of a sensation. I don't know why. The Castro-Beijing connection was exposed last March by Peter Zhang in the TNA (No. 147, 13-19 March 2000).

Not only that, he also revealed Beijing's plans for the region including the Colombian, Panamanian and Venezuelan connections. It's a great pity that his warnings about Beijing's intentions have been ignored. Considering the uproar that the Castro-Beijing connection has caused I thought it fitting to republish Peter's article. (Editor)

WSJ: WHILE CARACUS BURNS Sen. Dodd's petulance threatens national security--[Excerpt] Yet while Caracas burns, the top U.S. policy maker for the region can't assume his post for reasons of petty ideological revenge. Otto Reich--President Bush's nominee to be Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere--still can't get a hearing in Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd's subcommittee. Mr. Dodd's petulance has gone beyond the usual Beltway payback and is now creating a leadership vacuum damaging to U.S. national security.

It's hard to recall reading today's headlines, but 10 years ago Latin America's future looked bright. Democracy was on the rise, economies were growing and the era of military coups seemed to be over. The countries did this mostly on their own, but U.S. leadership was crucial. The U.S. nurtured free-market economic ideas and helped against Marxist rebels. That trend stopped during the 1990s, as the Clinton Administration mostly ignored the region for more glamorous priorities. The result today is a region threatened by repression, violence and economic decline.-[End Excerpt]

Russia in Venezuela shopping for launch facility site

Castro Spies Target U.S. Defense

Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez ------Chavez also appears to be arming Colombia's Marxist FARC rebels. Colombian defense officials say that between January 1998 and July 2000, they captured 470 clandestine FAL rifles stamped with the insignias of Venezuela's military and its arms manufacturers. ….FREE OTTO REICH

Cuban President Fidel Castro (L), Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (C) and Colombian Andres Pastrana talk during the closing of the III summit of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) on Margarita Island, Venezuela, December 12, 2001. Caribbean leaders signed cooperation and trade agreements where Chavez carried his left-leaning agenda into the Caribbean Summit urging his Caribbean neighbors to shun a U.S.-backed hemispheric free trade zone. REUTERS/Jose Miguel Gomez

Lawmakers Spar Over Latin America Post (Christopher Dodd smears White House nominee)._________Stop Otto Reich.org

[JohnHuang2]

Morning, Cincy.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Goodmorning JohnHuang2!!

[JohnHuang2]

=^)

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Things sure are going to hell in a handbasket in our hemisphere.
It's downright criminal but typical, that Sen. Christopher Dodd
and Sen. Tom Daschle care more about socialism than U.S. national security.

[JohnHuang2]

Daschle/Dodd, the nefarious duo, in denying Otto Reich a straight up-or-down vote are engaged in nothing short of a crime, Cincy.

[JohnHuang2]

And what was Otto Reich's crime? Being a staunch anti-Communist when being anti-communist wasn't 'cool' in the beltway.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

By denying Reich a hearing they have gagged him.
Dodd and Daschle can smear Otto Reich and as a nominee he has to stay silent.
It's time for Bush to back up his choices and make recess appointments.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It's cool to be anti anti-communist these days.

Bush nominee deserves better than old grudges [Excerpt]As America embarks on a long-term war against international terrorism, it is essential that President Bush have his foreign policy team in place. Unfortunately, one Democratic senator is still fighting the Cold War and is settling old ideological scores by blocking Senate action on a key State Department nominee.

Otto Reich was nominated on July 12 to be assistant secretary of state for Western Hemispheric Affairs. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has not even bothered to schedule Fa confirmation hearing for Reich, and has no plans to do so. The reasons have nothing to do with Reich's competence or qualifications, and everything to do with Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd's affinity for Cuba's Fidel Castro and the communist Sandanista regime in Nicaragua. [End Excerpt]

[JohnHuang2]

Considering the situation in Latin America, Otto Reich's appointment could easily be justified on national security grounds, Cincy.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Absolutely!

[FreedomPoster]

As Argentina stumbles into deep bankruptcy, the only end I see is totalitarian rule of some kind or another. The people have been conditioned by socialist dogma such that, while they still have any political power, they will continue to vote themselves bread and circuses from the public till, thus ensuring that the productive will reduce output, and onward to a worse bankruptcy.

Their only hope is a benign dictator to kick some sense into them, ala, say, Singapore. Yuck.

[wita]

More stuff, pepetrated by that p o s that calls himself my senator? I'm stunned.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!