UNESCO: International snake pit

President Ronald Reagan always had a clear vision of who the enemy was. We now see President George "Forest Gump" Bush completely perplexed about this deal with the ports and UAE, but more so his obstinate stance in dealing with the whole issue. In 1984 Reagan withdrew the USA from UNESCO citing its (UNESCO's) "blatant anti-Americanism and general hostility to freedom." Thanks to Bush, the USA is now back as a UNESCO member, "funding approximately 25 percent of its budget." This has put the USA in the same "pit" with the vile Hugo Chavez and the decrepit fidel castro, both of whom have embraced UNESCO and are using it as a conduit for spreading castrolicism worldwide.

From The New American

Castro and Chavez Love the UN's UNESCO
by John F. McManus

In 1994, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) acted on a suggestion given by Cuban dictator Fidel Castro that it confer an award in the name of Jose Marti, Cuba's national hero who died in 1895 during its war for independence from Spain.

The award for 2005, presented by Castro on February 3 before 200,000 in Havana’s Revolution Plaza, went to Marxist Hugo Chavez, the fiery anti-American leader of Venezuela. Chavez used the opportunity given him to solidify his alliance with Castro and to ratchet up his attack on the United States.

The lending of UNESCO’s name to an annual pro-communist celebration says plenty about this division of the UN, and about the UN itself. It also says something about President George W. Bush, who put the U.S. back into this UN agency in 2002, ending our 18-year absence. America had withdrawn in 1984 when President Reagan cited UNESCO’s blatant anti-Americanism and general hostility to freedom. But thanks to the current occupant of the White House, we are once again a UNESCO member, funding approximately 25 percent of its budget. MORE.

America's contribution to the annual UNESCO budget is $80 million, which is based on the economic strenght of the member nation. How much do you think is Cuba's contribution?

Also read an interesting commentary from Real Clear Politics: New Radical Chic, by Peter Brookes.

If not on a raft, then marriage

Getting on a raft is not the only way to leave Cuba, marriage is another option. But as it turns out, marriage is just as risky.

Costa Ricans Marrying Cubans Detained in Havana

Costa Rica's Consul General in Cuba, José María Penabad, says that Costa Ricans who travel to Cuba with the intent of marriage with Cuban nationals, have been detained and some deported by Cuban authorities, charging them with "trafficking of persons".

Penabad expressed his concern over the increase of the number of Costa Ricans who arrange for travel to Cuba with the promise of marriage, in most cases not having ever met the intended spouse, who end in Cuban prisons.

Cuban officials say that the intention of the marriage is to "legally" remove the person from Cuba and are taking strong measures against it.

The Consul said that in the past week, at least seven Costa Ricans have been deported or detained at the Cuban international airport José Martí, who admitted to visiting Cuba with the intention of marriage. Penabad said that they are immediately accused by Cuban officials as being financially insolvent and trafficking in persons and immediately taken to immigration jail. In other cases, days later Cuban officials catch with the person and deport them. The the rest.

Beauty releases photos

Czech model releases the photos that the Cuban government does not want anyone to see.

(From CeskeNovini):

Top model unveils photos that angered Cuban regime

PRAGUE- Miss Czech Republic from 1999, top model Helena Houdova, today unveiled about 20 of her photos she made during her stay in Cuba in January and for which she was detained by the Cuban police.

Former president Vaclav Havel came to see the exhibition to Prague's Galerie Langhans.

With her photos, Houdova wanted to show the life of the residents of poor parts of Cuban towns. Houdova lives in the USA where she works as a model and tries to raise money in support of handicapped children in nine countries. While in Cuba, she wanted to find out how she could help local children, she said earlier.

"I do not like to photograph fashion. I like reality," Houdova told CTK at the opening of her exhibition called "What you Must Not See."

The exhibition was staged by the People in Need group. The proceeds will be given to the families of Cuban political prisoners, Igor Blazevic from the People in Need said.

Read the rest.

Weekend Pic: Monster in LA

Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA

Fairy indictment?

We all would like to see the entire Castro clan hang for their crimes against the Cuban people, but it would be easier to get the nine planets to align.

(From UPI) A potential witness may exist to pursue an indictment of Raul Castro, brother of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, in shoot-downs of civilian planes, a report said.

A source told the Miami Herald on condition of anonymity that Gerardo Hernandez -- currently in a federal prison on spying charges -- may have information linking Raul Castro to the 1996 downings of Brothers to the Rescue civilian planes in international waters.

