Could somebody pull this bastard's Christian card already? Pat Robertson has just proposed, on national television, to assassinate Hugo Chavez.
Last I checked, it was both immoral and illegal to murder people. It's against the Sixth Commandment, and it's against United States and international law. But it's just fine for that immoral bastard, Pat Robertson.
If it happens, Pat Robertson should be pulled in on a conspiracy charge.
Aug. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Television evangelist Pat Robertson told viewers of ``The 700 Club'' program that the U.S. should kill Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to stop the Latin American country becoming a ``launching pad'' for extremism.
Chavez, 51, has repeatedly accused U.S. President George W. Bush of backing efforts to topple his government, a charge the U.S. denies. The U.S. has alleged Venezuela is using its oil to undermine democracy in Latin America. Venezuela, the U.S.'s fourth-largest oil supplier, has threatened to cut off supplies.
``We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come to exercise that ability,'' Robertson said yesterday on the program, an audiotape of which was posted on the Web site of the Christian Broadcasting Network, founded by the cleric and based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. ``This is a dangerous enemy to our south controlling a huge pool of oil.''
Robertson said that Chavez is going to make Venezuela a ``launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism all over the continent.'' Killing Chavez, who is currently visiting Cuba, would be cheaper than starting a war, he said.
``We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one strong-arm dictator,'' Robertson said. ``It's a whole lot easier to let some of the covert operatives to do the job and get it over with."
First of all, Chavez is not a dictator. He's an elected president of a sovereign nation. And he's very popular. He's survived several electoral challenges, including a referendum.
We might not like his policies. There's that bit about land redistribution and that bit about stop trying to kill me or I'll not sell you my oil.
But Robertson is just beyond the pale.