nyahh, nyahh, nyahh....

Demagogue

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Sunday lobbed a litany of insults at U.S. President George W. Bush ranging from "donkey" to "drunkard" in response to a White House report branding the left-wing leader a demagogue. "You are a donkey, Mr. Bush," said Chavez, speaking in English on his weekly Sunday broadcast. "You're an alcoholic Mr. Danger, or rather, you're a drunkard," Chavez said, referring to Bush by a nickname he frequently uses to describe the U.S. president. A White House report released last week on pre-emptive force in national security described Chavez as a "demagogue" who uses Venezuela's oil wealth to destabilize democracy in the region.

It is *so* tempting to revert to Kindergarten-hood and say "I know you are, but what am I?" What is it about so many political arguments that make me feel like I'm back on a playground--name-calling, whining, and "he said it first". I see it everywhere from internet newsgroups and message boards to much closer to home. Everything always descends into "waaaah, I'm not getting my way". Hopefully, Mr. Chavez will follow proper playground procedure, take his ball and go home. Oddly enough, we don't really need him as much oil-wise as he thinks we do, and probably don't pay him enough attention as he thinks we should. Is that part of it? Is that much of the anti-American feeling out there? Does it give people like Chavez bigger cojones when they "stand up to" the US? Do they puff out their chests a little more? Stand a little straighter? Swagger a little more? Is that why Europeans look down their noses and sniff when talking about us? Because they CAN? Of course, it's always easier to talk smack about a country that you know is just going to ignore you and isn't going to attack you. When it comes to countries that riot and make threats over cartoons, that's a whole different story. Wouldn't it be different to see Europe mouth off to Islamic nations? It's always easier to call someone names on the playground if you're fairly certain you aren't going to get knocked down for it.