Chavez Ready To Challenge Bush

[cal04]

Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, emboldened by thousands of anti-American protesters, is getting a rare chance to stand up to his adversary, President Bush, with promises to keep the president from reviving talks on a free trade area stretching from Alaska to Argentina.

The two men were to arrive in Argentina for the fourth Americas summit on Thursday, the same day Venezuela is staging a mock U.S. invasion of its own territory. The event is the latest exercise intended to prepare soldiers and civilian volunteers for what Chavez says is a possible attack by American troops.

U.S. officials deny any such plan, but Chavez says it's best to be ready — just in case. With tensions rising between the two nations, Chavez and Mr. Bush will likely see each other Friday at the summit's inauguration — after Chavez addresses a rally of mostly anti-Bush protesters. The two leaders are not scheduled to meet one-on-one, but they will both be taking part in the same summit sessions.

Chavez has joked about whether Mr. Bush is afraid of him, saying he might sneak up and scare Mr. Bush at the summit. Mr. Bush has brushed aside Chavez's attempts to turn the summit into a showdown, saying he is focused on announcing job creation programs and promoting free trade in the region.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/03/world/main100...

[YDogg]

1. Too funny. I'm surprised bush even went ...

... except that it gave him an opportunity to escape the US for a while.

[FloridaPat]

2. Job creation programs for whom? The people in S. Amer?

How about bringing back all those computer jobs he sent all over the globe? How about getting all those manufacturing jobs back? He hasn't a clue how to create jobs. He gives them away or gives them to cronies.

[stevedeshazer]

3. BOOOO!!!

Chavez knows exactly how to get under *Bush's skin.

another snip:

CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk said Mr. Bush is traveling to a virtual perfect storm in Argentina, with three gripes coming together: regional disputes over the value of free trade, gripes about neglect of the region and the International Monetary Fund negotiations looming.

"Although there has been overall economic growth in the region, debt has grown along with poverty, and Latin America has not been on the U.S. agenda for several years,” Falk reports.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bush is once again wandering into something completely unprepared. As Scooter goes to court, Cheney hides in the bunker, and Karl meets with his attorneys, Bush is going to encounter the festering resentment of years of imperial U.S. policy in South America COMPLETELY UNPREPARED.

This is going to be good.

Is Karen Hughes along to wipe his butt?

[shanti]

26. chavez has been calling * out since day one

* couldn't handle a confrontation with him.

[CoffeeCat]

30. Maybe the neocons are sick of Junior, and planned this little trip...

...for him.

I wouldn't doubt it.

[Cha]

4. I would love it if Chavez

would say "BOO!!" to pants!

I think it's brilliant to "stage a mock USA invasion of it's own territory". Yeah, it is better to be ready.

We need to stage a mock voting day on ballots with a paper trail.

[fishwax]

38. mock invasion = good idea

i hope they're staging mock coups as well ...

[Judi Lynn]

5. This photo, taken from another conference, in Mexico, is comical.

_Bush really looks as if he's trying to skate by without being detected. It's his conscience which causes him to think people are likely to suddenly go berserk and launch a ferocious attack on him. He's the one who has been spreading death and suffering, after all.

[twaddler01]

6. i love bushy pictures

the man makes me sick but his pictures crak me up!

[Say_What]

22. Here you go... more pix of the Village Idiot being protested in Argentina

Members of the humanitarian entity Mothers of Plaza de Mayo rally against the presence of US President George W. Bush in the IV Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Organizers predict some 40,000 people will march tomorrow in an anti-summit rally. The banner reads 'Bush Out.'(AFP/Martin Bernetti)

[tatertop]

8. Hugo 'The Bear' Chavez vs George The Wet Noodle

Go Bear!

[phusion]

7. The FTAA

Free Trade Area of the Americas, which is essentially what Bush wants, will be a lethal blow to many people -- including North Americans.

The Argentines and other Americans are right to protest this...

[AzDar]

9. Oh, Jeebus..I can't WAIT for Hugo to get a piece of "Mr. Danger" (lol)

I just wonder how much we'll see of what really goes on,what with the Whoreporate Media and all!

[shanti]

25. my thoughts exactly!

i relish the thought of a debate, but don't think that the chimperor would EVER allow it to happen. remember, he's a cornered rat now.

[Sequoia]

10. Hey, wouldn't it be fun if:

There were a lot of Chavez masks people could wear to a Bush photo op?

[shanti]

27. eh, good one!

i'd love to have a chavez mask.