Ten years ago, Cuban MiGs shot down two unarmed civilian airplanes killing three U.S. citizens.

Hernandez faces life in prison on spying charges if his appeal fails.

His lawyer Paul McKenna, however, said that his client has no such information and characterized assertions that he might as ridiculous.

Cuban pawns

Fidel (Death and hell be upon him) is a real chess player. He(fidel) will use people, but more specifically Cubans like a puppet master to carry out his odious and sick plans. A Bahamian website is reporting that the Cuban dentists detained in the Bahamas may be released to the U.S., but fidel wants them. He really, really, really wants them back on the island. To practice dentistry? Although, unsubstantiated here is fidel's threat if the dentists are sent to the United States.

(From BahamasB2B) There are unconfirmed reports that the Bahamas government has been warned that if its sends the two Cuban dentists, now being held at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, to the US, Cuba will, in retaliation, inundate the Bahamas with hundreds of Cuban immigrants.

Cuba, because of its need for dentists, wants the two men returned to Havana.

When the two dentists were picked up in waters off Elbow Cay, their "lottery US visas" had expired two weeks previously and as such they were not allowed to continue their journey to the US.

Florida, which has a substantial Cuban/ American population, wants the dentists released to US authorities. However, the Cuban government wants the dentists returned.

It is claimed that Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell was in Cuba in an attempt to bring some calm to the issue.

Chicken is No. 1 Export to Cuba

Cuba seems to be buying a lot of chicken from the USA, but who really benefits for the millions of pounds purchased by the island. The Spaniards, Germans, Canadians, Italians, and every other tourist visiting the communist paradise get to enjoy the American (free from avian flue) chicken. The tourist industry gets it all, which is the only growing economy for the island. Cubans who are treated like second class citizens can find their chicken, if available, in the black market or steal it (see Babalú) at great personal risk.

Arkansas companies are involved in selling food to Cuba.
A trade embargo is in effect with the communist nation, but food sales are allowed.

Chicken has become the top U-S product exported to the Caribbean island nation. That's according to the U-S Cuba Trade and Economic Council in New York.

And that trade in chicken benefits companies like Arkansas' Tyson, which sells some of its goods to traders who resell it to Cuba.

Chicken sales to Cuba were worth 60 (m) million dollars in 2005.

Link for more.

The President was unaware of UAE deal

President Forest Gump keeps missing the boat. After defending the deal for outsourcing the management of US ports to a UAE company, uncluding his promise to veto any challanges to making the deal go through, now he "was unaware." Yeah, right.

President Bush was unaware of the pending sale of shipping operations at six major U.S. seaports to a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates until the deal already had been approved by his administration, the White House said Wednesday.

More.

Mr. President are you also NOT aware of our open borders, and the threat this poses to our national security. The President is not aware that he is unware.

San Diego afternoon

Holocaust cartoon grand prize

The cartoon Jihad takes another phase with the announcement on Sunday by Tehran (the Hamshahri newspaper) of a $12,000 grand prize.

"This is the biggest prize in caricature history," the site boasted, explaining that the second best entry would get $8,000 and the third best $5,000.

Read more.

A princely sum, considering that the average monthly salary for a civil servant is $220. Will they use reference books to research the holocaust "myth?"

Lefty trophies

Chavez: Stooge for life

Following in the same footsteps as the satrap in Havana, Chavez has declared his intentions to rule for life.

"I might sign a decree calling for a popular referendum -- do you agree that Chavez should run for a third term in 2013?" Chavez said during his weekly Sunday broadcast. "It's not a firm decision, it's something I'm thinking about." Read more.

He is not just thinking about, he wants it. But more so the dictator in Havana wants it.

Debunking the Che Myth

If you have high school or college age children like I do. The best thing to do as a parent is to empower them with the truth. Jose at Cubanology has posted an excellent article by his teacher friend Claudia Fanelli about her daily encounters with Ché t-shirt wearing ignorants.

I don’t see the heroic value of the man who, when he was captured in Bolivia by the Bolivian forces and the CIA, begged, "Do not shoot! I am Ché Guevara and worth more to you alive than dead.” Shouldn’t a man who believes in his cause be willing to die for it? Guevara wanted his life spared because, when all is said and done, he was a coward. No wonder Castro got rid of him by sending him to Bolivia.

Check out here Condutor's encounter during his California vacation with another Che wearing Hollywood idiot, Santana.

