[PatrickHenry]

Quote by: Mr.Vicchio Chavez: Troops to escort oil takeovers - Yahoo! News This is real tyranny over oil. Perhaps some notes should be taken by Bush, this is the way a REAL dictator bent on enriching him and his buddies acts and gets away with it... ::rollseyes::

Negotiations over the takeover have yet to yield an agreement and are expected to be difficult as the companies seek a deal that takes into account more than $17 billion in investments and loans related to the projects. Chavez has been given special powers by congress for 18 months to issue laws by decree in energy and other areas, which he has also used to nationalize the country's biggest telecommunications company and electricity company. Chavez has justified the nationalizations as necessary to give the government control of sectors strategic to Venezuela's interests.

Hmm...nationalizing oil industries isn't the way I would go, but I can understand the sentiment. Venezuela has been exploited for decades. A period of special powers from the legislature is a classical Roman dictatorship.

I am sure you are aware, Vicchio, that Bush actually has these powers too, since September 11, 2001.
Here's that declaration: Notice: Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism

There are also quite a few other Declared States of Emergency in the US just now. All of these give the President extraordinary powers. The US has its own dictator, as little as you wish to admit it. There are greater pressures here against such radical actions as those Chavez is undertaking, but the powers the White House currently possesses are fully as dictatorial as those of brother Hugo.

I notice that there are some financial negotiations underway regarding the nationalization of those assets in Venezuela.

Question for you, Vicchio...who owns the oil under Venezuela's landscape???:eek: