A chavez topic

[Seamus Fermanagh]

So is the US deal actually of much benefit to America , or is it just an attempt to annoy Chavez ?

Economically, no. It's more expensive to do the ethanol thing than it is to exploit known reserves etc. Politically, it lets the administration throw a sop to the enviro-republicans and claim they're actually "doing something" about dependency on foreign oil. More political theater than actual substance if you ask me.