Christian Leader Urges Chavez Assassination

The debate over the proper role of religious leaders in shaping governmental policy has heated up again. CNN reports today that Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson has called for the United States to assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Robertson said Chavez is attempting to make Venezuela "a launching pad for Communist infiltration and Muslim extremism all over the continent." On yesterday's 700 Club, Robertson said: "If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it. It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war." He called Chavez "a dangerous enemy to our south, controlling a huge pool of oil, that could hurt us badly." He continued: "We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with." The CNN story also links to a video of Robertson's full remarks.