F. George McDuffee wrote:
Chavez is behaving in several vary dangerous ways for "world
piece." Sadam Hussein took these same actions immediately before
the invasion.

The top seven reasons an invasion is plausable:

(1) He is bypassing the major [nominally US] oil companies by
exporting oil directly to the end user countries. This is
exacerbated by rumors of the Venezuelan government purchasing oil
tankers, cutting an additional segment of the "brave new world
economic order" off from the Venezuelan oil tit.

(2) He is pricing oil in Euros and not dollars. In combination
with (1) above, this will "de-dollarize" the Venezuelan economy,
bypassing the New York banks and the "lug" they get on all oil
sales.

(3) He is engaging in "counter-trade" where oil is traded
directly for goods and commodities, again eliminating the "lug"
traditionally collected by the international banks and trading
companies on oil transactions.

(4) He is refusing to "invest" Venezuelan oil revenue in
inflation-adjusted zero/negative interest US governmental
securities, "watered" stock or financial lottery tickets called
"derivatives." Rather than continuing to pay protection money
like the other oil nabobs by buying worthless US governmental
securities (and salting a little away for himself in numbered
Swiss accounts), he is "wasting it" by providing health care,
minimum food and basic education to the poorer citizens of
Venezuela.

(5) He is sabotaging the American economy by refusing to
"roll-over" American debts owned by the Venezuelan government as
these become due. This money is being invested in Euro
securities, invested in Europe/Asia or spent on foundational
social services for the poorest Venezuelans.

(6) The Chavez government is rumored to be considering
legislation to establish a significant Venezuelan
owned/controlled petro-chemical sector for the economy to
maximize the value of the oil [based] exports. As this sector
expands, the sale of crude oil for processing outside the country
is to be restricted, so that eventually only high value processed
materials such as polyester base, plastics, etc. will be
available for export to first world countries, with fuel
[gasoline/diesel] exports limited to the third world countries.

(7) He is creating and arming a Venezuelan militia with primary
loyalty to Venezuela at all levels and trained in the techniques
of irregular/guerilla warfare. He is said to be stockpiling
small arms and explosives for this militia, mainly through
counter-trade, and thus off the financial radar. Additionally,
it is rumored that the most critical oil export facilities such
as refineries and pumping stations are being rigged for immediate
demolition in the case of invasion.

That is very interesting. Chavez sounds like a smart guy, rather than
the thug I envisioned. Where did you get all this information?

Rex