So much offense, so little bounty

This from the Aftenposten:

Bounty on Mohammed caricaturist

A Pakistani cleric offered a 1.5 million rupee (USD 16,700) reward and a car for anyone who kills the cartoonist who drew Prophet Muhammad, while another Islamist leader was put under house detention, amid fears of more deadly demonstrations Friday.

Thousands of security forces were deployed across Pakistan to prevent unrest. Police arrested 125 protesters for violating a ban on rallies in eastern Pakistan and arrested 30 others after firing tear gas to disperse a protest in the southern city of Karachi.

Mohammed Yousaf Qureshi, prayer leader at the historic Mohabat Khan mosque in the northwestern city of Peshawar, announced at the mosque and the Jamia Ashrafia religious school that he leads would give a 1.5 million rupee reward and a car for killing the cartoonist of the Prophet pictures that appeared first in a Danish newspaper in September.

The 100 grams of gold offered by the Taliban earlier in the month is a much better deal.

Cuba-Iran: Commitments

The time has come for fidel (Death and Hell be Upon Him) and Iranian president Mamoud to put into action the commitments made between fidel (DHUH) and Ayatollah Ali Khamenehe'i back in May 2001.

Iran and Cuba reached the conclusion that together they can tear down the United States.

Cuba: Iranian Official Visits

Speaker of the Islamic Republic Consultative Assembly of Iran Gholamali Haddad Adel arrived in Havana, Cuba, on Feb. 16, Prensa Latina reported.

CITGO, you have some explaining to do!

VCrisis has posted a letter sent to Mr. Félix M. Rodríguez, President and CEO of Citgo. The letter authored by U.S. Reps. Joe Barton, R-Texas, and Ed Whitfield, R-Ky. polity requests Citgo to explain in detail the discount oil program to low income Americans in the Northeast. Is there an alterior motive, in light of of Hugo Chavez's hateful and idiotic comments towards the U.S.A? Duh! The letter cites several instances of Chavez's hateful remarks, and requests an answer to the following questions:

1) How and when was this Program first conceived? (2) How and why were the particular beneficiaries of this Program selected? (3) How is the Program being implemented? (4) What is the status of the Program in each of the proposed communities? (5) Does this Program run afoul of any antitrust laws? In addition, please provide all records in CITGO’s possession, custody, or control relating to the Program. All responses and documents should be provided on or before February 23, 2006.

Like all dictatorships where the rule of law has crumbled, these programs are not drawn up in a conference room, or well conceived and planned, and much less altruistic. These are opportunistic, and put in place at the whim of the dictator, paticularly when they feel the "enemy" is most vulnerable. The dictator is the law, the program maker and the program taker. Didn't fidel (Death and hell be upon him) decided on the spur of the moment to erect 138 black flags just to block an electronic sign, so to is the discounted oil program by the Venezuelan government. When this program fails, when oil expecting low income Americans fail to get their oil, or prices goes up, the left and MSM will declare that it is the fault ofUnited States for derailing the generous and wonderful gift from the people of Venezuela.

"Islam will return to Europe as the conqueror."

Here is piece from the Spain Herald that should raise the hair on the backs of any liberty loving European.

The children's website Al Fateh, property of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, demands in its most recent issue the return of the Spanish city of Seville to the "lost paradise" of Al Andalus, as the Muslim part of Spain was called during its existence between 711 and 1492. The web magazine, whose name means "conqueror," says it is for "the young builders of the future."

Read the rest here.

Sheraton saves on fine by not allowing meeting with Cubans

The Mexico City Sheraton will save $544,000 in fines for taking action and not allowing a scheduled meeting to occur at their facility between Cuban officials and American energy businessmen. The fine by the US Treasurey Department would have been $1 million. Mexico will fine Sheraton $466,000 for applying U.S. law within their territory.

``U.S. firms may not engage in economic activity with Cuba,'' or in activity that would benefit the Cuban government, said Tony Fratto, the Treasury's assistant secretary for public affairs, at A press conference in Washington. ``No matter where they operate they have to remain within the law.''

No mint chocolate on the pillow.

The Cocalero wants the Nobel Peace Price

Maybe is not so good to bite the hands that feeds you. The US is cutting military aid to Bolivia and the Cocalero is not very happy about it. He ripped into the US Saturday during a "four-hour speech" (sounds familiar) " to coca growers in the central city of Cochabamba." And to put the final icing on the cake, the Cocalero

also called on the coca growers of the Chapare region, where he began his political life a decade ago as their leader, to launch a movement asking that he be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

If a six times murderer like Stanley "Tookie" Williams can be nominated for the NPP, then why not the Cocalero...as he has so humbly offered himself. It must the Napoleon complex.

