U.S. All Thunder, No Stick on Venezuela's Chavez

Political tensions between Caracas and Washington have escalated rapidly in the past week. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has accused the Bush administration of supporting groups conspiring to assassinate him, while senior U.S. officials charge that Chavez's support for Cuba and his frequent spats with Colombia are "not constructive" for regional democracy and stability. The noise levels could increase in coming weeks, but the Bush administration doesn't have any options for bringing Chavez to heel.