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U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Wednesday he was worried about a planned purchase of 100,000 Russian assault rifles by Venezuela and said it could destabilize the hemisphere, Reuters reported. The comments were the latest in a string of accusations between Venezuelan left-wing President Hugo Chavez and Washington, including charges by Chavez this month that he has evidence the United States is planning to assassinate him. The charges have raised questions about whether the multibillion-dollar energy relationship between Washington and one of its top oil suppliers is at risk. The United States is the main destination for oil from Venezuela, the world’s No. 5 oil exporter. “I can’t imagine what’s going to happen to 100,000 AK-47s, I can’t imagine why Venezuela needs 100,000 AK-47s,” Rumsfeld told reporters in Brazil’s capital Brasilia, where he is on a two-day visit. “I hope it doesn’t happen and I can’t imagine, if it did happen, it would be good for the hemisphere. Certainly, I’m concerned.” U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has called Chavez a “negative force” in Latin America and there have been reports that the U.S. is worried the guns could fall into the hands of Colombia’s left-wing FARC guerrillas. Venezuelan has dismissed U.S. complaints over the weapons as “impertinence” and suggests Washington is upset it planned to purchase arms from Russia and not the United States. The government has said the assault rifles will replace the aging FAL rifles currently used by its armed forces. [more]

Greg Fuller Responds I am generally someone opposed to the world wide proliferation of arms big and small , but I find it beyond laughable , that any representative of the Bush administration would caution other countries about limiting the sale of assault rifles ; the hypocrisy is absolutely ludicrous . On the other hand , they can speak from experience ! But I'll bet the NRA didn't vet that speech Mr Rumsfeld! Your concern about the destabilizing effect of assault weapons is well placed, but how about the destabilizing effect assault rifles have had on our own communities and neighborhoods ? Maybe we should protect US citizens first before we protest the sale of 100,000 assault rifles in Venezuela ? Hell! Venezuela could simply copy the techniques of our own criminals and buy 100,000 assault rifles from some gun stores in the US South , the exaggeration is regrettably slight , if at all. Always the consummate businessman , ole Rummy is probably just trying to stir up more arm sales for his buddies at home , and for good measure , demagogue his good friend Hugo Chavez , in the process . This is truly one for Chris Rock or Jon Stewart's " The Daily Show " ; you can't make up stuff this ironic.

GOP Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) says violence against judges is understandable [more]