Joining the Nuke Club

Fire of Liberty

According to this article in the Financial Times, it seems that Venezuela has decided to join the nuclear power club at the behest of Hugo Chavez, who gave a nod to the state owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela to put in an order for a "medium sized" nuclear reactor from Argentina. Now the government of Venezuela keeps on arguing that this program and inquiry for a reactor is for pure peaceful purposes - like the supply of energy - but I find it perplexing as to why an energy rich nation like Venezuela which has that largest proven oil reserves in the Americas, ample hydroelectric plants and not mention the fact that it's the fifth largest oil exporter would need a nuclear power plant. With Chavez's continued saber-rattling in Caracas and his chumminess with the mullahs of Tehran, I'd say that El Hefe II has decided to find something to further insulate himself and increase his respect amongst the various left leaning governments within the rest of the Americas by having nuclear technology or more than likely in Chavez's case nuclear weapons.

I guess he's following in the footsteps of fellow totalitarian nations like Iran, North Korea, Soviet Union who make it an objective of the state to join the nuke club thus providing them a large blinking sign to wave in the face of the free world and scare the tee-total hell out of the responsible nations of this world. These leaders might think that this is a wise strategic policy in their own distorted view of real politic but in reality they movee their nation further and further into the Outposts of Tyranny corner thus bringing about sanctions and measures to prevent them from developing such a program.

Chavez has been raising the ire of the world with his closing of international businesses in Venezuela, unlawful seizures of land from large landowners, his totalitarian actions against the Venezuelan people (Questionable elections, lack of free speech, thought and assembly, illegal arrests of political opponents, as well as assaults on the people), as well as his dealings with Columbian terrorists and terrorist sponsoring states like Cuba, Libya, Syria, Iran and will most definately cross a red line with his quest for nukes. I'm really concerned about Chavez and just hope President Bush, Secretary Rice and Secretary Rumsfeld are as well.