Posted on 12/18/2008 12:53:22 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
No problema, amigo.
wish I had been in on the brawl L0L
Which side?
In my opinion the real reasons Ivan visited Chavez was a tit for tat because of our “intrusion” into their sphere of influence in Eastern Europe. Our courting of Poland, etc and positioning ABMs there to protect from Mid Eastern (Iranian) threats rendered Moscow’s Mutually Assured Destruction defense policies neutered. Now they have to develop their own ABMs with a defensive posture rather than depending upon a decades old defense through offense policy.
The wacko, Chavez, is someone that no one actually wants around... LOL..
Oh.. in this instance I would have to be punching with Ivan. not that I admire their politics.
The Bear was an admirable foe. Chavez is a small change doofus with a heavy hand
You ‘squiddy friend’ was telling you the truth.
IN some respects ‘admirable’ does apply. That said, after running into a few Russian navy types ‘along the way’ I felt more than a bit sorry for them.
Thirteen bucks a month...even cabbies in third world countries looked down on them, refused to pick them up. No tips from that crowd, for the obvious reason.
Given the system they were under, its amazing what they accomplished in the march from Moscow’s gates to Berlin in WWII.
It is a sad state of affairs when the tin-plated dictator of Venezuela has a greater grasp of the realities of international diplomacy than the President-Elect of the United States.
Note that this state visit had preconditions, with 23 agreements to be signed. The visit could not have gone worse, but the important thing was that the pre-negotiated agreements were finalized. This is the way adults handle their affairs in the Real World.
Compare this to the magical thinking of our President-Elect's, where preconditions and negotiated agreements are irrelevant, and the only thing that matters is that leaders sit down face-to-face to talk frankly about their problems.
“I felt more than a bit sorry for them.
Thirteen bucks a month...”
Imagine Hugo’s navy
One thing russia had going for it was the idea of nationalism. Yeah I felt sorry for the rotters too, but they were very regimental.
India’s Navy is doing great things
‘Indias Navy is doing great things’
Yes they are.
That said, as we saw off of Somalia a couple of weeks back, ‘target analysis’ could use some work in the Indian Navy.
I think they sailed to Venezuela so that the warm Carribean seas would rust out their ships faster.
Say, how about a live electical cable laid on the bottom of their harbor?
They are just getting started.
But then so is China
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.
Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment
Obama: If they make a mistake, I dont want them punished with a baby.
Great report. Thanks for posting. Africa and Latin America are Tar Babies so the Chicoms and Russians can cozy up all they want. They’ll get nothing but trouble for all of their wasted efforts and money.
McHale's Navy wasn't much on protocol. Yet, when the chips were down, the crew was always more than competent. Never mind that their most potent weapons were Mr. Parker and "Jolly" Wally who kept the Nips rolling on the decks of those submarines (and the rest of us on our living room floors) nearly dying from the mirth.
"Remember the Peter the Great!"
Russia and Venezuela have probably screwed the pooch with Western oil companies too. They fired, stole the assets or reneg on deals when oils prices were sky high. Now that prices are down - they will not have the capital or expertise to maintain their wells properly. My guess is their oil production will keep dropping.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.