Argentina Raps US Over Critical Words

[magbana]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123578186996298023.html

WALL STREET JOURNAL
* FEBRUARY 28, 2009

Argentina Raps U.S. Over Critical Words
By MATT MOFFETT

BUENOS AIRES -- Argentina's foreign minister met with the U.S. ambassador Friday to try to clear the air over comments by the Central Intelligence Agency director about economic problems in Argentina.

After the meeting between Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana and Ambassador Earl Anthony Wayne, the U.S. Embassy released a statement saying the incident wouldn't affect the bilateral agenda, including cooperative measures to confront the global economic crisis.

Mr. Taiana called for the meeting after a news briefing Wednesday by CIA Director Leon Panetta. Mr. Panetta told of meeting "someone from Latin America" who had told him of "some serious problems ... that involve economic instability."

He later identified the problem countries as Argentina, Venezuela and Ecuador. On Thursday, Mr. Taiana said Mr. Panetta's comments were "unrespectful, unfounded and immature," and called for a meeting with Ambassador Wayne.

The embassy statement said Mr. Panetta's remarks didn't reflect official U.S. opinion. Rather, the statement said, Mr. Panetta was repeating commentaries by a foreign official.

A U.S. diplomatic source characterized the atmosphere of the Friday meeting, which last more than an hour, as "cordial."

The flap comes as Argentina is coping with the global downturn, facing large debt-service payments this year while its farm industry is hobbled by weak prices and drought.

It also comes as Argentina's left-leaning President Cristina Kirchner had signaled a wish to improve Argentina's tattered relationship with the U.S. with the arrival of the new administration in Washington.

Argentine analyst Federico Thomsen said Mr. Taiana's complaints were largely directed at a domestic, political audience, but that Mrs. Kirchner likely isn't interested in roiling the waters with President Barack Obama.

Argentina's relations with Washington and other wealthy countries soured after it announced the largest sovereign-debt default in history in 2001. They got worse in the following years under Mrs. Kirchner's predecessor, her husband Nestor. During his tenure, Argentina drew closer to Venezuela's leftist president, Hugo Chávez, who made large purchases of Argentine bonds.

Riordan Roett, a Latin America specialist at Johns Hopkins University, says the Obama administration's priorities in Latin America will be Mexico, for security reasons, and Brazil, for geopolitical ones.

Write to Matt Moffett at [e-mail]

[Peace Patriot]

1. The Wall Street Urinal pissing on leftists again...

Argentine analyst Federico Thomsen (and who is he when he's at home? hm?) said Mr. Taiana's complaints (--just the CIA Director thoughtlessly slandering his country--in a long train of CIA destabilizations, threats and despicable deeds against Argentina and leftists) were largely directed at a domestic, political audience (--yeah, just a cheap political trick!), but that Mrs. Kirchner likely isn't interested in roiling the waters with President Barack Obama. (Says fucking who? Fernandez is furious at the U.S., and Panetta knows it, for that nasty CIA caper out of Miami about the "suitcase full of money" and likely--with good reason--suspects them of the Big Ag strike and other bullshit. "Roiling the waters"--God, what crap!)

Argentina's relations with Washington and other wealthy countries (the U.S. is "wealthy"? sorry, Urinal, we're goddamned bankrupt, thanks to you!) soured after it announced the largest sovereign-debt default in history in 2001. They got worse in the following years under Mrs. Kirchner's predecessor, her husband Nestor. During his tenure, Argentina drew closer to Venezuela's leftist president, Hugo Chávez, who made large purchases of Argentine bonds. (Really, this is such shit. The U.S.-run World Bank made their economy "scream," as Milton Friedman once gleefully prescribed for Chile, before they killed Allende. As Argentina wised up, under the first Kirchner, and gave the U.S. the finger, and began to reclaim its sovereignty, the Bushwhacks became hostile--and really fucking hated Chavez for helping his neighbor--and other neighbors--to fight back.)

Riordan Roett, a Latin America specialist at Johns Hopkins University, says the Obama administration's priorities in Latin America will be Mexico, for security reasons, and Brazil, for geopolitical ones. (So don't cry, Argentina, if Washington pisses on you again, and all our big wealthy mucky-mucks from Johns Hopkins say you don't count. We'll make you "scream," we will!)

[Judi Lynn]

2. Unbelievable. Only the WS "Urinal" (yay, thanks Peace Patriot) would have EVER tried to describe

Argentina's relationship to the U.S. as being "tattered." Pure filth.

What does anyone expect, anyway? We just THOUGHT they couldn't get any lower.

Yep, it really shows, with all the papers being bought up by idealogues, and nazis. They've let their bureaus go almost everywhere, and appear to be spending their time INVENTING news from their home bases, having as little to do with reality as possible.

History rewrites, delusional, deceitful appraisals of current events, what could be more predictable?