Venezuela, Drugs, and Oil
Posted by Moonage on 29 Aug 2005 | Tagged as: International Issues
A lot of people have been criticizing Bush for his rather stern stand regarding Chavez. They cite how important Venezuela’s oil is, and totally dismiss the issues regarding Bush’s problems with Chavez. Most of it’s just the usual over-the-top rhetoric, but relations have been to say the least, strained. So, imagine my surprise reading this headline:
Now, they’ve got some things we want, and, we’ve got some things they want. It’s not just an oil for cash situation. One of the prevailing social problems in the US for some time has been the easy access to narcotics. And, Venezuela has been rather proficient in exporting that good. It does the US no good at all if they’re going to sell us oil at the same price as OPEC and undermine our social fabric at the same time. So, IMO, oil is just a business. Narcotics cost this country billions in income every year in lost taxation, medical expenses, and crime. Buying oil for the same price we can get from Mexico and Canada doesn’t save this country one red cent. If they want our cash, they’ve got to be a good partner. Same goes for Mexico and Canada and OPEC as well. What the soaring cost of oil has done is make non-OPEC providers more viable. We’re not stuck with the two or three sources as we were five years ago. If Venezuela wants more of our money than some of our other neighbors, they’re going to have give us a reason to not want to shop it out. I think Chavez has finally realized that. I hope so anyway. I prefer buying oil closer to home. But, that doesn’t mean I’m going to sell out and look the other way if that oil comes with narcotic strings attached.
( That still doesn’t justify Robertson’s comments. )
2 Comments »
on 30 Aug 2005 at 8:13 am 1.Bryan Kerwick
said …
Chavez understands two simple facts of life that are not in his favor.
Number 1 - President Bush will have no hesitation to snatch his sorry ass out of Venezuela and put him in jail just as the Dictator in Panama found out. Chavez’s ties to Castro and the open drug running to the US is all the reason we need to put him on trial. This is one redneck President that is not to be trifled with and Chavez knows that. His failure to secure International protection with regard to his perceived US aggression makes his position that much less tenable.
Number 2 - Oil is a short term imconvenience for the US and not the major problem it once was. The high cost of oil has been a blessing to this country as we finally got off our collective asses and made Hydrogen fuel a reality. We will no longer need imported oil in the next decade and that makes countries like those of the Middle East and Venezuela powerless over the world economy.They will once again return to third world status when the money flow dries up and they know it. Chavez really has no options but to comply with the wishes of the US with regard to stemming the tide of drugs flowing into the US from his country.
on 30 Aug 2005 at 9:42 am 2.Moonage
said …
Well put, Brian.