United by Bush

I was asked what I thought about this:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez sealed their anti-American alliance Monday by laying the foundation stone of a joint petrochemical plant.

The two leaders pledged to "stand against all enemies," a reference to the United States, as they inaugurated construction of a 700-million-dollar methanol plant in the Asaluyeh industrial zone on the Gulf coast.http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Iran_Venezuela_seal_anti_US_allianc_07022007.html

My response was "not surprised". Both have been demonized by Bush, and both have demonized Bush. Both have reasons to fear America, and for both it is easier to blame America than to actually address the problems within their own countries.

Despite their cultural differences, the two are major oil producers and staunch opponents of US "hegemony and imperialism."

"A long step was taken to bolster brotherly ties between the two revolutionary, people's governments of Iran and Venezuela, whose goal is to build their countries and stand against all enemies," Ahmadinejad said.

"It's a glorious day. We're determined to build things together and give it as a gift to our nations," he added, as Chavez chimed in with snippets of Persian such as "eyval" or "bravo."

"Viva Iran and Venezuela and all revolutionary nations and death to the enemies," Ahmadinejad said.http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Iran_Venezuela_seal_anti_US_allianc_07022007.html

I'm not a fan of Chavez (although I do sometimes enjoy his bombastic rhetoric) or Ahmadinejad (who isn't the real power in Iran), but I don't find either particularly threatening. But given the Cheney administration's saber-rattling, I wouldn't be surprised to see more countries bonding together against America.