Politics

‘Real News From The Blaze’: What Threat Is Hugo Chavez to the U.S.?

President Barack Obama was featured in an interview earlier this week with well-known, Miami-based, Spanish-language broadcast journalist Oscar Haza for “A Mano Limpia.” The segment has been causing quite a stir for in the interview, President Obama says that over the past few years, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has not posed a “serious” national security threat to the United States.

High-profile Republicans like Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Mitt Romney have jumped all over the comment, calling the president naïve.

“It‘s now disturbingly clear that President Obama has been living under a rock when it comes to recognizing the national security threat posed by Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez,” Sen. Rubio said in a statement released the morning after the interview.

“I was stunned by his comments, and shocked by them,” Romney wrote in a blog post on his campaign site. “This is Hugo Chavez, this is Venezuela. This is Chavez who has invited Iran in, who has invited Hezbollah. Hezbollah, of course, being a surrogate and a proxy for Iran would potentially have access to weapons that could be used against us.”

That said, the question posed to the president Tuesday night was about the public show of solidarity between Chavez and Iran.

On “Real News” Thursday the panel debated whether the outrage that has permeated following the president’s remarks is well-placed. Is the president correct? Does Chavez still pose national security concerns for U.S.? Erick Stakelbeck joined the show to discuss whether there is a real threat in Chavez or the distraction he is creating:

 

Comments (34)

  • dumoudan
    Posted on July 14, 2012 at 12:47pm

    If Obama had a son, he would look hust like Hugo Chavez!

    Report Post » dumoudan  
  • Robert Hawk
    Posted on July 14, 2012 at 8:32am

    Buck, a member of Glenn’s team, does not get it and is lost in the weeds.
    All you need to know about Chavez is that he is ally with Russia. Venezuela is an excellent staging ground for Russian military and Russian weaponry. Imagine a Venezuela with Russian missiles pointed right at the USA (sound familiar?). Imagine Venezuela being used as a military staging area for Russian the Iranian ships and supplies. Don’t forget that Mexico has not been historically an ally with the United States.
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/

    The comments made to Medvedev from Mr Obama and the comments made from Medvedev back to Obama are conclusive proof that Mr Obama and Mr Putin as in league together.
    A. Golitsyn defines the details of Perestroika in his book “new lies for old”, Pages 336 and 337. Putin stands poised to take over his role of the global administrator of communism, and Buck is inept enough to discuss Venezuelan troop strength.
    Venezuelan troops are not the issue here, its the strategic location of Venezuela, its sea ports, its close proximity to Unstable Mexico, and Chavez and Obama’s alliance with Russia, which are the issues here. Buck needs to pay attention or learn to speak Russian.

    Report Post » Robert Hawk  
  • Robert Hawk
    Posted on July 14, 2012 at 8:09am

    Venezuela is the perfect military landing point for soviets and their allies who wish to finnish the job of invading the United States. Mexico is in turmoil and has long contained many adversaries to the USA. Don’t forget that it was Mexico who allied with Germany which started WW 1.
    http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/

    People miss the fact that all of this is tied to the soviet plans of Perestroika which were devised in 1959. Anatoli Golitsyn spells this out in complete detail in his book new lies for old (P336-337). Putin is well aware of the coming fall of American as a Soviet state and is standing in the wings waiting to take his most prized position (Global Communist Dictator).
    Mr Obama’s comments to Medvedev, and Medvedev’s response to Mr Obama, prove that Putin was involved and leading the activities occurring with Medvedev and Obama, all along. Putin is well aware of perestroika and its meaning for the final bastion of free individuals in the world (the United States). The soviets were able to turn the entire of Euope into a socialist state, Now they are turning the Middle East and the USA. The end result will be global communist bloc states which report to Russia. This is why Putin is returning to the presidency, to mop up and contain all resistance.
    Venezuela is the staging point for military troops which will be used for Normalization in the United States.

    Report Post » Robert Hawk  
  • mike1127
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:18pm

    Enough. Venezuela is not a threat to United States security. One of our States could use their National Guard units to destroy Venezuela. Chavez rules through fear and election tampering. Sounds familiar. He’s a typical banana republic dictator.

    The main reason Obama is not afraid of Venezuela is that Obama is turning the United States into Venezuela. He is looking like a younger version of Hugo Chavez, and America is heading down the same path the Venezuela took. We have all of the trappings of a democratic republic, without any of the substance.