"Then the gringos would surely stop bothering and threatening us," Morales said.

Humala's presidential bid slipping

The United Socialist States of South America may have one less member nation. Peruvian pollsters show Flores leading over Humala, in her bid to occupy Palacio Pizarro. Humala's jungle murdering days have caught up with him, and the people have taken note.

Humala, who topped polls by Apoyo and other companies during January, lost voter backing because of divisions within his party and televised reports that he tortured and killed Peruvians in the northern jungle when he was an army captain in the 1990s...

The dictator in Havana borrows from the Nazis

Killcastro has posted pictures comparing the similarities of the blag flags that have been erected in front of the American mission in Havana with those used by the Nazis. The only difference is a star vs. a swastika. It is a very drepressing view. Just like the Nazi flags, these too will come tumbling down.

"Schmucksters" for Peace get Fined

H/T to Babalú for a very clear interpretation of the "Schmucksters" for Peace recruitment e-mail. Now The New York Sun reports on the $1.5 million fine the group faces for their illegal travel to Cuba. A proper fine for their idiotic adoration of the dictator in Havana.

Bush Enforcing Cuba Embargo In New Push

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is cracking down on Americans who have violated the embargo against Cuba, targeting a "solidarity" trip to Havana in July 2005 by the New York-based pro-Castro group Pastors for Peace.

The Treasury Department sent administrative subpoenas to more than 100 people who traveled to Cuba last summer with the activist group - a first-step enforcement action that could lead to up to $65,000 in fines being imposed on each traveler.

Woman gets fine from US for illegal travel to Cuba

Binsin Bangan!! A protester faces 10 years of prision and $250,000 for violating the US ban on travel to Cuba. The fine is equivalent to 417 years of salary for a Cuban professional.

Sheila Stumph was one of 10 protesters who got the letter last month from the U.S. Treasury Department. She and her husband, Scott Langley, were among 24 protesters who flew to Cuba in December and tried to visit the detainees.

Read the story here.

Go Sheila, go Sheila, go!!

Taliban offers gold for killing cartoonist

Link

A top Taliban commander offered a reward of 100 kilograms of gold to anyone who kills the person responsible for "blasphemous" cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported.

One of the caricatures looks like this.

Flags and Danishes

Have you wondered where the radical Muslims are getting their supply of Danish and Norwegian flags? Well here is a story on how entrepreneur Ahmed Abu Dayya says he saw it coming; the demonstrations after the cartoons were published in Jyllands-Posten and decided to stock up. More likely than not, Ahmed was told in advance by the crafty imams to stock up on those hard to get flags. From the looks of it, there are many Ahmeds in the Middle East…entrepreneurs indeed.

"Danish" turns to flower

...the Iranian Commerce Ministry is calling for the Danish pastry name change.

Anyone caught eating a Danish pastry will be drawn and burned.

Chavez, spending like a drunken ho!

Opposition seeks investigation into costs of Chávez' event

Antonio Ledezma, president of opposition Alianza Bravo Pueblo party, said he is requesting the Attorney General's Office to determine whether embezzlement was committed in connection with a march President Hugo Chávez' government held last Saturday to commemorate the 14th anniversary of his failed coup d'etat against President Carlos Andrés Pérez. Sources estimated costs at USD 12 million. Continued.

Mr. Ledezma, don't you know how expensive red dye can be?

Forgive them

El Sucio Ché

H/T Marc at Uncommon Sense for showing us The Real Ché Guevara.

Read also USA Today, Che Guevarra should be scorned - not worned by Ryan Clancy. This was published in Oct. 31, 2005. I clipped it from the newspaper and gave it to my kids to read. It was my way of educating them and to give them something to say when their school mates and friends show up wearing Ché couture.

Far away from home

It has been a long-ass day. Today, I had a wake up call at 03:30 hours for my 06:00 flight to Phoenix, AZ. After collecting the rental car I drove 236 miles (roundtrip to Cottonwood, AZ and back to Sky Harbor Airport). The weather in Phoenix was very nice, although it has now been 112 record breaking days without a drop of water, and with no signs of rain in sight. The temperature was 10 degrees (80 F) above normal for this time of the year. Cubans that are thinking of relocating to the state of Arizona are warned that platanos and guayaba plants will not do well in this environment.

