Chavez and Gaddafi Labor to Redefine Terrorism in More Acceptable Terms

Apparently Venezuela's President-for-life Hugo Chavez and Muammar Gaddafi are trying to redefine terrorism.

From Benedict Mander at the Financial Times (Via Drudge Report): "Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi have joined forces to urge the world to redefine 'terrorism'.

"After a summit last weekend for African and South American leaders on the Venezuelan island of Margarita, the two leaders signed a document rejecting attempts to link terrorism to 'the legitimate struggle of the people for liberty and self-determination'.

"While emphasising the importance of attacking terrorism 'in all its forms, including state terrorism', the controversial duo called for an international conference to establish a new definition for the concept of terrorism."

I'm sure all the free world will breathe a sigh of relief, now that two people so intimately associated with terrorism are on the job. But where do the Gaddafi/Chavez dream team believe "real" terrorism lies?

"The two leaders – who have both come under attack from the US and others for allegedly supporting terrorism – also pushed for wholesale reform of the United Nations Security Council, which Mr Gaddafi referred to as the 'Terror Council' at the UN General Assembly last week.

"Mr Chávez, who denies accusations of backing the Colombian Marxist guerrilla group FARC, generated unease during the summit when one of his ministers said that Iran was helping Venezuela in the detection and testing of uranium deposits in remote areas near the Brazilian border. Another minister subsequently denied that this was the case, stating that Venezuela was only working with Russia to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

"Calling for an 'anti-imperialist' front across Africa and Latin America, Mr Gaddafi and Mr Chávez also proposed the establishment of a South Atlantic Treaty Organization to rival Nato. They also mooted the creation of a bank spanning the two continents, following the recent inauguration of South America’s Bank of the South with start-up capital of $7bn that is to be increased to $20bn.

"'We are changing history, we are standing up to imperialism, to the bourgeoisie and backwardness, to 500 years of colonialism that has assaulted our people,' said Mr Chávez [emphasis mine]."

Ah ha! So, real terrorism comes from the UN Security Council, and imperialism, and the bourgeoisie's backwardness and colonialism. Got it.

So really, terrorism doesn't exactly exist-- at least not in the way we think of. I mean sure, terrorism is traditionally thought of as violence targeting civilian populations to bring about political change through fear, threats of further violence and coercion, but actually it's just a manifestation of violent class struggle. And the real terrorists are those who oppress the struggling masses with their backward bourgeois colonialism and such. Hmm. Where have I heard that before?

"Mr Chávez earlier also singled out Zimbabwe’s leader, Robert Mugabe, for praise during the summit meeting over the weekend. 'I wish to give our moral, spiritual and political support to Mugabe and the people of Zimbabwe,' Mr Chávez said. 'They seek to make Mugabe pay for being anti-colonialist.'"

Ah yes... that final shout out to the brutal thug Mugabe. Classy.