    This is a very lame attempt to keep Americans scared of terrorism. You have better odds of getting struck by lightning while being attacked by a polar bear than you do of dying in a terrorist attack.

    Apparently the media still thinks everyone is about to wet themselves over hearing the word “terrorism”. The last country I am worried about attacking us right now is Venezuela. Well, actually, it’s probably Bermuda, but you get my point. He can’t even attack his neighbors or he already would have. This is plain ridiculous.

    Report Post » mike1127  
    • PRINZ KARL
      Posted on July 14, 2012 at 6:19am

      Chavez is a threat because he supports the spread of Marxism in South and Central America. He was behind Zelaya’s attempt to take power in Honduras,flying in pre-stuffed ballot boxes that were intercepted by the Honduran Army. He supported and very likely helped Evo Morales’,socialist regime take control in Bolivia. He supported and very likely rigged elections and assisted socialists to take power in Brazil and Argentina. He is supplying arms to the FARC rebels in Colombia. He has signed contracts with Russia for arms,tanks and combat aircraft. He has allowed Hezbollah to open base camps in Venezuala. He has supported the spread of Iranian agents throughout Central and South America, posing as civilians working on capital infrastructure projects. He is committed to allowing Iran to basing ships and missiles in Venezuela. His support of Drug Cartels through Hezbollah and his own networks weakens Mexico and could produce a cartel aligned socialist Mexico.Ignore Chavez at your own peril. He does not need to attack us conventionally. He is laying the groundwork for a socialist hegemony in Southcom,our weakest defense link. The open Mexican border will give Chavez,Iran and their agents and surrogates the means to visit violence upon our country. And WHEN, not if, the American “Beslan” occurs you can watch our children be killed in real time TV feeds. Chavez is and will be a threat as long as he draws breath

      Report Post »  
    • Robert Hawk
      Posted on July 14, 2012 at 8:11am

      You are inept if you think that Venezuela is not a military threat to the USA. With its own troops you may be correct, however if you use it as a staging for both Hezbolla and Russian troops, it becomes quite a different story

      Report Post » Robert Hawk  
    • Robert Hawk
      Posted on July 14, 2012 at 8:37am

      You goof its not Chavez and his troops which are the issue its the strategic location and Chavez alliance with Russia and Iran which are the issues. Do you know how valuable Venezuela would be as a military staging base for Russia and Iran if they use Mexico as an invasion point for the United States? Add to that the Obama administration’s closing of specific and key border protection stations and you have one huge potential for disaster looming. Don’t be an idiot, Russia would love nothing better than to get its hands on the natural resources and farm land of these United States.

      Report Post » Robert Hawk  
  • januscatinhat
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 3:59pm

    Even way before Iran-Contra drugs were being brought in by US secret military and really it is obvious, for there is no way regular folks living in ghetto areas could ever have found drugs anywhere nearby. Hugo is going by old rules, methods to get his way and may well be a threat. But the enemy is within and likely not who we think. No matter how the election turns out, our own safety depends upon us–how strong we as individuals are in our own skin with our own values and right to do good for, by and with one another. Really we are kind of on our own to get better or worse as we choose and usually seems to get worse before better shows up. Better is around the corner and don’t think it will look like “we” thought. Even if Hugo thinks he is cute, it likely won’t look like him either. We need a whole new way so that’s what we will get if we are patient enough to do good and wait till better shows up.

    Report Post »  
  • Harvey1
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 3:02pm

    Odumba and Holder our very own domestic terrorist are more of a threat to our county’s freedom and survival than Hugo could ever be!

    Report Post » Harvey1  
  • rgs48
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 2:21pm

    Our biggest threat is our own damn President. You cant have someone that hates America as President. You must wake up by Nov 6 or you will never wake up in a free and great America ever again. Welcome to Hell compliments of ruler and King Barack. Kneel down so hecan cut your Damn head off you fools.

    Report Post »  
  • camdenme2
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 2:07pm

    I don’t care about Chavez !!! What I do care about is the destruction that this in over-his-head Presbo is doing to this country !!! That’s what I care about-ensuring that this socialist Presbo is a one termer !!!