[cal04]

11. Bush Aims to Calm Latin American Relations

President Bush on Thursday faced ruffled relations in the Western Hemisphere with street protesters poised to rant against the U.S. in Argentina and Venezuela's leftist leader waiting to bait him.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051103/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/b... ;_ylt=AiHEeRAAFOTEl8pznkvtaUy3IxIF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--



?

President George W. Bush, one holding a newspaper that reads 'Out Bush!' in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2005. Bush will attend the IV Americas Summit

[Say_What]

23. "Bush calms LatAm"...?? Who dreams up these bogus headlines?

Nothing but propaganda...

[Judi Lynn]

29. Maybe he plans to work a little music therapy magic on them.

Music hath charm to soothe the savage breast,
To soften rocks or bend a knotted oak." Or not.

He really should bring Ricky Martin.

[Say_What]

32. One can only hope Bush receives the welcome that Nixon did in 1958

[TreasonousBastard]

12. Well, Chavez isn't the most popular...

person in Latin America, but Shrub is loathed by most of them.

So, it will be interesting.

[Malva Zebrina]

13. This is funny--Bush is so weak in his own country, with all sorts

of criminal indictments coming down, that it would be strange if anyone anywhere took him seriously. How could they? He is a clown, to be laughed at and that is exactly what Chavez is doing. Chavez has the support of 70% of his people--Bush, somewhere between 35 and 39% and going down every month.

I think in this display of chest thumping, Bush is the loser. What on earth does he think? That because he is going to Argentina, that makes him king of the world? It ain't gonna go over that way, Bush.

[gordianot]

14. I can see it now. This would be a really good show.

Too bad Peter Sellers is no longer with us, it would have made a perfect movie for Peter Sellers.

[pinniped]

15. The POS* is a chicken-hawk. Sadaam challenged him to a duel...

and he scurried back into his rat hole.

This POS* talks tough everywhere else, issuing warnings and threats to numerous other countries and leaders.

Like all cowards, they can not do it in person face to face.

--Mr. Asshole* has brushed aside Chavez's attempts to turn the summit into a showdown--

[cassiepriam]

16. This is going to be a very bad trip for him I think.

[murray hill farm]

17. He might "sneak up and scare him"?

god i love hugo chavez!! He could not have said a more perfiect thing..hahahahahahaha!

[shadowknows69]

39. that would be bad for Hugo

because the SS would shoot Hugo and then Hugo's people would have to kill Bush and his people. Hmmm. Never mind.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

18. HA!

[drdtroit]

20. Off topic:

Love the Trane photo.
Peace

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

28. Thanks!

[MasonJar]

19. Just more free travel at taxpayers' expense...he never left the

country on his own dime.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

21. That link doesn't offer that story.

[Judi Lynn]

24. Here's the story at a different link....

http://kutv.com/topstories/topstories_story_307171318.h...

[ngGale]

31. LOL....Chavez can say...

BOO! Chimp, how's it going?

[Sugar Smack]

33. My kingdom for a transcript of this comedy.

Ah, we're in for a treat. Kick his ass, Chavez.

[lonestarnot]

34. Waiting for this...

[HuckleB]

35. When do the White Sox make the trip to the White House?

And what will Ozzie G say or not say to *?

[mdelaguna2000]

36. Oh how I wish there was t.v. coverage of this up here...

Chavez is the antithesis of Bush...his nemesis, even, potentially. This is so Shakespearean poetic (MacBeth).

Go Hugo! Viva Chavez!

[bluedog]

37. Saddan challenges Bush to "DEBATE", February 24, 2003

CBS: Saddam challenges Bush to debate
Iraqi leader reportedly indicates he won't destroy missiles

Monday, February 24, 2003 Posted: 7:51 PM EST (0051 GMT)

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein challenged President Bush to a debate in an interview with CBS to be broadcast Wednesday.


NEW YORK (CNN) -- CBS News reported Monday that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has challenged President Bush to a live international television and radio debate via satellite, saying, "As leaders, why don't we use this opportunity?"

"I am ready ... to conduct a direct dialogue, a debate, with your president," Saddam was quoted as telling news anchor Dan Rather in a three-hour interview. "I will say what I want, and he will say what he wants."

If Bush is "committed to war," Saddam said, this would be his chance to "convince the world."

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/02/24/sprj.irq.sadd... /



********as we all know.....bush bever did accept....nor did he accept the invitation to a "duel" with Saddam