U.S. Dodges Robertson Comments on Chavez

[sabra]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/23/AR2005082300688.html

U.S. Dodges Robertson Comments on Chavez

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration swiftly and unequivocally distanced itself Tuesday from a suggestion by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson that American agents assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a frequent target of U.S. foreign policy.

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, appearing at a Pentagon news conference, said when asked: "Our department doesn't do that kind of thing. It's against the law. He's a private citizen. Private citizens say all kinds of things all the time."

Acknowledging differences with the Caracas government, and saying it should be promoting democracy in the Western Hemisphere, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack called Robertson's remarks "inappropriate."

"This is not the policy of the United States government. We do not share his views," McCormack said in a flat refutation of Robertson's suggestion that the United States "take out" Chavez to stop Venezuela from becoming a "launching pad for communist influence and Muslim extremism."

[bemildred]

1. 'The Salvador Option'

Yes, of course, we would never do shit like that.

What to do about the deepening quagmire of Iraq? The Pentagon’s latest approach is being called "the Salvador option"—and the fact that it is being discussed at all is a measure of just how worried Donald Rumsfeld really is. "What everyone agrees is that we can’t just go on as we are," one senior military officer told NEWSWEEK. "We have to find a way to take the offensive against the insurgents. Right now, we are playing defense. And we are losing." Last November’s operation in Fallujah, most analysts agree, succeeded less in breaking "the back" of the insurgency—as Marine Gen. John Sattler optimistically declared at the time—than in spreading it out.

Now, NEWSWEEK has learned, the Pentagon is intensively debating an option that dates back to a still-secret strategy in the Reagan administration’s battle against the leftist guerrilla insurgency in El Salvador in the early 1980s. Then, faced with a losing war against Salvadoran rebels, the U.S. government funded or supported "nationalist" forces that allegedly included so-called death squads directed to hunt down and kill rebel leaders and sympathizers. Eventually the insurgency was quelled, and many U.S. conservatives consider the policy to have been a success—despite the deaths of innocent civilians and the subsequent Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal. (Among the current administration officials who dealt with Central America back then is John Negroponte, who is today the U.S. ambassador to Iraq. Under Reagan, he was ambassador to Honduras.)

Following that model, one Pentagon proposal would send Special Forces teams to advise, support and possibly train Iraqi squads, most likely hand-picked Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Shiite militiamen, to target Sunni insurgents and their sympathizers, even across the border into Syria, according to military insiders familiar with the discussions. It remains unclear, however, whether this would be a policy of assassination or so-called "snatch" operations, in which the targets are sent to secret facilities for interrogation. The current thinking is that while U.S. Special Forces would lead operations in, say, Syria, activities inside Iraq itself would be carried out by Iraqi paramilitaries, officials tell NEWSWEEK.

Also being debated is which agency within the U.S. government—the Defense department or CIA—would take responsibility for such an operation. Rumsfeld’s Pentagon has aggressively sought to build up its own intelligence-gathering and clandestine capability with an operation run by Defense Undersecretary Stephen Cambone. But since the Abu Ghraib interrogations scandal, some military officials are ultra-wary of any operations that could run afoul of the ethics codified in the Uniform Code of Military Justice. That, they argue, is the reason why such covert operations have always been run by the CIA and authorized by a special presidential finding. (In "covert" activity, U.S. personnel operate under cover and the U.S. government will not confirm that it instigated or ordered them into action if they are captured or killed.)

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0109-06.htm

[mattclearing]

2. Actually, Robertson isn't a private citizen.

When you have your own ministry and TV show, you are a public personality.

[Copperred]

8. BIG FINE.....

He should be slapped with a FCC fine of $100MM. That will shut him up a while.

Or maybe Venzeula will just stop shipments for a month...sure that will please the WH.

[kysrsoze]

14. That is seriously a good idea. I find his comments vile and offensive

Everyone complain to FCC.

