Venezuela warns Colombia and US

[Razor61]

I see Chevez is kicking off again in his little country...

He has told his forces to prepare for war against Colombia. The US has issued the Colombian forces with more than 120 Blackhawks to provide a new airborne unit specifically if a war with Chevez comes through. They say that previously they have only equipped themselves to do operations against the FARC but they are now building a fire base on the border with Venezuela to hold around 1,000 troops to protect the locals in the area.
Meanwhile, up to 2,000 rebels of both sides are in between both forces on the border and are gearing up for operatins against both countries' army.

And now, Chevez has just accused the US of flying spyplanes over the country.

Together with the fact that Venezuela has become rather friendly with a Bear and Blackjack toting country wanting to base the bombers there to give Russia a power projection in the Caribbean Sea.

Just off the coast in the Dutch Antilles there are US F-16s patrolling the sea just miles off the coast.

So, is it going to kick off sooner rather than later? Would the US fully support Colombia with military operations if Chevez did declare war?
With the US being Colombias primary ally and the fact there is a great deal of Special Forces Operations of both the US and other countries (including the UK) then surely this would not be a simple Colombia vs Venezuela.

It could be very complicated if the **** hits the fan regarding US co-operation and of course what will the Russians say now they have Venezuela as a major ally offering a base to them?

[zotbox]

Chavez won't play ball with the US, and has aligned himself with the US's greatest thorn in the side in the Region, Cuba, as well as flirting with Russia.

He survived the 2002 Coup attempt (Which may or may not have had US backing), maintains popular support from the grass roots of Venezualan society (If not the Middle classes) and won't relinquish control of all that lovely oil he has.
He also appears decidedly ungrateful for all of those lovely F-16's Venezuala was sold.

It is no surprise that Venezuala is coming under increasing pressure from the regions (worlds?) only superpower to get in line.

It is after all, "America's back yard"

I know, I read too much Chomsky:ugh:

[ORAC]

The Colombian army has about 130 helicopters - total. Of those about 50 are Black Hawks, most of which were supplied years ago, and another 50 are UH-1H which were supplied donkey years ago.

If there's an arms race going on it's from the Venezuelan side which has been purchasing large numbers of aircraft and tanks of late - and whjo are the one's who have been mobilised and moved up to the border.

It's Chavez who's sabre rattling, largely to distract attention from the massive problems he has at home with inflation, electricity shortages etc.

[NG_Kaptain]

What about Chavez's close ties with al-Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah etc.?

[Biggus]

No doubt Tony Blair thinks that replacing Chavez is "the right thing to do"?

[Jeep]

Biggus - We all think it would be the right thing to do. How we would do it would be a good debate.

[Biggus]

....and Mugabe, Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong-il? Where do you stop?

[Rory57]

Now would be a good time for the Royal Navy to have a carrier group to send on exercise in the Caribbean......

[minigundiplomat]

:E
I see Chevez is kicking off again


Probably because you spelt his name wrong.......

[Davey Emcee]

I see the spelling you used when you spelled spelt could be another reason for "kicking off".:ok:

[Op_Twenty]

I know, I read too much Chomsky It looks like most guys posting here would do well to go and read the great man's work. Maybe then they could develop an educated opinion and not some American regurgitated bullc$%p.

Have a look at 'The War on Democracy' by John Pilger and also 'Chavez - Inside the Coup' by Kim Bartley. When you've done that go and find 'The Power of Nightmares' - an excellent documentary by the BBC.

Try not to believe everything that you read in the Daily Mail. You're supposed to be able to think for yourselves, investigate, research and come to your own conclusions for crying out loud, it's embarrassing when you post such stupid comments, it brings down the whole forum.

I know that this is a blanket rant on this particular post and please appreciate that this is only aimed at those guys who are lazy and allow themselves to believe the spin - it is not aimed at those on here that I know post intelligent, reasoned and thoughtful arguments - sorry you had to read this.

For those others, go read Chomsky, Naomi Klein (Shock Doctrine), Mark Curtis, Thomas Frank - any of those will get you started, and all those documentaries above can be found on Google Videos, so you don’t even have to put in any effort whatsoever to educate yourselves. Watch ‘The Power of Nightmares’ and that should give you a good start point.

[minigundiplomat]

I see the spelling you used when you spelled spelt could be another reason for "kicking off".http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gif


Both 'spelled' and 'spelt' are technically correct. 'Spelled' being considered the correct version of the word in the US.

I'm not in the US :ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok:

[t43562]

I've heard Chavez praise Mugabe. Since I'm from Zimbabwe I don't need any information from Chomsky or the Daily Mail or anyone else to know what kind of a thing, since I don't like using the word man for such people, he is from this fact alone.

I hope that there's no fighting because people rally against outsiders even when the insiders are worse.

As it is I think he benefits in every way because he can sabre rattle and boast and not expect any reaction. At home everyone will think him brave for pulling this off but I doubt he'll actually do anything much (famous last words etc) because that would have to provoke reaction and he'd risk losing completely with corresponding loss of face.

He's probably a mover in the FARC/whatever reunion and that's a nice safe way for him to destabilise Colombia.

[West Coast]

It's Chavez who's sabre rattling, largely to distract attention from the massive problems he has at home with inflation, electricity shortages etc.


Exactly. Chavez might want to study the actions of Argentina's 45th President before going to far down that road.