On the return to the airport something curious happened, something that only a Cuban-American can fully understand. I am particularly referring to Cuban-Americans that live in states where the population is sparse, not like Mayami that if you live there you are in the thicket of cubiches. Cruising along in the freeway in my rental car towards airport, I looked to my right lane and there is another car with a young driver in his mid-20s and in the passenger seat his girlfriend or wife, I don’t know. The first thing I noticed was as small Cuban flag hanging on the rearview mirror. He noticed that I was looking into his car, but I quickly pointed to my rearview mirror and then to myself…and immediately a spontaneous smile erupted on the faces of both occupants of the other vehicle. We waived a hello and continued to drive down on the freeway side by side in our respective lanes. This went on for a couple of miles, until finally they gave a broad smile, waived and exited the freeway.

All I kept thinking about was how far we both were from a place called home.

Islam, hijacked!

The Islamic fanatics would not be content until all Western civilization is exterminated, completely and absolutely wiped out. They will not be content until the only rule of the land is based on the radical interpretations of the Koran. The opportunistic terrorists are using the publication of the satirical caricatures of Mohammad by a Danish newspaper as a pretext to inflame the hatred that already exists for the West. The mediocre caricatures were first published in September 2005 in an effort increase understading of the Islamic faith. And now after all these months is when we see the outrage. If the caricatures had been such an affront to Islam, the response would have been instantaneous, after all this is not the first time that Mohammed has been shown in drawings or carvings. Michelle Malkin has a picture of Mohammad in marble in the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington...will they burn it down? Additional images can also be seen at Mohammed Image Archive.

Where are the moderate Muslims? They are cowering? Are there any moderate Muslims? If they exist, then they are quietly distancing themselves from the fanatics that have hijacked their religion. Well moderate Muslims, here is a listing of the atrocities committed in the name of God and the Prophet Mohammad. The time has come for the world to hear you, and hear you loudly.

This is a list from the British government of significant terrorist attacks from the first on the World Trade Centre in New York until that in London on 7 July. It does not include all terrorist attacks. During this period several planned attacks which might have led to significant loss of life have also been prevented, most notably a planned attack on Strasbourg Christmas Market in December 2000 and other attacks planned a year earlier against targets in the US and Jordan.

26-Feb-93 USA (New York) First World Trade Center bombing planned by Ramzi Youssef. 6 killed, over 1000 injured.

11-Dec-94 Philippines Small bomb on Philippines Airlines flight; 1 Japanese businessman killed, 10 people injured.

29-Jul-95 France (Paris and Lyon) 4-month bombing campaign. Attacks on the Paris metro, the Arc de Triomphe and outside a Jewish school in Lyon.

13-Nov-95 Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) Car bombs at military compound.

18-Sep-97 Egypt(Cairo) Gunmen attack a tourist bus. 9 Germans and 1 Egyptian killed.
17-Nov-97 Egypt (Luxor) Gunmen attack tourists. c.70 killed.

7-Aug-98 Kenya (Nairobi) and Tanzania (Dar-es-Salaam) Truck bomb attack against US embassies. Over 200 people killed, thousands injured.

12-Oct-00 Yemen Boat bomb attack on the USS Cole in the port of Aden. 17 US soldiers killed, 39 wounded.

11-Sep-01 USA (New York and Washington) Hijacked planes crashed into the two World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon. A fourth plane crashes into a field in Pittsburgh. c. 3000 killed.

11-Apr-02 Tunisia Vehicle bomb attack against a synagogue on the resort island of Djerba. c.21 killed.

8-May-02 Pakistan (Karachi) Bomb attack against bus carrying French engineers near Sheraton Hotel.

14-Jun-02 Pakistan (Karachi) Truck bomb attack against US Consulate. 12 killed, 51 injured.
6-Oct-02 Yemen Boat bomb attack against French oil tanker MV Limburg off Ash Shahir port. 1 killed.

12-Oct-02 Indonesia (Bali) Attacks against US Consulate, Sari Club and Paddy's Bar. 202 killed, including 26 Britons.

28-Nov-02 Kenya (Mombasa) Attack on an Israeli-owned hotel. 12 killed. Surface-to-air missile launched at Israeli airliner the same day.

12-May-03 Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) Attacks at 3 compounds housing expatriates. Over 30 killed.

