Hugo Chavez Should Look to Saddam Hussein as a Warning

When I criticized Hugo Chavez on a blog once, I was asked why I disliked him so much. I had to retreat from my assault because I had no examples of such high crimes as Saddam Hussein. I also realized that many around the world do not have the ability to recognize a thug before it is obvious. To me it is already obvious that Hugo Chavez is a thug moving in a direction toward tyranical dictatorship.

Such people at this stage begin with solidifying their power base. Once the power base is secured to a strong enough degree, there is no stopping them in whatever they want to do within their own country. Any citizen who has something the dictator wants must yield it or die: a beautiful wife or daughter, valuable land, a successful business. To maintain the power base and guard against overthrow or assasination thousands must then die. They may be innocent, but their deaths will serve as an example to others who might think of such things.

Chavez has taken another step in solidifying his power base. Captains Quarters Blog is posting about Chavez shutting down a broadcast station he views as hostile to his regime. Chavez is denying freedom of speech and freedom of the press to Radio Caracas TV. This station 's actions that have garnered such loss of freedom:

- Support of the coup that briefly removed Chavez from power
- Support of a 2003 protest strike against Chavez
- Support of the opposition in the election against Chavez

Captain Ed also provided a good link to a Reporters Without Borders 2006 report listing several other attacks by Chavez against a free press. The writing on the wall is clear. The direction that Chavez is going is undeniable. However there are those who look at the social programs of Chavez, the cheap heating oil gestures to the poor in the U.S., the cheap shots against the U.S. calling Bush the Devil. Some think that loss of freedom of speech is worth it. Some think loss of a free press is OK. They think that the move toward tyrannical dictatorship is something to yawn over. They, however, will not be there to suffer when the murdering and torture begins. They will safely be in their country that enjoys freedom from such "inconveniences".

The world body yawns and shrugs against the same loss of liberty in other parts of the world: the middle east, Russia, China, North Korea. They only awake from their stupor to laugh when a "leader" from these regions attempts to shove a stick into the eye of America. They are only angered when such thugs are challenged by the U.S. It is these liberals who claim to care about people and yet let thousands fall under these threatening dictators. It is liberals who claim to care about freedom of speech and the press, yet look away when their hero takes away such freedom.

Hugo Chavez will go the way of Saddam Hussein. He may not commit atrocities to the level of Saddam; but if his direction is not successfully challenged, he will have much blood on his hands before he dies. Justice has come to Saddam. Chavez should look and fear, because it may come to him one day if he pursues this path.