Spank That Donkey

(Prost to Chile!)

 Maybe the Mob really just chased Jimmy Hoffa to Chile. Check out this story, "Chile Govt. Reaches Compromise with Trucking Industry", excerpt:

On the third day of the strike that put 6,000 trucks off the highways, Transportation Minister René Cortázar led round-table negotiations Thursday evening with seven trucking union directors, including CNDC President Juan Araya, to reach an agreement on fuel tax relief. To strike a deal, the government agreed to kick back 80 percent of the fuel taxes now paid by truckers. Initially, the government proposed a 25 percent reimbursement, then a 50 percent reimbursement.

After several tense hours and at least four different offers, Cortázar raised his offer to an 80 percent return on truckers' fuel taxes. Near 2 a.m. Friday morning, Araya finally compromised and called off the strike.

Remember just a couple months ago independent truckers tried to organize a one week strike in America to protest the high cost of diesel.... They couldn't pull it off because they lack the organization and our economy is probably too big to pull this off.  Chile is a nation 30 to 40 miles wide (literally), and over 3,000 miles long.  The primary economy is located around Santiago and Valparaiso the major port, and all within an hour and a half drive.

Notice who the strike was against though... not the oil companies, not some big mean low wage paying company... no Chile has a thriving free market economy.... the strike was against the high fuel taxes levied by the government!

Talk about forcing a tax holiday on the Federal Government... well it happened.. because the truckers needed a break, and the citizens know who ends up paying for higher fuel prices, and the associated taxes... Them!

Rut Ro Rickey!  There's more, what else did the citizens say?:

“What happens with all the drivers that also use their car every day to go to work?” Zaldívar asked. El Mercurio's survey of 600 residents in greater Santiago found that 83.5 percent of participants said the same tax relief should be extended to taxis, and 82.3 percent said buses should get the same rights, too. Over three-fourths said the tax rebate should even extend to certain passenger vehicles.

This looks like it needs more research, but apparently the gas tax is set on a percentage of the fuel price, and not per gallon like the Federal and State gas taxes here in the USA...  My God, if our taxes were the same way with some tax-a-holics attitudes, the Feds and states will be wishing for a percentage too!

If that were the case, we'd never get to drill in ANWR or offshore... It would drive down the price of fuel, and the resulting gas tax collections.  Like our ever tax hungry pols, would ever go for that!

Argentina's Hillary, who literally succeeded her husband as President of Argentina is threatening the United Kingdom again over the Falkland Islands.  Undoubtedly she is following Hugo Chavez's example of after you finish screwing your economy up with socialist policies, delay being overthrown by rattling the sword at your neighbor.

Her Husband did the same thing earlier, and I thought Hugo was behind that.

 I have a solution to Great Britain's short term military needs to put an end to the sabre rattling.  Simply lease her the newly retired USS John F. Kennedy, or some of our retired smaller LHD amphibious assault ships to supplement their navy.  I think a dollar per month should suffice.

That will save lives, because rather than lose power, Argentina may just initiate war to divert the public's attention.  It's happened before, and we should make no bones about supporting the UK, who has been steadfast allies to the USA in the War on Terror.

Out of all seriousness, I have felt that the UK wanted to get their limited Military resources out of Iraq because of this kind of a threat.  They were way over stretched last time they had to retake the islands, and they have further down sized their military since.  Argentina knows this, and now that Chavez bought Argentina's debts from the World Bank, where will the sanctions come from?  These people may very well take that gamble.

(Click to see Hugo do the Al Zawaqari)

Seems that all the insults and world touring has landed "The Mouth of South America" out of favor with The Saab Group, which has supplied Venezuela with arms for last twenty years, according to this BBC article.  An excerpt:

Saab says it cannot continue sales of anti-aircraft and anti-tank devices to Venezuela because of a US arms embargo against President Chavez's government.  Saab subsidiary Bofors has supplied Venezuela's armed forces for 20 years. Under the terms of the American restrictions, no factory in the world may sell weapons to Venezuela that contain components made in the US. Bofors will cut its commercial ties to Venezuela on 1 October, complying with the strict embargo put in place by Washington back in May.  The Swedes have in the past sold anti-aircraft missiles, rocket launchers and anti-tank rifles to Venezuela worth around $150m (£80m). There are no new arms contracts in the pipeline at the moment.  But President Chavez will soon need to replenish his stocks of ammunition and missiles.

This of course just means that Hugo will be off to the old Soviet Arms Bazaar, where he picked up a lot of AK-47's recently. Why? Even the BBC speculates:

But it is the group's military training which has attracted attention. Critics say Venezuela's new military reserves are intended more to intimidate domestic opponents than to repel foreign invaders.

Like the good socialist he is arming "his people" much like Hitler had his "Brown Shirts" to spread his political will upon, you know, the "other people".

 Click here for latest report from our Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, it seems:

Media sources indicate that on Thursday, July 20, 2006, demonstrations will be held throughout Venezuela to show support for the Palestinian and Arab communities. One Caracas march will reportedly begin at Parque del Este at 9:00 and proceed to the Israeli Embassy in La Carlota. Other reports mention a march from Caracas’ Parque Cristal to both the U.S. and Israeli embassies. In Maracaibo and other cities, organizers are calling for participants to gather in each city’s respective Plaza Bolivar at 9:00 a.m.

Wonder who is organizing that?

(click to see Chavez doing Zarqawi's last dance)

 UPI news reports:

Argentina renews Falklands pursuit

Jun. 30, 2006 at 5:03PM

Argentina has reinitiated its claim to the Falklands Islands looking for international support on the issue, La Nacion reported Friday.  Lawmakers created a commission Thursday to actively pursue the handing over of the islands off its coast from the British.  Argentine President Nestor Kirchner is also backing the initiative amid a controversy over fishing licenses in the seas near the islands.  Argentina fought a brief war with Britain over the islands in 1982.

I smell Hugo Chavez in this... He has been using petro dollars to buy influence in South America, and although he does not really want a direct war with the US, what do you bet he may be "egging on" Argentina to retake the Falklands, or at least threaten to do so?  What would be his angle, probably to make himself "heard on the world stage", and set himself up as a leader to be reckoned with.  His leverage, 10% of the oil imports to the United States...  If we dare intervene he will threaten to cut off our oil.

(concept for future Brit Carrier) If you are curious, take a peek at this previous post on STD.  If Argentina is going to make a move they better do so now before Britain replaces it's three aging carriers only capable of handling Harrier Jump Jets, with two new modern ones.
The Brits are looking at purchasing the F-35 JSF for the carriers, but there has been issues over technology transfer.

Here is a great read by someone who has "his finger on the pulse" of Latin American Politics, Andrew Clem over at Blog With No Name. (Click on Thumbnail for full size).  Andrew is a rarity, a conservative college professor....

This is a great resource, click on the flag of each country to get a summary on that country's, history, geography (usually shapes history), Culture, Politics, and Andrew's take on the it's prospects.

Note also the color co-ordination of the map as hot (red) vs. cold (green) (most stable) for political climate.   Also of interest today is this WaPo article concerning American "Expatriates" living in Argentina. I have never been there, but would love to go. This article sure is "glowing" of the experience.  I have been to Chile twice, and really enjoyed both trips.  The people are friendly, the food is good, the beer better, and the snowboarding is a great!!!