Venezuela & USA: Has the lion awakened?

Vcrisis.com ^ | February 12, 2005 | "Veneconomy"

[Bald Eagle777]

After six years of “stoic tolerance,” the United States is awakening from the lethargy with which it has responded to President Chávez’ continuous verbal attacks. Perhaps it is beginning to see that it ought to take notice of the pronouncements made by this revolutionary, as, where Chávez is concerned, there seems to be no slip twixt cup and lip.

The Bush administration is also beginning to realize that the influence of the Venezuelan president, supported by his ally Fidel Castro, could affect the peace and stability of Latin America.

Until recently, the U.S. President’s response to President Chávez’ constant verbal attacks was condescending, weak even. Now the tone is changing. The first sign of this was a statement by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice assuring that there was “nothing positive to highlight” in the Bolivarian revolution, classifying the Chávez administration “as a negative force for the region” and urging Latin American countries to take note of “what is happening” with democracy in Venezuela.

The second was the claim by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega that it would take his country “only a few weeks to find a substitute for Venezuelan oil, but that it would take Venezuela years to find buyers for its crude,” words that sound almost like a warning that the United States can live without Venezuela, anticipating Chávez’ intention of using oil as a political weapon.

The third came from an unidentified officer at the Department of State who said, when referring to the Venezuelan government’s purchase of MiG 29s from Russia, “we shoot down MiGs.” That’s straight talking.

And the fourth is the formal complaint that the United States submitted this week to Russia regarding the sale of 100,000 Kalashnikov Ak-47 assault rifles to Venezuela. This protest was accompanied by a statement from Department of State spokesman Adam Ereli, in which he expressed “Washington’s concern over the sale of weapons to Venezuela and their potentially destabilizing effect in the Hemisphere,” claiming that these weapons could “end up in the hands of the FARC, because these groups operate in that country.”

All this points to the opening of a new phase in relations with the United States, with serious implications for Venezuela.

[brazzaville]

Good evening.

We Californians can't legally own AKs, more's the pity. I don't share your disdain for them and I think the .gov should be handing them out to any law abiding citizen who wants one. In my dreams, eh?

Michael Frazier

[American in Israel]

Russia spreads gasoline on the world to cause a fire, and the socialist in America protest Bush. Funny how that works. One would think all those rubles were going to a good cause, if you were a Communist that is.

[libs_kma]

I had always heard that the turd world is enamored with the Kalashnikov because its cheaper, but more importantly, its a better slop weapon than anything else available.

That it can go for weeks and many firings and still operate at all are a clear advantage when the people using it probably don't understand much about it's inner workings. Also, even if they had the necessary cleaning materials, actually using them to clean the weapon wouldn't be very high on their priority list. Especially if they could sell them for drugs or more ammo.

[meema]

He needs to go...soon.

[Bald Eagle777]

Is it a mere coincidence that they mirror our every move? Do they think they can get away with being the naughty child who has just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar? Why the socialists here at home ignore the threat? Do they have something to gain?

[NEBUCHADNEZZAR1961]

No, I don't believe they are clueless. I believe the press (MSM) and academia are clueless.

Your insinuation that just because I'm new means I'm sort of disruptor, when in fact I'm an ardent anti-communist, is insulting.

[AFPhys]

I am happy to see that this stance of the US is being made public. There has been a growing problem in this area of the world that we have (apparently from the news attention) been relatively neglecting. It is good to see this is actually getting some attention.

[LowInMo]

Have you ever shot one? You can shoot 100 yards, drop the gun from your shoulder, recite the constitution, and then watch the bullet hit. Under 50 yards they are lethal. They may fire well in dirty conditions but after about 1000 rounds they are pretty much junk. Can't hit the broad side of a barn form the inside.

"The only interesting weapon is an accurate weapon"

Wish I could remember who said that.

[brazzaville]

Good afternoon.

I can hit a man size target out to 200 yards consistently with an AK. On a 400 yard range I can hit close enough to make an enemy wet his pants if I don't drop him. The rest of what you say about Kalashnikovs is your opinion and I say, based on what I learned in 38 years of shooting them and several years of being shot at by them, that you are mistaken.

Michael Frazier

[monkeywrench]

Ignore the insulters, and welcome!

[monkeywrench]

Regarding #40, great post! Very interesting read, hedgetrimmer. It includes chinas plans for FTAA and how they plan on profitting from it, at the expense of everyone else, of course.

[hedgetrimmer]

That is an interesting post! Thanks for the ping!