    Report Post »  
  • shakedowncrews
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 1:05pm

    I will share a story with the Blaze readers. Every word is true.
    I married a Venezuelan woman and we lived in Florida. When Chavez came to power, I got involved with the Venezuelan expatriate organizations and worked with a 501 C3 to educate Americans about the threat of Chavez across the hemisphere. After a while, my organization received a lot of attention, and we were contacted by Venezuelan patriots who wanted to inform the USA of dangers. So they contacted me.
    1) The president of the security company that guarded Maicatia airport outide Caracas told us that Chavez had forced him to lay off his Venezuelan employees andreplace them with Cuban and Iraquis. They then smuggled cocaine onto domestic airplanes to the USA. The ATF and FBI met with our contact and interviewed and them found their information credible.
    2) April 2005: We got word that Ecuadorian military were in the office of the Caracas mayor, and that Chavez arranged for millions of $ to be transferred to Ec. generals in order to switch their loyalty away from Presidente Lucio Gutierez. We contacted State Dept Andean Desk contacts and told them. The next day the generals withdrew support and forced Lucio from office. State Dpt was amazed and shocked, and we were interviewed by FBI agent Kowalski about our informants.

    Fact: Chavez is deeply ad directly involved in the drug trade, and uses drug and petroleum money to overthrow democratically elected governments. But he doesn’t pose a threat?!

    Report Post » shakedowncrews  
    • AmericanPatriot
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 3:02pm

      I believe you. However, our current administration simply does not care. It seems like whatever it takes to bring this country down is the only thing they care about. Every single policy, program, whatever, that they have had is all about destruction, never about truly helping or building this country back up.

      They took an oath to protect and preserve this country from all enemies, foreign and domestic. I don’t think many people realized they would be this countries largest and most powerful enemy. God help us all.

      Report Post » AmericanPatriot  
    • mike1127
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 11:30pm

      No, he does not pose a threat. Every ounce of drugs that Chavez sends into America is allowed by the CIA. You may laugh, but illegal drugs is a big money-maker for our intelligence arms. Plus, it gives the added bonus of waging an undeclared war on your poor people. That keeps the prisons full, which is good for business.

      The war on drugs is such a national disgrace I am amazed that people still believe in it. The war on drugs is the propping up of dictatorial governments that provide regional stability (like Chavez). It is a deal with the devils of South American politics.

      If we really want to win the war on drugs, take the profit motive away from the criminals and police. It worked miracles for Prohibition, and this is the same thing.

      As long as our government can make tons of off-the-books money by importing drugs; as long as the police can keep any drug money and other loot taken from a drug bust; as long as peaceful people can be arrested for smoking pot; as long as criminals make enough money to subvert the Mexican government at all levels, and the American government at local levels; the war on drugs will not be allowed to be won.

      If drugs and terrorist training camps are your only worries, then there is no credible way America can consider Venezuela a threat to National Anything. All Chavez is good for is saber-rattling headlines.

      Report Post » mike1127  
    • ShotgunSam
      Posted on July 14, 2012 at 10:49pm

      I agree with you that Venezuela poses a threat to the US, but even more so to Central and South America and once the whole continent is under a Socialist/Communist Dictatorship. Kiss the US goodbye.
      As for me, I don’t feel that we have the luxury to wait until November to remove the POTUS from office, to many ifs and what ifs in that scenario: What we need to do is demand that the Secretary of Defense along with the Joint Chiefs of Staff commence General Court Martial proceedings for Treason against the Commander in Chief under the UCMJ. The Secretary of Defense has this authority, he is number 2 on the list that initiate a General Court Martial and it is his sworn duty to defend the US Constitution against all and any enemy.

      Report Post »  
  • Wilma
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 8:48am

    The dangerous ties between Iran and Venezuela have been investigated and reported on at length by the Spanish media in this country. Sadly, it has been mostly ignored by the rest. Venezuela has uranium that Iranians need.
    The following video gives an overview of Venezuela- Iran uranium connection.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXDNJ6xHrp8

    On a side note- IN 2008, 30 kilos of uranium found roadside in Venezuela. It was thought to belong to Las FARC. Here is the article in Spanish. http://wvw.nacion.com/ln_ee/2008/marzo/28/mundo1475637.html

    Report Post » Wilma  
    • Wilma
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 8:57am

      Sorry, uranium was found in Colombia. My bad.

