Posted on 01/30/2007 6:38:45 PM PST by NormsRevenge
CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuela plans to obtain air defense missiles to guard strategic sites such as oil refineries and major bridges against any air strike, a top military adviser to President Hugo Chavez said Tuesday.
Gen. Alberto Muller said Venezuela is looking to buy surface-to-air missile systems from Russia or another country to defend "strategic points in the country."
"They are for air defense," Muller told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "They are not for attacking anybody."
Chavez, a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, has repeatedly warned against a possible U.S. invasion, and his government is bolstering military defenses in Venezuela, one of the world's largest oil exporters. American officials insist they have no such military plans, but Chavez insists Venezuelans must be ready just in case.
Russia's Interfax-Military News Agency reported Tuesday that between 10 and 12 Tor-M1 missile systems could be supplied to the South American country.
Chavez said last August that Venezuela planned to install an advanced air-defense system with missiles capable of shooting down approaching enemy warplanes, and said his military was looking at systems produced by Russia, Belarus and Iran.
John Pike, a defense analyst at GlobalSecurity.org, a think tank based in Alexandria, Va., said such systems usually have a limited range and are not meant for offensive purposes.
"Typically, a surface-to-air missile, if it's a fixed defense system, is going to have a range of several miles. It might have a range of a couple dozen miles, but that's about it," Pike said.
The Tor-M1 system consists of eight missiles mounted on a launch vehicle. The system can identify up to 48 targets and fire at two targets simultaneously at a height of up to 20,000 feet.
Other military deals by Venezuela already have concerned U.S. officials, who see the left-leaning Chavez as a threat to stability in Latin America.
In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, left, talks with an employee of a farm during his weekly television and radio program 'Hello President' near to San Carlos de Cojedes, Venezuela, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007.(AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office/HO)
Whatever Hugo wants, Hugo gets!
Does he always wear red¿
Maybe Russia will sell him the same surface-to-air system they sold Libya back in the '80s.
That's a pretty vague statement regarding SAMs. SAMs could be strategic SAMs at permanent or semi-permanent sites. They could be mobile, tactical SAMs on wheeled or tracked platforms. They could also be shoulder-launched MANPADS. All of these have different uses and ranges.
In this case, Hugo wants to buy Tor-M1s. These are SA-15s. They are mobile, short range SAMs.
Another day, another advanced weapons purchase. Pooty Poot is so happy. When are we gonna do something?
Remove oil from this country and what do you have?. A Narco State. Lets do it by sending in the tomahawks, interesting to see what the tens of million this clown will spend on Air Defenses can do against them. This guy is fanatical, I think if anyone with a clear head is Left in that country they will be doing a Mussolini within 5 years.
Hey Hugo,do you think these are effective against cruise missiles?You may get an answer to that question soon enough.
LOL.
Can we appoint Chavez as head of ICE?
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Patience.
Once Hugo has created a Lat-Am Nazi Juggernaut and finally with the help of our enemies truly does become too strong for us to do anything about - he'll immediately take over South America like Hitler did Poland, then France, then all of Europe. While the world stood by.
Then he will invade Mexico.
At which point, he will prevent his subjects from escaping to the USA by force.
Until then, enjoy the cheap labor and quit complaining.
/sarcasm.
(sort of)
I lost my place while reading, was this Kim Jong Il saying these things or some other nutbag?
This jerk is obsessed with the notion that we bomb his third world country.
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