16-May-03 Morocco (Casablanca) Multiple suicide bombings against Spanish club, hotel and sites. 45 dead, c.100 injured.

5-Aug-03 Indonesia Vehicle bomb attack against Marriott Hotel. c. 12 killed, 100 injured.

8-Nov-03 Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) Major vehicle bomb attack against residential compound housing mainly expatriate workers from other Arab countries. 17 killed, over 80 injured.

15-Nov-03 Turkey (Istanbul) 2 vehicle bomb attacks at Jewish synagogues.

20-Nov-03 Turkey (Istanbul) 2 vehicle bombs at HSBC Bank and British Consulate. Together with 15 Nov attack, over 60 people killed (including 2 Britons).

11-Mar-04 Spain (Madrid) Bomb attacks against 4 trains. Terrorists blew themselves up when confronted by police. 199 killed.

1-May-04 Saudi Arabia (Yanbu) Attack on expatriate oil workers. 6 foreign nationals and 1 Saudi killed.

30-May-05 Saudi Arabia (Al Khobar) 4 attacks in Al Khobbar target oil companies and compound.

9-Sep-04 Indonesia (Jakarta) Vehicle bomb outside Australian Embassy. 9 killed, over 100 injured.

8-Oct-04 Egypt Large explosions at Hilton Hotel in Taba and at 2 campsites in the Sinai area. Over 30 killed.

28-Oct-04 Pakistan (Islamabad) Explosion at Marriott Hotel. 7 injured.

19-Mar-05 Qatar (Doha) Vehicle bomb attack outside the Doha Players' Theatre. 1 (British national) killed, 12 injured.

07-Apr-05 Egypt (Cairo) Attack near tourist bazaar in Cairo. 2 French nationals and one American killed, c.18 injured.

30-Apr-05 Egypt (Cairo) Tourist bus fired on in Cairo. 8 injured.

07-Jul-05 UK (London) 4 explosions - 3 in tube trains, one in bus. At least 52 dead, 700 injured.

The Havana sky dark with blag flags

Well now we know, not Cuban flags, but just plain black flags, 138 to be exact. That is how many flags it takes to block the lighted ticker tape sign at the American mission in Havana. Although, it is not yet known how succesful it has been in blocking the sign. Each flag is supposed to represent the number of years since 1868 that Cuba has fought for indipendence. Therefore, by its own admission Cuba is still not free from oppression. I though that the dictator had taken care of that in 1959?

Link in Spanish

Evening rally at the American mission in Havana

The inauguration of the flag poles is at hand. An "evening" rally has been scheduled at the flag poles, which were erected to block the lighted ticker-tape sign at the American mission in Havana. The participation of the comandante in sneakers (the project manager) is not confirmed. Wouldn't be easier to see a lighted sign in the evening? Great planning!!

Link

Chavez wants to arm 1 million Venezuelans

Chavez, who seems to have a lot of oil and very little imagination, keeps taking pages from the dictator in Havana handbook. He celebrates a 1992 failed coup, in the same manner that castro celebrates the 1953 attack on the Moncada military headquarters. And now Chavez needs 1 million well armed Venezuelans “to repel a possible U.S. invasion.”

"We still need a higher number of rifles. The 100,000 Russian rifles are not enough, Venezuela needs to have one million well-equipped and well-armed men and women," he said.

For 47 years castro has warned of a possible U.S. invasion of Cuba. A pretext he has used to buy weapons for the army that keeps him in power, while the people are in perpetual state of readiness and sacrifices. As Chavez kicks off his re-election campaign, it makes sense that he would try to strengthen his army, it may be only way that he gets to stay in Miraflores.

Venezuela's Chavez considering arming one million people here.

Political quiz results

Following suit with my fellow bloggers, here is the result of my political quiz.

Tit-for-Tat Mr. Chavez

US and Venezuela are cleaning house. The US retaliated on Friday with the expulsion of a Venezuelan diplomat. Why don't we just send them Cindy Sheehan?

US-Venezuela ties tested after diplomats expelled

By Patrick Markey

Washington responded on Friday by expelling a Venezuelan official, whom it described as the ambassador's chief-of-staff, in a tit-for-tat measure.

America: oil junkie

Yesterday, in the State of the Union speech the President stated that “America is addicted to oil.” Well, he is right…look how low we can sink to get our fix, and not even for the good stuff.

Energy chiefs eye oil off Cuba