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Source: MSNBC
August 23, 2005 Author: AP

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson called on Monday for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, calling him a “terrific danger” to the United States.

Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition of America and a former presidential candidate, said on “The 700 Club” it was the United States’ duty to stop Chavez from making Venezuela a “launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism.”

Chavez has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of President Bush, accusing the United States of conspiring to topple his government and possibly backing plots to assassinate him. U.S. officials have called the accusations ridiculous.

“You know, I don’t know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we’re trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it,” Robertson said. “It’s a whole lot cheaper than starting a war ... and I don’t think any oil shipments will stop.”

Electronic pages and a message to a Robertson spokeswoman were not immediately returned Monday evening.

Venezuela is the fifth largest oil exporter and a major supplier of oil to the United States. The CIA estimates that U.S. markets absorb almost 59 percent of Venezuela’s total exports.

Tense relations

Venezuela’s government has demanded in the past that the United States crack down on Cuban and Venezuelan “terrorists” in Florida who they say are conspiring against Chavez.

Robertson accused the United States of failing to act when Chavez was briefly overthrown in 2002.

“We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability,” Robertson said.

“We don’t need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator,” he continued. “It’s a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with.”

i heard about this on Good Morning America... this bastard is crazy. he is a bigot and a liar, i cannot stand him. i hope he burns in hell.

man that feels good! . top of the hour, sportscenter is on now, see ya.

This old bastard is sick in the head.



He needs to stop preaching what leader to kill next, and start preaching the different ways they can all go to hell.

Everywhere you go there's a nut. This is what happens when people are filled with self-righteousness. Suddenly their judgements are perfect. Suddenly they know who should be killed and who shouldn't. Robertson's a minister and he's advocating assasination!! A clear demonstration why religious freaks should steer clear of politics. As Jesus (PBUH) once said, render unto Ceasar that which is Ceasars and unto God that which is Gods.

BTW, if someone said something like this about BUSH there is no doubt in my mind he/she would be aprehended by the secret service... why is this case any different? shouldn't this be considered a threat? freedom of speech aside, this is clearly a threat to a government official, foriegn or domestic. shouldn't this televangelist bigot be investigated or something? whats going on here?

Definately borders on inciting violence. One thing if it were a private conversation, another when it's on national TV. I hate television evangelists anyway. Bilking money out of poor old pensioners.

Bordering on incitement? He called for the assasination of a head of state. If he weren't bush's best friend, he'd be in jail right now.

I like CNN's title: Robertson's Fatwa

Lion
I don't know if he'd be in jail right now. Also, he advocated a government action, not private action. That would make incitement tough to prove. The defense would be "I was saying the government should do this, not private citizens." Advocating government sanctioned violence does not meet the definition of incitement.

While even the Venezualen government is not calling for his arrest, I would hope the White House will distance themselves from Robertsons remarks as quickly as possible. Chavez is annoying and an asshole, but he won't be governing Venezuala forever. Assassination of enemy political leaders is a slippery slope and should really be reserved for only the most extreme circumstances.

Interesting points in the below. Although Rangel indicates Robertson has violated the law, I'm suspect about that. His comments were moronic, but even (maybe esspecially) television evangelists are not commiting a crime by being morons.


CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuela condemned American religious broadcaster Pat Robertson for suggesting President Hugo Chavez should be killed, saying he committed a crime that is punishable in the United States.

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Officials in Washington distanced themselves from Robertson, saying his statements did not reflect the position of the U.S. government.

Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel said Venezuela was considering legal action against Robertson for saying U.S. agents should "take out" Chavez, an outspoken critic of President Bush and close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

"There is a legal measure in the United States that condemns and punishes statements of this nature," Rangel said, referring to laws dealing with television broadcasts.

He said the U.S. response to Robertson's suggestion on Monday that the U.S. assassinate Chavez would be a test of its anti-terrorist policy.

"What is the U.S. government going to do regarding this criminal statement? The ball is in the U.S. court," Rangel said.

"It's a huge hypocrisy to maintain this discourse against terrorism and at the same time, in the heart of that country, there are entirely terrorist statements like those," he added.

Robertson said Chavez should be assassinated to stop Venezuela, the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, from becoming a "launching pad for communist influence and Muslim extremism."

The statements made by the conservative commentator could exacerbate already tense relations between Caracas and Washington.

When reporters in Cuba asked Chavez about Robertson's comments, he said he would prefer to "talk about life."

"What they say doesn't matter to me a bit," said Chavez.

Castro, who was stood next to Chavez stroking his beard, referred to Robertson's statements saying he thought "only God can punish crimes of such magnitude."

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld said he knew of no consideration ever being given to the idea of assassinating Chavez. "Our department doesn't do that kind of thing. It's against the law," he said.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack called Robertson's remarks "inappropriate."

"This is not the policy of the United States government. We do not share his views," McCormack said.

Political assassination was made off-limits by former President Ford in an executive order in the mid-1970s.

On Monday, Robertson said on the Christian Broadcast Network's "The 700 Club": "We have the ability to take him (Chavez) out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability."

"We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator," he continued. "It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with."

Robertson, a founder of the Christian Coalition of America and a supporter of Bush, has made controversial statements in the past. In October 2003, he suggested that the State Department be blown up with a nuclear device.

Chavez has irritated U.S. officials with his fiery rhetoric against American "imperialism" and his increasingly close ties to U.S. enemies such as Cuba and Iran. He says he is leading Venezuela toward socialism.

Chavez has accused Washington of backing a short-lived 2002 coup against him, a charge U.S. officials have denied. The former paratrooper is up for re-election next year, and polls suggest he is the favorite.

Americans have gone so much crazy that---a holly public figure---dares to order' a person to be killed!! I mean-----what happened to Thau shall not kill???? This is really bizarre!! The conservatives have really lost their grasp in reality!!


Long Live the return of the Liberals Lefties !!



Let us all sing John lenons song---- Imagine......

Basra
Down girl. First of all, he didn't "order it". He has no such authority. Secondly, nobody is picking up his "good idea" banner. Everyone is dinstancing themselves from the nut. So relax. The only thing one should be concerned about it some nut thinking that Robertson is a Christian version of Khomeini and Chavez is a version of Rushdie.

Mad mac.....


When i mean--- Order' ---i dont per se mean--the military one; i mean in the holly order' way-- u know---coming from a public christian religious figure!! Of course he has no authority-- but he has power--another nut like him who is a follower might take that has a holly revealation & execute it!!


Don't u agree--the American arogancy is starting to look like old Russia???? What happened to them--eh???


I have a feeling Europe will unite & make bring American to their sense soon! God Forbid!! We really desperately need a democratic intelectual president like Clinton --to take us back to civilisation & posperity! Enough with military presidents & the Bush's!!



All that agree--- please -----scream------- YEAHHHH!!

America will "come to its senses" on its own, because there is freedom of dialog. You know, this notion that some Somalis find repugnant called freedom of expression? Even now the dialog continues on which direction things should go.

I do agree a nut could take Robertsons guidance as some sort of divine directive, although clearly that would be a leap given his wording. But there are nuts all over the world. Most just don't get the air time that Robertson does. But let's face it, with this latest nonsense he's turned himself into a comical figure, even more than he already was.