Venezuelan Kalashnikovs, anyone?

[buzz_knox]

Wow. The American defense industry just lost over one billion in sales.

The cynic in me says we have an opportunity to make up said loss by selling to Venezuela's neighbors.

 

[El Tejon]

In spades, buzz!

 

[espanola]

I'm not really concerned with Chavez becoming any kind of threat to the US himself. What I am worried about is those AKs ending up in the hands of MS-13 and their ilk on our streets. This guy just wants to cause trouble for us, he knows he is no real threat but I wouldn't put it past him to sell those weapons to people he knows will cause trouble on our streets with them.

Amen! Chavez doesn't have the wherewithall to confront us directly, but anything he can do to make life difficult he would be more than happy to do.

Denfoote had it right--we need to unshackle the CIA--We have an anti-American dictator closer to me than some parts of the United States are!

 

[Lucky]

I think Chavez's #1 priority is to get a position. Preferably for life. Maybe something were he can have a secretary take dictations. Yea, dictator for life, that sounds like a nice job.

All the ranting he does about the US is simply designed to take people's attention of his massive corruption at home, and 20-30% inflation rate of his ingenious socialist economic policies.

...And to keep them distracted will he arms and trains cadres of soldiers who will be loyal to him and him alone, and makes sure that all of them are not on his 'blacklist' (anyone who ever voted for someone else is recorded).

Edit: -list is called Tascon list, to be armed in any aspect you must be 'clean' on this list.
-paragraph from news:
" The government insists the reserves will support the armed forces -- not act
as a fifth column against a possible anti-Chavez coup. ''The reserves are
not to be used as shock troops for any political party," said Espinoza, the
pro-Chavez lawmaker. ''But if there were a civil war, it would be up to each
person to take their own side.""

http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2005/07/chavez-military-moves-eyed.html

 

[stevelyn]

I agree with Lucky on Chavez. He isn't a threat to us nor does he want to do anything that will give him any unwanted attention other than rhetoric.

Can you say parts kits?

 

[rev214]

What does this have to do with the Monroe Doctrine? Does it apply to international tade? Is Russia staging a coup in the Western hemisphere in order to invade the US, or even giving arms to Venezuela so that they can attack us?

The Monroe Doctrine has been applied in the 20th century, especially the Cold War, to prevent the further spread of Soviet-backed Communism in Latin America. It may be Russia now, and I still consider the Russians a threat in my opinion in this hemisphere and other parts of the world...No matter how buddy-buddy Putin and W are.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Wednesday that his oil-rich nation will sign major arms deals in Moscow to acquire Russian fighter jets and produce Kalashnikov assault rifles...

How is it any of our busniess where and how many AK's a soverign nation purchases?
I guess I just need to relax a bit...heck, if Cindy Sheehan sez he is OK, he must be a good commie...

 

[Wes Janson]

But can the Venezuelans equip, maintain, and train to keep the Su-30s flying effectively?

 

[Lucky]

The word I read is that Venezuela never had a problem equipping and flying their F-16s. Chavez just played politics. The guys with the F16s were loyal to the Gov't when Chavez and some other guys tried for a coup. After Chavez gets to power those F16s suddenly are deprived of parts. US Congress approved an upgrade package for Venezuela to upgrade the F16s, Chavez ignored it for years until it was too long. There is no evidence, aside from Chavez's word, that American contractors ever curtailed supply of parts. It's all BS from Chavez to punish loyal soldiers who didn't bow down to him, as well as to make propaganda and blame the USA for the problems he created.

It's a pattern that is very apparant! I used to actually wonder why he was so wrong done by, lol. It turns out that he creates the problems, in order to hurt those who don't swear loyalty to him, and then simply blames the USA for them. Over and over and over again.



So... Can they maintain their new planes? As long as everyone associated with them is blindly, stupidly loyal to Chavez and Chavez alone.

 

[RangerHAAF]

The US and Chavez's enemies had their chance to get rid of him about 3-4 years ago when he was briefly overthrown and detained. They let him go and it's been all downhill with him since then.

Personally speaking, if someone tried to take me out and missed the chance I'd be upset and very mad; and would take every opportunity to make their lives miserable, as he is doing.