[livius]

In an effort to avert an embarrassing snub to Iraq, ....

This wasn't an embarrasing snub. This was the attempt of Venezuela's Communist/Islamic terrorist loving dictator Chavez to prevent Iraq from getting back as a full player in the oil business.

Having Iraq's oil around makes it harder for Venezuela to do what it wants to do with its own oil: use it to pressure US allies (witness how it cut off oil to the Dominican Republic earlier this week) and to support US enemies (such as its increased oil supplies to Cuba).

[Truth666]

"Islamic terrorist loving dictator Chavez to prevent Iraq from getting back as a full player in the oil business"
Interesting that Venuzuela, the only non-islamic OPEC government (Nigeria is in reality islamic since the was sharia introduced in every province where moslems represent more than 40%) was also the only to oppose.