Venezuela Strengthens Its Relationships in the Middle East

[cal04]

Venezuela has long cultivated ties with Middle Eastern governments, finding common ground in trying to keep oil prices high, but its recent engagement of Iran has become a defining element in its effort to build an alliance to curb American influence in developing countries.

In a visit late last month to Tehran by President Hugo Chávez and his oil minister, Rafael Ramírez, the two countries agreed to produce jointly nearly a dozen products, including crude oil and medicines. In a further sign that their ties have taken on a new dimension, the two countries are speaking in a more unified voice in their criticism of Israel and the United States.

The strengthening of ties has turned Iran into Venezuela’s closest ally outside Latin America, adding clout to Mr. Chávez’s efforts within OPEC to increase revenue through output limits by oil-exporting countries. Venezuela has also become the most vociferous defender of Iran’s nuclear program at a time when Iran feels increasingly isolated.


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The Bush administration’s more aggressive stance has drawn sharp rebuttals from officials here, who contend the United States is planning military action against Venezuela with an eye to controlling the country’s petroleum resources, the largest conventional reserves outside the Middle East.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/21/world/americas/21venez.html?hp&ex=1156132800&en=f29f1f34038e6bd2&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Peace Patriot]

1. I would say that Iran is much less isolated than the Bush junta and Israel

Even the Brits are bailing from the "Project for a New American Century" (violent US-New Roman Empire). Iran supplies oil to China, and certainly has allies in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, and no doubt has lots of friends in other Muslim countries. The Bushites have immensely strengthened Iran's Shia allies in Iraq. And Israel seems to have pulled a lot of factions and countries together behind Hezbollah. China is not going to sit by and see its Iranian oil supply taken over by the Bush Cartel. Russia and Europe have worked hard trying to calm things down around Iran. So, Hugo Chavez and Venezuela are working in harmony with world opinion. Trade, yes. War, no.

I HOPE Israelis wake up, and move to sever themselves from the despised Bush regime. I think Israel has a positive contribution to make to Middle Eastern culture and security--I really do!--and I think their fear and the endless, wearying state of war they have been in for so long, and control of the war purse strings, are being used by the Bushites to accomplish their own profiteering ends, with Israel as the proxy.