Chuck wrote:
> Of course, it's too early to tell if Chavez will turn into another
> Castro. This will become clearer with future elections. There are
> already some signs that he is using the threat of U.S. intervention to
> build a base of support in the military and among the population.
He is building that base of support in many ways and the threat is very real. I think it's great that he's handing out rifles. If Allende had done the same, the outcome in Chile might have been very different. If it's one thing the world should have learned as a result of Iraq, it's that attempting to mollify the U.S. is a BAD idea. The U.S. is much less likely to invade if you present some kind of credible opposition than if your legs are broken.
And, if it's too early to tell what Chavez will turn into, then your post about his being a dictator for life was inappropriate.
Joanna