Some Common Ground With Venezuela

The Obama administration's decision last week to open diplomatic relations with Venezuela got relatively little media fanfare, probably due to the unfolding situation in Iran. But it was significant, given that 1) chilly relations had given the appearance of warming when President Obama shook hands with Hugo Chavez at a summit in April, 2) Venezuela is a top supplier of oil to the U.S., and 3) Chavez has cultivated a relationship with Iran, specifically Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, backing the Iranian president's declared election victory and accusing the U.S. and Europe of stirring up the protests. Now the U.S. and Venezuela find themselves on the same side of the Honduran coup, at least.