[UpInArms]

11. more info on Robertson

http://www.totse.com/en/politics/federal_bureau_of_investigation/162746.html

about half way down the page

excerpt:

Key players of the U.S. Christian Right, including Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell were instrumental allies of the Reagan State Department's illegal "Public Diplomacy" operation which targeted the American people with propaganda and disinformation; all in the name of "stamping out Marxist subversion."42

THE UNIFICATION CHURCH: Perhaps the most prominent American off-shoot of WACL was Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church. A destructive religious cult that purports that "Our Master," Rev. Moon is a reincarnation of Jesus Christ sent to rid the world of communism, Moon's empire was a key element of the FBI's "active measures" campaign against CISPES.43

Operating through a front-group, the campus-based Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles (CARP), Moon activists began plying the Bureau with information that it obtained through its infiltration of CISPES chapters throughout the country.44

CARP supplied the FBI with information on CISPES leaders and activists. Bureau files contained hundreds of entries and names provided by Moon's theocratic network. The 48 pages of CARP materials released by the FBI, contain only a small portion of the Bureau's CARP index. Pointedly, the FBI refused to release any of the entries held in the Bureau's main file on the Moon organization.45

Bureau informant, Frank Varelli, stated that "The Moonies were a major support group." Varelli reported that in 1982, agents in the FBI's Washington Field Office trained a Moon contingent to hold a demonstration in support of Salvadoran President, Jose Napoleon Duarte.46

Other FBI-initiated "active measures" campaigns, recalling earlier COINTELPRO operations, utilized "private" Moon "assets" for a national campaign of political harassment and disruption. Varelli's FBI handler, Special Agent Daniel Flanagan, would regularly go to the SMU campus in Dallas once a month to pay the Moonies for their support services to the FBI. Moon cadres would start fights on the SMU campus whenever CISPES held a rally or demonstration. After a series of violent incidents, CISPES moved off campus. Such scenarios were duplicated across the country.47

...more...

[onenote]

29. actually he is a private citizen, albeit a stupid one

Having a tv show or a radio station, or a newspaper, or having a tv show or radio show, or writing a column in a newspaper --- doesn't change you from a "private citizen" who has the right to say stupid bullshit things. Its called the first amendment, and I think Robertson's a complete ass who should be publicly vilified for his views, not for expressing them. He didn't "threaten" anyone. He stupidly argued that the government should do something illegal. Well,he has the right to do so. And folks should be careful about complaining that the government isn't going after him. That would make us the hypocrites for complaining when the government tries to stifle speech from our side of the fence.

In short...Robertson is a p.o.s. and I'm glad that he has the freedom to demonstrate that fact on his tv show.

onenote

[mattclearing]

38. For purposes of libel, he's not a private citizen.

I was talking of the legal definition of private and public people. People who put themselves in the public eye have a lower expectation of privacy in the eyes of the law.

[onenote]

41. well, its not like anyone is worrying about pittypat being libeled...

[Coastie for Truth]

44. But, if instead of being an Evangelical Minister he was a Muslim Mullah

the FBI would be all over his butt. And if he wasn't being water boarded at Gitmo he'd be on a plane to "rendition."

[onenote]

45. and it would be wrong

just cause its Robertson doesn't make it right.

onenote

[existentialist]

34. limited applicability

Well, for purposes of a libel lawsuit, he is definitely a "public figure." For almost any other legal purpose he is a private citizen.

[Minstrel Boy]

3. "Our department doesn't do that kind of thing. It's against the law."

:rofl:

[sabra]

5. that was my favorite line too!

[Endangered Specie]

10. I think Novak said it best...

BULLSHIT! :rofl: :rofl:

[Newsjock]

4. Some "private citizen"

If any real "private citizen" made such a statement, their house would have already been raided by the Homeland Security goons.

When is the Department of Justice going to launch a criminal investigation into Robertson's threat? And why aren't lawmakers calling loudly and often for such an investigation?

[Karenina]

33. What the hey?

A white kid can even take a bomb onto a plane and it's just a boyish "prank." :shrug:

Muslims have been collectively punished for some time now ANYTIME a mad mullah spewed. Black people are relieved the "school shooters" were not. Time to start rounding up those 700 Club members!!! One of 'em might go OFF! Turnabout is fair play!

[discordian]

35. I doubt they'd care if anyone of us said it...

Most of us aren't on national TV like this old windbag. They probably thought it was funny anyway. As a benefit, it will help them gauge public opinion on this sort of thing. I'm sure it's a concept that has been much discussed in private.

[shraby]

6. They probably put him up to saying it.

That's not to mean he wouldn't say something like that on his own, but one wonders.

[medeak]

7. CNN reported Castro claims of US led assassination of Chavez

as reported by Cuban secret service.

score one for CNN

[Betsy Ross]

9. " It's against the law."

Like that would stop 'em.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Well very technically Rummy is correct

it is not in the DoD section to do assassinations, that is what the CIA does... so at least he is technically correct...

Still Robertson a private citizen, ok, yep Rummy whatever you say...

