Posted on 03/03/2008 3:34:08 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Venezuela threatened to declare war on neighbouring Colombia last night, raising the prospect of the U.S. being drawn into conflict in South America.
Venezuela's Left-wing president Hugo Chavez ordered ten tank battalions to the Colombian border and put war-planes under emergency stand-by.
The tension follows Colombia's decision to send its army to strike against anti-government guerrillas hiding in the jungles of Ecuador.
The surprise attack - launched without Ecuador's permission - killed Raul Reyes, a top commander in the Left-wing Colombian rebel group Farc, and about 16 of his men.
President Chavez yesterday closed the Colombian embassy in Caracas, warning that any similar entry into his country's territory after the rebels would be "cause for war".
The U.S. would almost certainly come to Colombia's aid if oil-rich Venezuela launched an invasion. But Washington-based diplomats played down the brouhaha and said it might be no more than bluster from Chavez, an outspoken opponent of the U.S.
However, Pentagon sources said Colombia had been warned not to allow its hunt for Farc rebels to cross Venezuela's borders.
Over the last few weeks President Chavez, who is very close to new Cuban President Raul Castro, has been in negotiations with Farc leaders and has persuaded them to hand over some of the hostages they have been holding for years.
While the US has bitterly deteriorating relations with Venezuela it has recently improved ties to Colombia and has troops in that country helping in the fight against the massive illicit cocaine trade.
President Chavez moved quickly yesterday to close the Colombian embassy in Caracas and to declare on national television that Colombian President Alvaro Uribe was a "criminal."
He said the killing of the rebel leader was a "cowardly murder."
President Chavez said that any similar incursion into Venezuelan territory after the rebels would be seen as a "cause for war."
Ecuador's President Rafael Correa has called the killing of the rebels inside his country "scandalous."
According to Pentagon sources the US has warned Colombia not to let its military venture into Venezuela in pursuit of Farc guerrillas and there is no indication that they have done so.
The US is hoping that President Chavez – known for making extravagant claims – is on no more than a sabre-rattling exercise with no real intention of going to war.
By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Wednesday, May 23, 2007 4:20 PM PT
Latin America: As U.S. allies go, we can't get one better than Colombia. It helps us a lot and now seeks free trade. But all it gets from Congress is a slap in the face. We now risk losing a vital ally.....
President Bush is also duty and honor-bound to kick Iran a new asshole — but don’t hold your breath.
You throw the term ‘ally’ around like they are sacrificing their nation supporting us. Ally went out fad after WWII.
Secondly, Pres. Bush has been aloof watching our backyard in SA and Latin America. Of all thats going on, watching our Southern neighbors should have been a priority.
Have there been any comments from Bush, Hillary or Obama about this situation?
I haven’t been able to find any.
“The next time the Arabs attack Israel, should we just let the two parties “pummel each other into the dirt”?”
Israel did handle its neighbors by itself in 2 wars, and even took out one of our ships to boot!
“If Chavez gave FARC $300 million, President Bush is honor- and duty-bound to treat Chavez like the terrorist he is.”
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You mean like the $500,000,000 Bush recently gave the peace loving Islamofascist, suicide bombers of Fatah, or perhaps how he was honor bound to recognize the independence of the KLA Mohammedan terror statelet that he and McCain have been financing for years in the Balkans?
Balderdasish drivel
If we had stayed out of it and left Israel alone they would have already ‘taken care’ of the Arabs. But no, we have to stick our noses in at every turn and put them on the road to ‘peace’.
Yes. We can take care of ourselves.
I looked around and found the Army of Venezuela Tanks and combat vehicles are:
86 AMX-30V Main battle tank- (82 AMX-30V +4 AMX-30D)
36 AMX-13C.90 Light tank
78 Scorpion 90 FV-101 Light tank
42 Dragoon 300 LFV2 Light tank
and a hint of a few Leopard 2.
One enchanted evening a few A-10s might find this a target rich environment!
I favor cluster-bombs. Puts terror in infantry troops.
I beg to differ.
Anyone who wants to see Colombia pummeled into the dirt is either ignorant of geopolitics or making the comment based on ethnic bigotry.
Possibly both.
Might be an opportunity to take that S.O.B. out ! He has been a thorn in our side too long. Thanks to him, gas prices have been high since 1999/2000. Then we can take their oil.
Oh hell!
Oh man, War is Hell.
So you like a communist country, alied with Iran, undermining the sovereignty of a democratic ally of ours?
Lol. Aka, China?
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