Chavez May Help Hostages In Columbia

Gov. Richardson Says The Venezuelan President Is "Disposed To Help" Americans Held Hostage

(AP)  New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson says Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is "disposed to help" three American hostages who are being held captive by rebels in Colombia.

Richardson says he had a "very productive meeting" with Chavez on the issue Saturday night.

The Democratic governor is in Venezuela not as an official envoy but at the request of the hostages' families. The former U.S. presidential candidate and energy secretary has experience as a troubleshooter in other countries.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia captured the three American defense contractors when their plane crashed in the Colombian jungle in February 2003. Richardson also has expressed concern for other hostages including French-Colombian captive Ingrid Betancourt.

[jackie0428]

Good job MichaelT302! You totally owned BrianBWB. What a hateful traitor Brian is. Right now I envision him in bed with good old Hugo Chavez, his fat gay lover.

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by michaelt302

Excuse the break, I had to go to the toilet to take a 302.

As I was saying, if you were to insult me by calling me the n-word, and if I took physical umbrage, I could, and probably would be charged with assault (possibly with intent to kill, or do great bodily harm).

There is a slight possibility that a judge would mitigate the charges by saying you provoked the incident, but if he held strictly to the law, he would find me guilty, because an insult is no legal justification for such a grievous assault as a reaction.

It is called law, you do know the definition of the word, right?

If I took physical action against every person that used the n-insult to me, the WTC casualties would be fewer in number.

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by michaelt302

In fact, until you can show where any of Chavez'' complaints against the US are untrue, you are really blowing gas out of the wrong end.

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by michaelt302

As far as calling me an as*hole, that means nothing to me, as also your insults mean nothing.

As far as threats to kill, this is a bit more serious, as it forces me to adopt a self defense strategy, but when have you heard that from Chavez? To date there is no quotation of Chavez threatening to kill any Americans, and if there are Americans in Colombia meddling where they should not, the consequences are entirely their own fault.

"if you try to deny this, you are in effect saying I and others can go around screaming %u201CNi****ger!%u201D at all black people, right? And it would do no harm and not be construed as a threat, right?"

You absolutely can, it is your right under the constitution, and since you have taken this opportunity to try so, feel free. But when someone objects, and boycotts your workplace, then you have only yourself to blame. Those who object still don''t have the right to commit violence against you, idiotic speech is no justification, but they also don''t have to do business with you.

The n-word itself, from a "white" person, spoken in the usual ignorance, is not a threat, it is only an insult, there is a difference. If you use the n-word, and then also threaten me, the n-word is only your sorry justification for your threat, but your threat is what I would react to.

[rushlimpdrug]

colombia

columbia

anyway you spell that whole country is too stupid
to fix anything.

[hungry1968]

Don''t worry Bush and Rice - Carter, Richardson, and HUGO CHAVEZ are doing your jobs for you!!!!

[ringading3]

And you thought Jimmy Carter was stupid, look at this fool.

[ringading3]

Bill "Fidel" Richardson has sunk even lower if that was possible. Truly an American TRAITOR!

[b0ludo]

Columbia? Who helped with the research on this article, Dan Quayle? Colombia... Repeat after me... C O L O M B I A ...

[rushlimpdrug]

The irony.

Colombia is our "friend".

They supply us with all the drugs we can devour.

Venezuela is the enemy.

Chavez is the enemy.

So the enemy comes to rescue some Americans
from our friends.

American hostages in Columbia: 3

American hostages in Venezuela: 0

[downsteamjim]

Notice the secret handshake.

[ranger1948]

I think th hostilities are between bush and Chavez, not with the U.S. If we can bette our relationships with his country why not ? He hasn''t tried to force his ideas on how to live on us.

Great move Gov Richardson, this might be all you need to get a cabinet position from Obama.

[zertrat]

Andrew,
Wake up, dude. This IS the Columbia in MO. This is Hogo Chavez, younger brother of the Venezuelan president, who is a state representative from the 17th district, a Libertarian. He and Bill Richordson are old friends.

[andrew_693]

IT''S SPELLED "COLOMBIA" NOT COLUMBIA YOU MORONS. COLUMBIA IS IN MISSOURI. WHERE THE F...K DO THESE PEOPLE GO TO SCHOOL.

[brianbwb-2009]

In fact, any reasonable person who might very well have the ability to free the American hostages, might read comments such as "RowdyTexan''s" and "taylor2124''s", and be sorely tempted to say "Ok then, let the hostages rot where they are."

Any other reasonable people could not truthfully blame him for doing so.

[brianbwb-2009]

Should Chavez succeed in getting the hostages released, then all the idiots here will find yet another excuse for their hate. It is simply the nature of less educated people to hate without reason.

Chavez has done nothing to the US, has not attacked, Has sent no "terrorists", and yet the "Pat Robertson 700 Taliban Club" has already issued a fatwa calling for Chavez'' death.

[taylor2124]

Extraordinary photo opportunity. One fat fu*king lying dumbsh*t loser as*swipe shaking hands with yet another fat f*ucking lying dumbsh*t loser as*swipe.. The odds of this occurring again in our lifetimes: a billion to one.

[maestrus]

Congratulations Governor Bill Richardson for your humanitarian initiative and your meeting with Mr. Chavez! This not the first time that Bill Richardson have met foreign leaders or head of regimes whose policies and social values are different and contrary to our Democratic ones. It is well know that the Colombian guerrillas welcome initiatives from the Venezuelan president.

[ranger1948]

I don''t approve of Richardsons politics but i think this might be a good thing. We don''t agree with Cavez and how he runs his country, but i think it is none of our business. If we stop trying to tell the rst of the world how to live then i think we will have a lot more friends than enemies.