Venezuela’s Military Build-up: Who’s Watching the Guns?

[ConfuseUs]

True, Geek W/ .45, but we don't provide sanctuary for guerrillas fighting the established governments of neighboring states either. Also, Uncle Sam didn't import that hardware for favorite citizens to have, we imported it in spite of Uncle Sam. The devil is in the details.

 

[obxned]

Either the guns will be stolen and end up in the hands of some psycho petty tyrant or the guns will not be stolen and stay in the hands of some psycho petty tyrant.

 

[Maggoty]

oil is the only thing that matters in the eyes of the world looking at Venzuala, as long as the crude flows they could care less.

 

[Dravur]

hmmmm

I think that ole Hugo hasn't read to closely through "Fidel Castro's Comic Book series for Leading a Country"...

When things go bad in a socialist/communist nation.. the last thing you want is a bunch of unhappy peasants running around with guns... Hence the Democrats desire to disarm us.

But, when the peasants start marching in the street demanding freedom, a tinpot dictator would be better off to only have his guys armed.

Maybe Hugo can't read? or maybe the comic book series was penciled by Bill Sienkewics....

 

[bl4ckd0g]

At least Castro had a PhD and could throw a baseball worth a damn. Chavez's Lake Maracaibo cash cow has run dry with the major oil producers pulling out of the region, especially since they're "once bitten and twice shy" from the oil industry repatriation in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Paraguay.

I'm beginning to think that he's just a puppet for the FARC and Colombia is part to blame by outlawing the AUC.

I would assume that there would be a potential border clash w/ Guyana to the south, since the Venezuelan equivalent of Fox News has complained of the US CIA arming local farmer militias for armed insurrection.

This will be a rather fun downwards spiral of a dictatorship.

 

[pcosmar]

Just another case of "Blowback". The CIA has been naughty again.
This will be yet another front in the never ending war.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

Sounds like the beginning of the movie "Red Dawn" which I watched last night on AMC. Not that it's going to happen but it is interesting that a movie made over 25 years ago forecasts Venezuela a communist trouble spot with territorial ambitions.

 

[Kacerdias]

I agree with Dravur. Hugo had better keep his citizenry happy. Otherwise he's just armed those who would aim to overthrow him. South American dictators don't tend to die of "natural causes"....

 

[thegriz]

Let's follow suit

Let the arms race begin. GW should be arming all the US citizens with full auto ak's in case of a Hugo Chavez invasion! I'm ready for mine.

 

[Mumwaldee]

I can't say it any better than Outlaws already has.

It’s time to start asking some tough questions about the rifles and President Chavez’s plan for protecting them.

It's time to start minding our own damned business and let them worry about it themselves.

 

[Hugo]

Just realized the irony of my user name. Doh!

Chavez is a wannabe "Big Famous leader" like Castro and is building a personality cult. The nut wants statues and maybe a city named after him, just like Stalin. I would give him five years tops. His mismanagement and screw ups tick off neighboring countries, most of which are sick of Castro and don't want another one making South America look like that crazy cousin we all know to the rest of the world. South America wants to really boom like Asia economically and through tourism. War and crazy leaders stops that pretty fast. Doesn't Brazil have a pretty good military? I bet their Generals have a few plans just in case Chavez goes really nuts.

 

[kungfuhippie]

The Northern-South American countries all have beefs with one another. Venezuela to Peru (with parts of Brazil thrown in) was at one time one nation. Peru and Ecuador have been at war several times over a gold rich region of the amazon as recently as the mid 1990s (southern end of the Zamora-Chinchipe parish) Colombia and Ecuador have had border desputes and war in recent past. Venezuela and Colombia have had their battles (though I forget how recent) These countries could easily fall into battle or fall at the hand of Chavez. I don't doubt it happening-I'm just waiting for the catalyst. Interesting would be a WWIII fought with fronts in South America and the Middle East. Liberate SA from the Venezulans and stop the "terists".
Well, that's enough armchair comandoin' for me.

 

[Gun Wielding Maniac]

The cool part of this is gonna be in a few years, when Hugo is gone and the Venezualans need money... They're gonna tool up that factory and start shipping off AK-103 clones to the USA Hopefully ammo too.

Of course, by that time, guns could be banned here... in which case, I guess we'll need the ammo more then ever...

 

[hank327]

With Castro's death immiment, Chavez is positioning himself to take over the role as Latin America's thorn in the Yankee's side. All Latin American countries envy and despise the US and they love sticking it to us whenever they can. Chavez has the money and control of his country that allow him to take this position.
He hopes in doing this that he will gain influence and perhaps some measure of control amongst his neighbors. He simply wants to be the Castro of the 21st century.