Toadys are a useful thing

Like toady Grover Dill sticking up for his bully patron Scut Farkus in the movie A Christmas Story, Venezuela is rushing to the aid of poor put upon Iran.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez defended Iran's nuclear program Tuesday, saying Washington's firm opposition to Tehran and the invasion of Iraq both resulted from America's insatiable thirst for oil.

"You know that one of the most serious problems the world has today is the energy problem, so much so that the North American empire has invaded Iraq just to look for oil and now threatens Iran because of oil," Chávez said in a nationally televised speech, referring to the United States. "It's an excuse by the empire, looking for energy."

Chávez, one of the most outspoken critics of U.S. foreign policy, claimed the Bush administration is falsely accusing Iran of trying to build an atomic bomb as a pretext for seizing control of the Middle Eastern nation's vast petroleum reserves.

"I'm completely sure that it's absolutely false that the Iranian government is developing an atomic bomb. It's the United States that has atomic bombs," Chávez said.

Well, there you have it. Chavez assures us Iran is not developing nuclear weapons. We can all go home now.

We can stop worrying about Venezuela's increasingly cozy relationship with Iran.

On February 15, the day after Valentines’ day, the head of the Venezuelan parliament, Nicolas Maduro stood side by side with the speaker of the Iranian Parliament Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel. Maduro said, "From our souls, we feel that our two nations are brothers and that together with other peoples we are carrying the flag of dignity and sovereignty."
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A recent article from the conservative US newspaper, the Washington Times with the title, “Venezuela Seeks Nuclear Technology”, gave the impression that Venezuela was about to take delivery of Nuclear Weapons from Iran to use against the US.

General James Hill, the head of the U.S. Southern Command claimed Venezuela was supporting "Islamic terror groups" in one of its major tourist resorts, Margarita Island. This was immediately and easily disproved by journalists visiting the alleged sites.

I don't think we should so easily dismiss concerns about Margarita Island, though. Writing at the ever-helpful Jamestown Foundation, Chris Zambelis reported:

Margarita Island, Venezuela, another free-trade zone that is home to a sizeable Arab Muslim (and Arab Christian) community, is also cited as a potential terrorist base. The alleged threat emanating from Margarita Island is receiving far more attention in Washington, but is as much a product of the simmering tensions between the Bush Administration and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Both Maicao and Margarita Island, along with the banking centers on the island of Curacao and elsewhere in the Netherlands Antilles, Colon, Panama, the Cayman Islands, and the rest of the Caribbean Basin, are part of a multifaceted network that facilitates the transfer of illicit funds from drug and weapons sales, as well as counterfeiting, piracy, and human smuggling. The warring factions in Colombia’s civil war also have a lucrative stake in this system.

There is a growing problem right at our feet. Iran may pull Venezuela off in dangerous directions.

Chavez had this to say yesterday about Iraq:

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Tuesday that U.S. troops have been routed by a strong resistance movement in Iraq, but haven't pulled out because officials in Washington won't acknowledge defeat.

The United States would also suffer a tremendous military defeat if the Bush administration decided to invade Iran, Chavez told a group of foreign diplomats and government supporters at the Miraflores Presidential Palace.

"The U.S. empire is defeated in Iraq, they just don't want to admit it," Chavez said to rousing applause.

Using a Venezuelan slur to refer to President Bush, Chavez added: "Mr. Donkey thought they were going to be received as heroes."

"God forbid they dare to attack Iran," he said. "We want peace, but they would eat twice as much of the dust of defeat there, I'm absolutely sure of that."

We do not have a friend in Venezuela, and its leader speaks as if he is an enemy.

IranMania quotes Chavez as saying the following:

I really believe the US empire is waiting for its grave. This is the century of the grave for US imperialism.

As US officials and their allies contemplate the best course of action against Iran, they will also have to take into account possible reaction from Venezuela.

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown, and at this time of war, it would be nice if the Democratic Party would stop with the sniveling sniping and ridiculous notions of censure and impeachment, and support our leaders.

These are times that call for reason and unity, and those charged with the responsibility of defending us could use our prayers and support.