Jim Lehrer asked about most of the major states: Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and yes, even Russia.
What was sorely lacking and probably most important? Venezuela. Why? See you on the flip.
Venezuela and Bolivia kicked out their US ambassadors. According to the LA Times (emphasis mine):
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Thursday that he was expelling the U.S. ambassador in the latest escalation of tensions between Washington and Latin American leftists.
Now, given that Venezuela and other Latin and South American countries are leaning left, and given that the US is engaging in rather "leftist" behaviors of buying banks (and hopefully restoring much-needed regulation), and given that Chavez has helped with fuel costs in the US (for some), and given that BushCo are screaming Drill baby Drill, and given that Hugo Chavez and Bush aren't the best of friends (ha), shouldn't we have a discussion about what's going on a lot closer to home?
Russia sent bombers and then battle ships to Venezuela and then today we hear that Venezuela has arranged to buy OIL and a bunch of weapons from the Russians. Does anyone remember the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Why wasn't this addressed in the debate?
I don't profess to be an expert in this area, but I thought given the importance of US-Russian relations, especially with what's been going on with Georgia, the topic of Venezuela should've made it into the debate.
What do you think?