[Peace-discuss] Robertson calls for Chavez assassination

[Ricky Baldwin]

I don't want to imply that this visionary by himself
is evidence of US policy - but I do recall a photo of
him reviewing the troops (contras) down in the area of
Nicaragua back in the 80s, and a few other tidbits. 
Maybe somebody else knows whether he has a hotline to
the W as well as to Jesus.  But it will be interesting
to see who on the Religious Right can distance
themselves from him on this, and who will beat around
the bush (no pun intended).
-Ricky

Televangelist Calls for Chavez' Death
Tue Aug 23 6:20 AM ET
AP

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Religious broadcaster Pat
Robertson suggested on-air that American operatives
assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to stop
his country from becoming "a launching pad for
communist infiltration and Muslim extremism." 

"We have the ability to take him out, and I think the
time has come that we exercise that ability,"
Robertson said Monday on the Christian Broadcast
Network's "The 700 Club."

"We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of
one, you know, strong-arm dictator," he continued.
"It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert
operatives do the job and then get it over with."

Chavez has emerged as one of the most outspoken
critics of President Bush, accusing the United States
of conspiring to topple his government and possibly
backing plots to assassinate him. U.S. officials have
called the accusations ridiculous.

"You know, I don't know about this doctrine of
assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to
assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go
ahead and do it," Robertson said. "It's a whole lot
cheaper than starting a war ... and I don't think any
oil shipments will stop."

Robertson, 75, founder of the Christian Coalition of
America and a former presidential candidate, accused
the United States of failing to act when Chavez was
briefly overthrown in 2002.

Electronic pages and a message to a Robertson
spokeswoman were not immediately returned Monday
evening.

Venezuela is the fifth largest oil exporter and a
major supplier of oil to the United States. The CIA
estimates that U.S. markets absorb almost 59 percent
of Venezuela's total exports.

Venezuela's government has demanded in the past that
the United States crack down on Cuban and Venezuelan
"terrorists" in Florida who they say are conspiring
against Chavez.

Robertson has made controversial statements in the
past. In October 2003, he suggested that the State
Department be blown up with a nuclear device. He has
also said that feminism encourages women to "kill
their children, practice witchcraft, destroy
capitalism and become lesbians."


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