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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 1-Oct-2013
1-Oct-13 World View -- Venezuela blames disastrous economy on U.S. economic 'sabotage'

Web Log - October, 2013

1-Oct-13 World View -- Venezuela blames disastrous economy on U.S. economic 'sabotage'

Terrorist attack in northwest Pakistan 3rd Sunday in a row

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

Terrorist attack in northwest Pakistan 3rd Sunday in a row
Venezuela blames disastrous economy on U.S. economic 'sabotage'

I know that this is hard to believe, but there's actually been news in other places around the world besides Washington.

Terrorist attack in northwest Pakistan 3rd Sunday in a row

The historic Qissa Khwani bazaar marketplace in Peshawar, Pakistan, on a 'normal' day

The historic Qissa Khwani bazaar marketplace in Peshawar, Pakistan, on a 'normal' day

Two car bombs exploded in the historic Qissa Khwani bazaar marketplace in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Sunday, killing at least 42 people. A two story building collapsed, and at least 50 shops were damaged or completely destroyed.

This is the third Sunday in a row where a major terrorist attack has occurred in or around Peshawar -- an attack killed three army officers on September 15 in Upper Dir, just north of Peshawar, and a major attack on a Christian Church in Peshawar on September 22 killed 84. In addition, on Friday, bomb blew up a bus carrying government employees on the edge of Peshawar, killing 18 people.

This would appear to be the final nail in the coffin of the plan by the new prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, to negotiate with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP - the Pakistani Taliban) to end terrorist attacks in Pakistan. As soon as the peace talks were proposed, the TTP immediately started to impose conditions: TTP prisoners must be released from jail, the army must be withdrawn from the tribal areas where it has been fighting the Taliban, and the government must agree to impose Sharia law on the country. And then the TTP stepped up its terror attacks. So the TTP is humiliating the Pakistan government with promises of peace talks in the same way that Russia and Syria are humiliating the American government. Daily Times (Pakistan) and LA Times

Venezuela blames disastrous economy on U.S. economic 'sabotage'

As we wrote last week, Venezuela's economy is approaching full-scale hyperinflation, with the inflation rate at 45.4%, thanks to the extravagant spending and vote-buying by the late president, Hugo Chávez. (See "26-Sep-13 World View -- Venezuela's economy approaches full-scale hyperinflation")

The country is plagued by shortages of everything from milk and cooking oil to toothpaste and toilet paper, and now Chávez's Socialist successor, Nicolás Maduro, has decided to blame the United States. According to Maduro in a televised speech to the nation:

"We detected a group of U.S. embassy officials dedicated to meeting the far-right and to financing and encouraging acts of sabotage against the electrical system and Venezuela's economy.
I have the proof here in my hands. ... Yankees go home! Get out of Venezuela! Get out of here! I don't care what actions the government of Barack Obama takes. I'm not going to allow any action that stirs violence in this country."

There's no U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela, so Maduro has expelled America's chargé d'affaires in Venezuela, along with two diplomats.

Apparently, not everyone in Venezuela agrees with Maduro. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles called Maduro's speech a "joke alert," and said, "It's just smoke to cover up that they can't manage the country!" Reuters

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 1-Oct-13 World View -- Venezuela blames disastrous economy on U.S. economic 'sabotage' thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (1-Oct-2013) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 1-Oct-2013 1-Oct-13 World View -- Venezuela blames disastrous economy on U.S. economic 'sabotage'

Terrorist attack in northwest Pakistan 3rd Sunday in a row

Venezuela blames disastrous economy on U.S. economic 'sabotage'

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 1-Oct-2013
1-Oct-13 World View -- Venezuela blames disastrous economy on U.S. economic 'sabotage'