Lula says he does not understand the 'basis' for Hillary's skepticism

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DOHA - President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Saturday in Doha, Qatar, that he does not understand the skepticism from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the possibility that Iran will change its stance on its nuclear program through dialogue.

Lula travels to Iran on Saturday to present a new joint proposal from Brazil and Turkey to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for a possible deal with Tehran over its nuclear program.

Clinton reaffirmed on Friday the U.S. skepticism about the chances of success in dialogue with Iran.

http://oglobo.globo.com/mundo/mat/2010/05/15/lula-diz-que-nao-entende-base-do-ceticismo-de-hillary-916591642.asp

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1. Hillary reflects US foreign policy power centers

And US foreign policy power centers are concerned with what Israel wants - because the Israel lobby has so much influence over the US government. If we look at the situation objectively, the US position is very weak, because Iran is acting fully within the rules of treaties it has signed. It is the USA, pushed by its Israel lobby handlers, which develops an unreasonable position.

Iran, on the other hand, seems to be ruled by thugs who are very keen on adhering to the treaties, but are likely to breach the treaties when they find it convenient. The pressure on Iran to process uranium would be reduced if the powers that be would put pressure on Israel to deal with the Palestinians realistically. As long as Israel is an ethnic cleanser and a criminal nations getting away with murder and war crimes, then it's not going to be possible to defuse the conflict. So the world continues in crisis because Ziomism insists on its racist policy of building a "jewish state" on Palestinian territory.

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2. For once I agree with much of what you have written here

You do mean to exaggerate when you say "the world continues in crisis" all because of Israel's racist policies - right?

I'm as opposed to Israel's current Apartheid state as any person with a sliver of a conscience. But blaming all the world's crises on Israel seems to me pushing it just a bit, don't you think? You make a strong case regarding the damage that can be done to other conflicts as a result of Israel's stranglehold over American politics, but I am sure that world crises would continue were Israel to announce tomorrow a full retreat to 67 borders and granting of Palestinian Right of Return.

Your assessment of Middle East affairs is somewhat impressive - so, I'm perplexed as to your less-than-impressive understanding of Latin America? Put another way, if Latin-American issues were the Palestinian conflict - you would most certainly be the pro-Israel guy. You know the ones, right? The ones who are always dimwittedly barking about Israel's need for "self-defense". Making fun of any and all of Palestinian's important leaders. Challenging every single source that dares question a pro-Israel stance. That guy - is YOU when it comes to Latin American issues, at least, as far as I see it. Get where I'm coming from?

So, maybe there is something I am missing about Latin American issues. I'm open to possibilities.

What is your view exactly of the Leftist social movements led by Chavez and Morales ... do you not see these movements as good things? Or do you simply have some personal distaste for Chavez and Morales, while hoping for the movement overall to continue? I haven't got a sense that you were much into Anarchist positions.. is that possibly your take? No ... that just doesn't add up for you. Peace Patriot is much closer to Anarchist takes on things, and you seem to always oppose something or other that PP says - or maybe I haven't understood?

Help me out here... you seem to "get it" with the Israel/Palestine problems. Why the apparent disdain for Leftist movements in Latin America? It just doesn't add up.

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3. Response Ref questions about Chavez and Morales

I'm not from Bolivia, so I can't say much about Morales, other than he doesn't like chicken meat and seems to like copying Chavez whenever he's able to do so.

Regarding Chavez, the movement he leads is damaging the Venezuelan economy, and has quite a few defects. I would say that, based on the comments I see here, there seems to be a romantic idea within leftist ranks in the USA and Europe, which turns them blind towards the flaws in Chavez' ideas and actions. Or maybe they just happen to lack awareness of the real situation.

What do we observe in our lives? A surge in crime, very high inflation, dropping GDP, higher corruption, enormous waste of money, mismanagement (the current electricity crisis isn't really about the dry season being very dry, it's about poor maintenance of nationalized power plants and distribution system), arbitrary arrests of people who complain, churlish and juvenile behavior - likes to insult opponents and other nations' leaders. We see moves to limit de democratic system, perpetuating a party and a leader in power (as so many communists are prone to do), and continuation of some of the dumbest policies of the past, such as subsidizing gasoline at a very low price. I could go on and on, but things, my friend, just aren't what they seem to you guys.

I know some of the high frequency posters like to blame a "conspiracy" against Chavez, but I'm not part of a conspiracy. I happen to be getting ready to leave Venezuela, and i have free time to write. I also happen to be somewhat left of center, and really dislike American imperialism, so I like to criticize the USA (no harm intended, and I don't dislike Americans as individuals, but collectively they are a pain in the arse).

By the way, I guess I was too extreme in my comments about Israel, but I can do so because I've read Rabbi Akiva in the Talmud, and I'm far from being an Orthodox Jew or anything like that (I'm a bona fide atheist), but I can say honestly that it seems to me the Israel we see today isn't exactly what the god of the Jews had in mind.