Venezuela's Chavez compares Israel to Hitler

[cal04]

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Friday blasted Israel for its attacks against Lebanon and Palestinians, comparing its operations to those of Hitler.

In an interview with Qatar-based Al Jazeera television, Chavez also slammed U.S. backing for Israel, describing Washington as a "Dracula always searching for oil and blood".

"The Israeli offensive against the Palestinians and Lebanon is an aggression that we feel targets us also. It is an unjustified aggression that is being carried out in the style of (Adolf) Hitler, in a Fascist fashion," he said, referring to the leader of Nazi Germany.

"They (Israelis) are doing what Hitler did against the Jews. They are killing innocent children and whole families," he said in the remarks dubbed in Arabic.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L04656541.htm

[furman]

1. No wonder the Bush administration hates Chavez n/t

[furman]

2. I guess I won't buy my gasoline at Citgo anymore n/t

[IndianaGreen]

13. I will continue to patronize CITGO

and I will resist the neocon rush to war in Iran and Syria.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Have you noticed a trend of when the going gets tough,

compare someone you don't like to Hitler, who is rather incomparable to begin with?

[Oversea Visitor]

4. Headline always controversial

Maybe content of speech give better picture
Me see that he mention what Hilter did against Jews
Maybe message here is after going through those pain
How can then they inflict this on others.

[MrPrax]

5. "Dracula always searching for oil and blood".

Great line!!

The Hitler thing is inflammatory -- Chavez could have used the opportunity speaking to an Arab audience to inform them about the long list of US-supported 'Hitler's' in his own backyard. Instead he panders...to the lowest common demoninator, basically. Not acceptable and he is educated.

I want to see Chavez wag his finger occasionally at some of the 'little Hitler's' running the ME countries he is visiting for political and economic reasons. This places him closer to the US/Israel model of moral hypocrisy than it does any alternative strategy that he wants to tout. Iran may have good reasons to be against the US and Israel, but that doesn't let them off the hook as far as human rights violations.

Admittedly Chavez involvment in OPEC doesn't give him much latitude, but when he talks the talk, it would be good to put some clothes on while doing it.

[adriennui]

6. i had some admiration for chavez at one time

with that comment, as far as i'm concerned he can go to hell.
why do these diminutive-brained dictators feel they MUST criticize israel to get mileage.

with all the crap going on in the world, is that the litmus test. how ignorant.

[JackNewtown]

8. I/P is a big issue in the world

And the fact is that aside from the US no other country blindly backs Israel. The rest are either essentially neutral or pro-Palestinian. The people in other nations are more pro-Palestinian than their governments, and this applies outside the Muslim world as well. Dictators tend to be in the "Third World" and many of these nations have experienced things similar to the Palestinians not too long ago. They have a special sympathy for the plight of the Palestinians due to that. These leaders see their people recoil in horror at what Israel does. What is so henious about them expressing their people's views on the conflict? It would be nice to see the US do that once in a while...

The real question should be why in a world of over 190 countries only one is "pro-Israel"...

[cali]

9. That has nothing to do with Chavez' remarks n/t

[JackNewtown]

12. The poster was asking about leaders speaking out in general nt

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[IntiRaymi]

15. Ummm...You are conflating Jews with Israel.

Those two are not necessarily the same. And, as far as I can tell, President Chavez said nothing about either 'jooos,' or 'juice,' or even jews, for that matter.
As always: Criticize Israel, become an anti-semite.

[JackNewtown]

21. Muslims have horns, is bloodthirsty

Most (re: 3rd world) nations are "uncivilized." Where have I heard such arguments before...

It is easy to be "against" Israel when there is no AIPAC in your nation. ;)

Islam is apparently the only religion to have committed crimes to you. This in a thread about Israel! :rofl:

[TomClash]

11. Dictator?

Chavez was elected - three times.

[JackNewtown]

7. Uncalled for attack

The Israeli offensive deserves criticism but to compare such action to Hitler's actions in and of itself is wrong and then to do it regarding the lone Jewish state is offensive.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[OrechDin]

17. This post of yours is probably against forum rules,

as well as being repugnant.

[norml]

18. Yeah, every time I've said "Nazi is as Nazi does" the post has been...

...removed.

It seems a self evident statement to me.

I guess only one side gets to use the N word.

[Violet_Crumble]

24. No-one should use it....

The other poster was right in saying it's repugnant to compare Israel to Nazis and the reason for that should be obvious. Most people associate Nazism with Germany's racial policies above all, and then with Fascism. Israel is a Jewish state and its creation was very much sped up by European Jews being victims of that very racial policy. So to equate Israel with Nazism is highly insensitive imo, and probably more than a bit hurtful to any Israeli-Jew reading those sort of statements. And those who use the N word aimed at leaders or groups in the Middle East are just trying to cut any reasonable sort of discussion out of things and trying to introduce something based on pure emotion, coz the N word obviously has some horrible connotations...

[norml]

27. OK, I'll leave off the last part about only one side getting to use it.

That was kind of mean.

I stand by the first part, in that if you act like a Nazi, I've no problem with pointing that out.

I respect your opinion.

Maybe I go to far in this.

I'll consider trying to be more polite.

[norml]

19. Chavez Speaks the Truth!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1809882&mesg_id=1809882

[IndianaGreen]

20. Here is what Chavez really said, and it is all true and not anti-Semitic

Venezuela pulls out Israel ambassador

Friday 04 August 2006, 21:01 Makka Time, 18:01 GMT

In a televised speech on Thursday, he called the Israeli attacks "genocide".

He said: "It really causes indignation to see how the state of Israel continues bombing, killing ... with all of the power they have, with the support of the United States."

Chavez has repeatedly criticised the Israeli offensive.

He said: "It's hard to explain to oneself how nobody does anything to stop this horror."

His government has until recently said it had good relations with Israel.

During a recent visit to Iran, Chavez called Israeli attacks on Lebanon a "fascist outrage".

He said: "The Israeli elite repeatedly criticise Hitler's actions against the Jews, and indeed Hitler's actions must be criticised, not just against the Jews but against the world. It's also fascism what Israel is doing to the Palestinian people ... terrorism and fascism."

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/758B61AA-7D24-470F-83D2-78633DA88019.htm

[JackNewtown]

22. Thanks for clearing that up

Unfortunately, the propaganda campaign against Chavez will continue in the media regardless of the facts.

[Violet_Crumble]

23. Thanks for posting that...

This isn't the first time that Chavez has been misquoted in order to make him appear to be someone as wacky as the Iranian mullahs. Though he's still wrong about it being a genocide, what he actually said wasn't antisemitic...

[TomClash]

28. Now that's NOT a foolish comparison!

Good work!

[cal04]

29. thank you for posting this

I was looking for more on it

[TomClash]

25. A foolish comparison

not worthy of serious discussion. And I generally like Chavez.

[IndianaGreen]

26. See post #20 to read what Chavez really said

and you will see he is right on the money!