The American Kestrel has been doing yeoman work on the Venezuela situation. Chavez, as we all expected, is digging in his heels and preparing for a fight. How much of this couple had been avoided if Sen. Chris Dodd had allowed a vote on Otto Reich to State's top Latin American post is open to question. But letting the "go along to get along" careerists run the show certainly hasn't helped in an area where we need vigah in our diplomacy.