AN OPEN LETTER TO HUGO CHAVEZ, THE GOV'T OF VENEZUELA AND PEOPLE

[Guest guest]

FPF-fwd.: Chicago writer/observer Stephen Lendman

<lendmanstephen

Fri, 10 Mar 2006

OPEN LETTER to President HUGO CHAVEZ

 

 

 

AN OPEN LETTER TO HUGO CHAVEZ, THE GOVERNMENT OF VENEZUELA

AND THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE

 

Dear Mr. President:

 

My name is Steve Lendman, and I'm a 71 year old retired small

businessman who might be relaxing and enjoying my senior years like most others

I know my age are doing. I can't imagine doing it.

 

There's too much going on in my country, yours, and around the world that's too

important and too dangerous to ignore. It's become a near obsession with me to

address as much of it as I can, try to arouse a sleepwalking public, and somehow

find a way to reverse a destructive course led by the leaders of my country

before it's too late.

 

I hardly need explain all this to you, as you've been a victim of it

3 times in a ruthless effort to oust you from office. What right does any

country have to decide who will or will not lead another one, especially when

the people of that country have made another choice. And what country has any

right to decide how another will be run. Again, that's for the people there to

decide, no one else.

 

Those who dare go their own way pay dearly.

 

No other leading country in the world today has usurped the " right to

choose " for another, except my own which always does it (with one

other glaring exception in the Middle East that the US unconditionally

supports and finances). I compare my country to a crime family's Godfather who

demands strict obedience and tolerates no deviation. Those who dare go their

own way pay dearly. They usually get no second chance.

 

In my city of Chicago, local Godfathers rule over " the north side " or " the south

side. " The US self-annointed " Godfather " rules over " all sides " and outer space

as well. They've given themselves that right of total sovereignty over the

planet and universe in their policy papers anyone can read and shudder.

 

As I write you the war drums are growing louder against the current

US public enemy No. 1 in their target queue - Iran. The odds are

greater than I care to imagine that despite the sinkhole horror my country has

already caused in the Iraq, they're getting ready to expand that conflict across

another sovereign border and attack Iran - which poses no threat to anyone

despite the false and hostile rhetoric to the contrary. Their written plan calls

for it in another " shock and awe " attack using " big " nuclear weapons - so-called

" mini-nuke bunker busters " that are not mini but sure are nukes.

 

For the past 15 years they've already waged and still are waging

nuclear war below the radar in Iraq, Afghanistan and did it against

Serbia/Kosovo in 1999.

 

Now they plan to remove the mask, upgrade the weapons to industrial

strength and irradiate and destroy another nation in a new unprovoked attack of

illegal aggression. The bombs they plan to use this time are between one-third

to two-thirds as potent as a Hiroshima bomb. That ain't " mini " , Mr President.

That's big time destruction if they go ahead - and it's one more massive war

crime of aggression.

 

Not to worry.

 

We're told it's to make the world safe for democracy and destroy a

nuclear threat (that's non-existent, of course). In the language of a world

renown British journalist covering the Middle East from his Beirut base - those

comments are " what comes out of the rear end of a bull. " Touche.

 

That comment characterizes everything out of the mouths of leaders

and spokespeople of my government and their echo chamber chorus in our

corporate media. And, as you know, that hostile chorus is also being directed

against you, your government and your wonderful Bolivarian revolution. I

champion all you've done and tell people who'll listen if you ever tire of

ruling Venezuela, we can sure use you and your Bolivarian spirit right here.

I've written about your spirit, achievements and perils several times, and this

web site and others have published all of it. I'd be honored if you've read any

of it, and if not, I invite you to take a look. You won't find any of it in the

New York Times, Washington Post or my own Chicago Tribune, not even on a back

page.

 

I know I hardly need to tell you, but I will anyway.

 

There are many forces and people with serious plans to try for the

4th time to unseat you including " rogue elements " in your own government, likely

including some at high levels. The US may even be planning a special " shock and

awe " attack against your country using nuclear weapons that would cause great

destruction and spread toxic radiation over a vast area. Please take good care,

find them, expunge them before they can harm you.

 

Insulate and immunize yourself against any others out to do you, your government

and your people no good. Your spirit and glorious revolution have become one of

my passions. It needs to flourish, grow and spread like a wonderful virus

infecting and inspiring other nations to emulate what you've done.

 

That can only happen if you survive and succeed unimpeded. I hope and pray you

will, and I'll continue to write and speak out in your behalf to help all ways I

can.

 

Most sincerely,

 

Steve Lendman Chicago, IL

 

(lendmanstephen)