Imagine the following - the nation Martin Luther King called "The Greatest Purveyor of Violence in the World Today" may brand democratic Venezuela a state sponsor of terrorism if extremist lawmakers on the Hill get their way.
On March 12, George Bush accused Hugo Chavez of backing Colombian-based "terrorists" and using Venezuela's oil wealth for an anti-American campaign. He further claimed Chavez has a "thirst for power....of squander(ing his country's) oil wealth....of prais(ing a) terrorist leader as a good revolutionary and order(ing) his troops to the Colombian border. This is the latest step in a disturbing pattern of provocative behavior by the regime in Caracas. He has also called for FARC terrorists to be recognized as a legitimate army (and his) senior regime officials have met with FARC leaders in Venezuela."
At the same time, 21 extremist lawmakers want Venezuela named a state sponsor of terrorism and added to the State Department's list of five others for "repeatedly provid(ing) support for acts of international terrorism" under three US laws:
-- the Export Administration Act, section 6 (j);
-- the Arms Export Control Act, section 40; and
-- the Foreign Assistance Act, section 620A.
Countries now listed include - Syria (1979), Cuba (1982), Iran (1984), North Korea (1988), and Sudan (1993). Designation triggers sanctions that "penalize persons and countries engaging in certain trade with state sponsors."
The US Code Definition of Terrorism
The US Code defines "international terrorism" as follows:
(A) "violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State, or that would be a criminal violation if committed within the jurisdiction of the United States or of any State;
(B) appear to be intended -
(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and
(C) occur primarily outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States...."
I am a 72 year old, retired, progressive small businessman concerned about all the major national and world issues, committed to speak out and write about them.
As long as you have fools in Congress you will have these kind of egregious bills being sponsored through perverseness. Not because of belief or out of concern but only due to foreign policy depravity. What ignorant individuals you have ru(in)ning your country. The only country that has been involved in terrorist acts for more than 50 years is the U.S. (with a little help from the British on occasion). Why don't you designate the CIA as the most dangerous terrorist group in the world? It is you know.
by
Archie (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 817 comments)
on Monday, March 17, 2008 at 3:00:40 PM