I do encourage all of you to drop a line to the FCC... the opposition does it REGULARLY

[ninkasi]

13. Rummy says of Robertson...

" He's a private citizen. Private citizens say all kinds of things all the time." Yes, and more and more, private citizens are being prosecuted, and hauled off to prison for saying the wrong kinds of things. What would the U.S. reaction be if a liberal were to make the same kind of statement about one of Bush's buddies, like Bandar Bush? I doubt it would be shrugged off so quickly, especially if Saudi Arabia publicly denounced it, and called for legal action.

[wanpete]

15. Cindy Sheehan is a private citizen too making a point about peace

and she has been swiftboated.. Go figure....HYPOCRITES!:mad:

[Moderator]

16. kick

[stevedeshazer]

17. White House dismisses Chavez assassination call

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/23/robertson.chavez/index.html

<snip>

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Bush administration officials Tuesday disavowed Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson's call for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Venezuela's Vice President Vicente Rangel accused Robertson of inciting violence and challenged the White House to take action against Robertson.

"What is the U.S. government going to do about this criminal statement made by one of its citizens?" he asked.

Robertson told viewers of his longtime show, "The 700 Club," on Monday that Chavez was turning his oil-rich South American country into "a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism all over the continent."

more at link above

[henslee]

18. Fake news. Keep your eye on Roves other hand.

[ronnykmarshall]

19. My responce to the White House:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

20. LOL!

[ronnykmarshall]

22. You knew I was pull that out again!

I'm suprised when I do a google search that picture doesn't come up.

[stevedeshazer]

21. I concur

But I don't have such a cool picture! :)

[Erika]

23. W who claims to be a Christian should rebuke

the evilness of Robertson, but then he's the same type of Christian.

He and Robertson have tossed out the Golden Rule.

[schultzee]

26. These people ignore the New Testament and they are false

prophets. He is a creation of the devil, if there is one.

[Erika]

30. They call themselves Christians but deny Christ's

Golden rule. Their pre-emptive strike policy is in direct violation of the Golden Rule.

[mom cat]

24. Watch Bushie squirm.....Hugo has him by the short hairs and it twisting!

Dumb old Pat boy spilled the talking points too soon! Now he may have blown the whole whack Chavez plan. :sarcasm:

[Jeanette in FL]

25. I don't think this will cut it with the Venezuela gov't

Their ambassador made it clear that the Bush administration needs to publicly condemn Robertson with the strongest of language and to see to the safety and wellbeing of their President. I don't think this kind of response is going to cut it with them at all.

[schultzee]

27. Pseudo-macho bush never apologizes. He is running out country

into the ground and making it a third world cesspool as fast as he can.

[donheld]

36. God told me

he has a jail cell ready for Robertson :evilgrin:

[liberaliraqvet26]

28. CBS News is beating him up pretty good...

what a putz

[Barkley]

31. If Al Sharpton had said something like this, it would follow him for the

rest of his life!

But with Pat and right-wingers, the media will soon
forget all about this.

[DoYouEverWonder]

32. Sorry Rummie, but what Bush Insider Pat Robertson said and did

is illegal and is punishable by law.

I'd like to see his reaction if someone advocated assassinating his ass.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

37. Tax-exempt status

They should yank it. Breaching the separation of church and state that gives these "religious" leaders tax-exempt status should be ground for immediate revocation of such status.

All these ratbastard evangelical fucks should get the IRS up their collective asses until they shut the hell up about politics and go back to praising God and stealing the money of fools who believe them.

They're the exact opposite of patriots, these power-mad, opportunistic haters.

[barb162]

39. Even the evangelicals are trying to get away from him if the

evening news was any hint. The State Dept. should have made a much stronger statement on this and it should have been by Condi Rice.

[dansolo]

40. Runsfelf prefers bombs over bullets

Why assasinate when he can blow shit up?

[TankLV]

42. So entirely dismissive. What a load! Hey Dicky Durbin, maybe you can

apologize for him!

They DEMAND and WAIL and RANT and RAVE when any Democrat tells the truth, and the Democrats always jump over themselves to say "Yes sir!"

But the repukes refuse to even MILDLY scold one of their OWN!

The silence is very TELLING!

But will our Vichy Dems in leadership positions respond to this GIFT HORSE with swift and VOCAL condemnation?!

The silence and time lag is simply astounding.

About what I've come to expect.

And they wonder why nobody is flocking to the democrats these days.

And they also wonder why I'm seriously considering witholding my vote for them the next time around.

[mitchum]

43. Another christian terrorist