BBC NEWS
US to expel Venezuelan diplomat
The United States has ordered the expulsion of a senior Venezuelan diplomat in a tit-for-tat move.

On Thursday, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced the expulsion of a US naval attache.

Mr Chavez accused the official, John Correa, of spying and said he would be removed immediately. The US called the accusations "baseless".

Relations between the two countries were already under strain before the development of this latest row.

US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Jeny Figueredo Frias, who is chief of staff to Venezuela's ambassador, would have 72 hours to leave the country.

He refused to give a reason for the expulsion, but said Ms Frias was "the most appropriate" choice.

"We don't like to get into tit-for-tat games like this with the Venezuelan government, but they initiated this and the US chose to respond," Mr McCormack said.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/4679266.stm

Published: 2006/02/03 19:07:47 GMT

© BBC MMVI

is this not a precursor to war?  oh please? pretty please? we could oust Chavez in what, 25 min of hostilities?

Here we go...

Cheap oil?

Another tin horn, third world despot who thinks he matters.
The bombing will start in five minutes.

I wonder what happend to Manual Noriega of Panama?

Quoted: I wonder what happend to Manual Noriega of Panama?

He was incarcerated in a Florida prison

I sleep tight knowing that at some point Venezuala cannot one-up us in any tit-for-tat escalation.

"Get Whiteman on the line" should be some sort of ace card for us.

Problem is you will not be laughing at the gas pump or to heat your house

Quoted: Problem is you will not be laughing at the gas pump or to heat your house

If you mean me, I don't mean laughing.  I mean I will never worry that Venezualan bombers will appear overhead.  They may get us economically but they will never scare me militarily like a lot of other nations do.

Quoted: Quoted: I wonder what happend to Manual Noriega of Panama? He was incarcerated in a Florida prison

He's still here.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I wonder what happend to Manual Noriega of Panama? He was incarcerated in a Florida prison He's still here.

Another 2-bit tin-horn dictator, could the same feat befall Chavez?

Time to kick some ass and take the gas!