      Report Post » Wilma  
    • shakedowncrews
      Posted on July 13, 2012 at 12:57pm

      Wilma, you are correct, but it goes even further. The exchange Chavez has arranged is a swap of uranium ore for weapons technology, Iranian and North Korean missile technology in particular. But it doesn’t stop there. Russian Sukoy fighters with enough range to hit US targets, Russian RADAR bases, and AK production facilities so they (the Bolivarian revolution) can arm a Latin American militia, designed to create a “1000 fires” that will tax the American military and “destroy the empire”.

      Report Post » shakedowncrews  
  • raderby
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 4:01am

    no threat whatsoever if he passes away sooner than later.

    Report Post » raderby  
  • JACKTHETOAD
    Posted on July 13, 2012 at 2:27am

    The only way he’d be a threat is if he had medical insurance. Going, going…

    Report Post » JACKTHETOAD  
  • Mutiny
    Posted on July 12, 2012 at 11:59pm

    Iran, Syria, and Venezuela are very dangerous. We should bankrupt ourselves over them. If those 3 countries cannot bankrupt us I believe we should focus the remaining money we can borrow on protecting us from zombie invasions and space alien attacks which seem just as likely to happen.

    Report Post » Mutiny  
  • lukerw
    Posted on July 12, 2012 at 10:55pm

    The History of the World… is the History of Great Empires… where, at a Moment of Weaknes, little Nations joined together in an Attack… which produced the Next Great Empire!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • trueamerican40
    Posted on July 12, 2012 at 10:32pm

    Short term–cocaine trade via Chavez’ regime to the United States. There are Venezualian and Iranian undercovers within the Mexican cartels. Long term (which is quickly approaching)–CBM’s pointed right at us. Neo-con me huh? No, I’m just a realist.

    Report Post » trueamerican40  
  • GrumpyCat
    Posted on July 12, 2012 at 10:31pm

    Is no surprise Obama sees no threat to the US from Chavez. Chavez is doing to Venezuela everything Obama wants to do to the USA.

    Report Post »  
  • historyguy48
    Posted on July 12, 2012 at 9:05pm

    Comrades, poor Hugo isn’t much of a threat but the nuclear tipped guided missiles currently being installed in his country is!
    Don’t fear because Obama is here! Sounds great doesn’t it? Actually Dear Leader is part of the problem, not part of the cure!
    The good news? Washington is probably #1 on their hit list!
    The bad news? Dear Leader is never there!

    Report Post » historyguy48  
    • Bum thrower
      Posted on July 12, 2012 at 9:57pm

      He’ll arm ONE Kazillion Illegals to storm the US sothern border, and move “:forward’ to socalism in the southern states, to take back what was ‘stolen in 1848’ by the “imperalist USA”……….viva La Raza!!

      Report Post »  
  • blazetoo
    Posted on July 12, 2012 at 9:05pm

    Of course it’s not a big deal-to him. Barry wants it

    Report Post »  
  • Individualism
    Posted on July 12, 2012 at 9:04pm

    Huge Chavez is not a threat to anyone however Neo Cons are a threat to humanity around the world, constantly wanting to invade countries, kill their people and install a goverment. I guess Muslims was only the start like Hitlers start was the Jews.

    Report Post » Individualism  
    • Theleftisda
      Posted on July 12, 2012 at 9:36pm

      Typical communist talking point.

      Report Post » Theleftisda  
    • Walkabout
      Posted on July 12, 2012 at 9:42pm

      You are not a tool. You are a menace to society.

      Iran & Venezuela are joined at the hip. Just remember troll 107 nukes from the old Soviet Union are unaccounted for. Sleep well.
      The border is secure. Agent Terry died firing General Janet Napolitano approved bean bags at drug runners/robbers, They in return fired AK47s. All Well.

      Sleep tight.

      Report Post »  
    • Individualism
      Posted on July 12, 2012 at 9:49pm

      Communists invade other peoples countries like you neo cons are doing and take away rights in the name of security like you neo cons.

      Report Post » Individualism  
    • marine249
      Posted on July 12, 2012 at 10:44pm

      @INDIVIDUALISM
      i see you founa a new word
      and you learnss how to use
      it. [neo-cons] Now look in the
      big book and see what it means.

      Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on July 12, 2012 at 9:02pm

    Chavez, who is allied with Iran is a threat.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  

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