Why must every country be forced into the United States’ way of thinking?

by Mary MacElveen

A reader responding to my article concerning North Korea wrote me this response: "Your article makes clear that North Korea is the bigger threat if Chavez is even any kind of threat at all. But I’m curious, you made no mention of the Chavez visit to North Korea planned for later this month. Do you think it wise for Chavez to belly up to the beast as it were? You could make the moral equivalence of the US allies that are just as bad as Kim Jung Il, but I’d rather hear of your thought on this particular trip in and of itself. Should he cancel, or should he go to North Korea?"

In answer to the question of whether or not Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez should make the planned trip to North Korea ... the answer is YES.

I made no mention of this trip since it had nothing to do with that piece. Now getting back to whether he (President Chavez) should go or not. President Chavez was democratically elected by the Venezuelan people to represent them both at home and abroad. He was not elected to take a consensus from the world community.

Bush never takes a consensus, so why should President Hugo Chavez?

Who are we as citizens of the United States to dictate where President Chavez can and cannot travel? As a writer for this news site, I would never say to President Chavez "Do not go North Korea!" That is simply not my place.

The letter writer asks if it is wise for President Chavez "to belly up to the beast’" and to that I add, many have allied with Bush who in my opinion is an abhorrent beast. Quite frankly, many leaders from many countries ask how they can do his bidding even when the ramifications are deadly. I suppose some may have thought the same of Prime Minister Tony Blair whether or not he should ’belly up to the beast’ in invading Iraq.

In WorldTribune.com it stated: "During the planned summit, Venezuela, the world’s fifth-largest oil-rich country, is expected to offer energy resources to North Korea, which suffers from energy shortages after the United States halted heavy oil supplies following the North’s admission of nuclear weapons programs."

Here again is a prime example of imposing sanctions and or punishments on some nations but not others. As I wrote in a previous article, Israel has thumbed its nose at various sanctions imposed upon them, yet no one has the guts to stand up to them and enforce them. If one does, somehow you are labeled as an anti-Semite. There is a huge difference between the religion of Judaism and the government of Israel. I for one believe in the separation of church and state.

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In exchange for this oil (as reported in the WorldTribune.com article): "North Korea can offer conventional weapons and missiles to Venezuela, which is looking to fortify its military power."

As I have written in various columns, we are beside ourselves when it comes to Venezuela owning any weapons. You would think we were staring down Armageddon when Venezuela wishes to protect its country as it has every right to do.

Venezuela is a pacifist country that seeks conventional weapons ... unlike Israel that is aggressive in nature and has a stockpile of nuclear warheads.

So, if any nation were to go up against Israel or the United States for that matter, they would be the ones staring Armageddon right in the face.

Quite frankly, I fear Israel more than I do Venezuela.

Each country has the right to protect itself and it should not depend upon whether they follow our way of thinking. Call it if you will the ultimate in checks and balances. Do you dare anger your enemy when you know they have the ability to fight back? I wish the world were not this way, but this is our reality. So, we must deal with reality and hope for the best.

Do we isolate a country if they are not following our way of thinking? No we do not. That will only harbor more resentment against us and inflame that leader’s resolve against our safety and security. People think that diplomacy is a weakness, but in fact it is our greatest strength as a people.

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Any dummy can drop a bomb, but it takes an intelligent person to iron out any differences between their country and another. Do you hear that Bush?

Also reported in that World Tribune article: "He has aggressively supported Iran’s efforts to develop nuclear technology and has helped undermine the US embargo of Cuba by increasing trade and providing oil to the communist island on favorable terms."

The ’he’ they are referring to is President Chavez.

Again, if Israel is allowed to own a vast number of nuclear warheads to protect themselves, why can’t Iran? It goes right back to the argument that I am trying to make that some are allowed where others are not.

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So, Venezuela is doing business with Cuba and is "undermining" the US embargo and my answer is: So what?

We in the United States do business to the tune of billions of dollars with China. In fact, check your Wal-Mart stores only to see where those products are made. The last figures that I checked, Wal-Mart constitutes four percent of China’s gross national product.

Just the other day while at a July 4th parade, people were handing out American flags and guess where they came from? Oh you guessed it, China. The United States government even borrows money from China and here we are hypocritical in nature painting Venezuela in a negative light for doing business with Cuba?

Oh, give me a break!

Oh and you know that we shall do the same thing in painting President Chavez in a negative light when he makes this planned trip to North Korea.

This article also cites that: "Analysts in Seoul say Kim and Chavez would mainly discuss forming a "strategic alliance" against the United States." Let me opinine by saying forming an alliance to stand up for themselves.

Why must every country be forced into our way of thinking?

To those of you who will read this column and think that I am anti-American, let me put you on notice and say that I am not. I love this country dearly, always have, but it is the government that controls her that I have come to condemn on many occasions. In my opinion, freedom, democracy, justice, the rule of law are not just catch phrases, but must mean something.

On July 4th, I resumed reciting the pledge of allegiance for this one reason. I will not allow this tyrannical government to steal my patriotism from me.

When I pledge allegiance to the flag, I do so in honor of those past patriots that fought on the battlefield. I do so in the memory of our framers and soldiers that died for a principle. I do not pledge allegiance to the flag to support this government which has sold its soul to the highest bidder.

Lastly, in speaking of democracy, I am finding it very interesting that the presidential election in Mexico is very similar to the presidential elections held within the United States in 2000.

Did someone send Karl Rove down for a Mexican vacation?

Mary MacElveen
mary@vheadline.com

http://www.vheadline.com/MacElveen