Venezuela and Al Qaeda

Both Boz and Ka have noted the fact that a Saudi branch of Al Qaeda has called for attacks on suppliers of oil to the U.S., including Mexico and Venezuela, and how this confuses the antagonism between Presidents Bush and Chávez.

In fact, it seems to be confusing the Chávez administration. One of his military advisors was quoted as saying it was illogical that “al Qaeda, which is against North American imperialism, would go against a state that is fighting, though in a different way, against that hegemony." A Venezuelan lawmaker claimed that the U.S. was the source of the threat.

I think what we’re seeing here is the limitation to the “enemy of my enemy is my friend” foreign policy that Chávez has been pursuing. We hear all the time about insidious Middle Eastern influences in Venezuela, most notably Iran, but the common strategic interests are almost nonexistent. Although Chávez may like to think he is emerging as the leader of an anti-U.S. policy camp, Al Qaeda has every reason to distrust him because for all his rhetoric, Chávez helps keep the U.S. economy humming along by exporting oil and continuing to invite capitalist investment even as he begins nationalization in some sectors.