Great point,
What bothers me are the recent comments made by Chavez about our U.S. President. Like Bush or not, this is uncalled for and a lack of common sense; is this guy running on all cylinders? Where is the media outrage?

The leader of Iran lied during his speech last night about nuclear inspections; no media outrage!

The Pope makes a comment about some Muslims, true but “insensitive” in these times. And the religion of peace is burning effigies and has killed one catholic envoy, what’s up?

This is frustrating, at times I feel as we should not be the stewards of the world and erect a large wall around our nation, protect our home. But I know this is not realistic. This whole situation and these small fires we are involved with all over the world are frustrating!

I have often heard from people who are angry with the Venezuelans for electing Chavez that the election was somehow rigged or more strongly stated, as you do: “a complete fraud.” However, I have not heard a single credible piece of evidence supporting these statements. If you have any shred of evidence I would be glad to respond to it. Incidentally, the mid-morning poll issued by Sumate, the opposition group involved in the coup attempt against Chavez, has been so thoroughly discredited that I may not bother if that is your only source. However, from the people and organizations who were in Venezuela and observed the election, I believe there is unanimity that the election was free and fair despite the fact that Chavez was elected. In Venezuela, the Embassy of the United States issued a press release entitled: “US Supports Efforts of OAS and Carter Center in Venezuela.” Amnesty International’s report: “Venezuela Human Rights under Threat,” credits negotiations mediated by the Carter Center and the OAS led to an agreement between the government and the opposition umbrella organization, the Coordinadora Democrática, committing both sides to seek a "constitutional, peaceful, democratic and electoral solution to the crisis."

The US representative to the OAS, in a State Department information report, praised the Carter Center and OAS for “consummate diplomatic skill and political savvy” in surmounting “the obstacles placed in the path of the recall referendum by Chavez and his supporters.” The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs released a document, “Canada Reiterates support for OAS and Carter Center Efforts in Venezuela.” The EU expressed support as did many other organizations. Conversely, two Venezuelan reporters, supporters of Chavez, repeatedly attacked the Carter Center negotiators, incensed that they would call Chavez a “pariah” and accuse him of deliberately provoking the US. Referring to the Carter Center’s criticism of the Venezuelan government’s election council, Prensa Latina, Castro’s Havana newspaper, called for Chavez to reconsider having the Carter Center as election observers and called for the retraction of the “gross and irresponsible” declarations supposedly made by the Carter Center.

I agree with your statements about Cuba. In Cuba, President Carter gave a nationally televised speech calling for Cuban democracy as mandated by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which Cuba signed in 1947. He also pointed out that the Cuban constitution guaranteed free speech and association but that these freedoms were denied by Castro’s government. He also called for support of the Cuban Varela Project to allow public referendums to be voted on by Cubans and called for Castro to open his prisons to the Red Cross and UN Human Rights Commissioner. A complete transcript of the speech is available on-line. Somehow this gets translated into support for Castro and Chavez? There has never been a statement of support by President Carter for Castro. I do not understand why I am directed to review facts about Cuba which I already know and agree with.

On another subject, I use words like neo-conservative and neo-con to differentiate that wing of the Republican Party from traditional Republicans who are, in my opinion, more concerned with deficits, family values, gay marriage, small government and such and who do not support policies of pre-emptive war, torture and who are embarrassed to have the party line being such that they are forced to condemn the Geneva Conventions and people like Jack Murtha and Max Cleland. Believe it or not, I cannot remember when the last time was that I spoke to a Democratic Party official and I have not discussed any kind of policy with them in over 15 years.

President Carter has never been to Iran.

Finally, after having run on too long here, Rove revealed Plame’s name to Matt Cooper of Time magazine well before Novak’s article and confirmed Armitage’s leak to Novak. This was done for the partisan political reason of discrediting Joe Wilson in spite of the fact that the action would damage the security of the United States. Why, precisely, would you think that I should apologize to him?

dude is a damn good paper hanger.

Gerard, well written blog, right on, and you are truly a good american citizen.

Carter should keep his mouth shut. His administration will be recorded as one of the most inept, perhaps ahead of Andrew Johnson;s.

Thank you Mr. Jansen. Although the print media has long been a bastian of liberal pablum, reading a well written article by an informed citizen reminds me that common sense and integrity still exist - even among the words of the liberal libelists. You make me proud to have served our great nation in the military and remind me why I wanted to. As you are attacked and criticised for your personal beliefs in this media, remember to watch the votes roll in for a constant and clear reminder that the majority of Americans are still capable of clear and rational thought. Thank you again sir, may God bless you and God bless America.