Comments on: Sit down, Hugo Chavez

By: A Modest Construct » Dude, I’m on Slate

A Modest Construct » Dude, I’m on Slate — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 16:19:42 +0000

[...] Ben at The Modest Construct [sic] also thinks the jury is back on this one: “Conservatives like to paint Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is a despicable monster for the crime of being both an unapologetic socialist and unabashedly critical of the United States. I think that there is noting inherently wrong with either of those things (to wit: socialism to some measure is a positive, as is some measure of criticism), but boy, he’s really an idiot this time.” [...]

By: Heliologue

Heliologue — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 03:37:25 +0000

Despite the practical nods to fascism, Chavez is very much a leftist/populist/socialist/whateverist. Take a look at the BBC's profile of him, for instance. Out of curiosity—you don't think that a man with a heavy Marxist influence can be left-wing?

By: frank

frank — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 22:24:25 +0000

Where do you get the idea that chavez is left-wing? His intellectual roots are a mishmash of stalinism, fascism, and islamism. These are represented by his three philosophical influences: Norberto Ceresole (an Argentinian fascist and proponent of the military-civic union, i.e. the militarization of society), Heinz Dieterich (the mexican marxist and proponent of getting rid of money as a way of exchanging goods, i.e. going back to bartering), and Jorge Vertrynge (the Spanish islamist and proponent of the assymetric war, i.e. terrorism as a licit form of war). How can someone with these influences be left-wing? Fortunately, the venezuelan left (socialist and social democrats) are all opposed to chavez.

By: Ben

Ben — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 13:45:04 +0000

Do you really think terrorists care?

By: rob

rob — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 10:48:47 +0000

Given how transparent Iran’s funding of terrorism is, though, do you not think that they would see instant retaliation if an Iran-sponsored terrorist agent ever used nuclear weapons?

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 23:08:08 +0000

But given how fast and loose Iran plays with terrorism, I’d be nervous to see the technology available there. Would Iran qua State nuke a major foreign power? No, probably not. But it wouldn’t surprise me if Iran qua State Sponsor equipped the next generation of jumping-mad jihadists with holy firepower.

By: rob

rob — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 22:07:15 +0000

Well to be fair, Ahmadinejad hardly wields absolute power over Iran—-he’s largely a figurehead. A nutty figurehead, but a figurehead nonetheless.

FWIW, I’d like to see Iran develop nuclear weapons, if only to prevent a US-UK invasion of them—-which would be pretty disastrous for us. I really don’t think Iran is stupid enough to nuke Israel/any other country should they develop nuclear weapons, do you? :/ What sinister purpose do you think they want them for?

It seems to me that they’re just playing a rather shrewd waiting game, holding off US involvement until they can develop nuclear weapons—-the ultimate deterrent—-to ensure their own safety. I’d be pretty paranoid about a US invasion if I were them.