From the rhetoric used by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as reported by Al Jazeera, he just might be planning a preemptive attack on the United States.

According to the published report,  Chavez said "the US government, allegedly frustrated by failed assassination plots against him, was now planning to sabotage the oil-producing country's economy."

Washington is preparing "to destroy Venezuela economically, he claimed."

As proof, Chavez mentioned comments by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accusing him of "destroying" his country's economy meant that "the imperialist plan of the moment" had turned to economic sabotage.

He also said the US government is plotting to kill him.

"We've neutralized various attempts, and I have faith we will continue neutralizing them. But they won't rest," Chavez is quoted as saying.

And this from the Al Jazeera report: "Chavez said that recent urgings by George Bush, the US president, for his country to reduce its oil dependency on unfriendly nations, including Venezuela, meant that Venezuela was already on 'the drawing table' and Washington was laying its plans."

Where have we heard this type of convoluted reasoning before?