Reply #13: I have been following this Venezuela deal for a little while.

[chasqui]

Hugo Chavez has been on a populist tear, and the powers that be in that country do not like this.
Read the following article from Narconews:

http://www.narconews.com/Issue31/article858.html

Growing up in Bolivia I was well aware of the presence of Muslims in South America, even went to school with a kid who was Lebanese. He was a dork, and we used to tease him mercilessly. He was also venezuelan.
What I find most interesting is that there is, along with the oil idea, the problem of the rising rebellious attitudes towards the Drug War. Just google 'Evo Morales.'
There are many reasons for a regime change in that country, and it has been attempted before.