Venezuela 'to buy more weapons'

BBC ^ | Sunday, 5 February 2006

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

enezuelan President Hugo Chavez has told a huge rally of supporters that he wants to buy more weapons to defend his country from invasion.

Speaking in the capital Caracas, Mr Chavez said 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles already on order from Russia were not enough.

Venezuela needed a million well-armed men and women, he said.

Mr Chavez also likened US President George W Bush to the German Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler.

Diplomatic relations between Venezuela and the US have been strained, but they worsened earlier this week when both countries expelled one another's diplomats after Caracas accused the US embassy of spying.

The Venezuelan government has repeatedly accused Washington of trying to destabilise President Chavez - an allegation rejected by US officials.

'Defend our fatherland'

The BBC's Greg Morsbach in Caracas says the rally - to celebrate a failed coup led by Mr Chavez in 1992 - got off to a militaristic start, with a bugler heralding the arrival of President Chavez at the podium.

I think Hitler would be like a suckling baby next to George W Bush Hugo Chavez

Wearing his trademark red army beret, Mr Chavez said Washington was considering invading Venezuela.

"I ask for permission ... to buy another cargo of arms because the gringos want us unarmed. We have to defend our fatherland," he said.

"Venezuela needs to have one million well-equipped and well-armed men and women."

Last year the US tried to block the sale of 12 Spanish military planes to Venezuela that were made with US technology.

But Madrid recently said it would go ahead with the sale using more expensive European parts.

'Inflammatory rhetoric'

Turning to oil, the president said if the Bush administration wished to cut diplomatic ties to Venezuela, he would have no second thoughts about closing all the Venezuelan refineries in the US.

"Let's see what'll happen to the price of crude oil then", Mr Chavez told his audience.

He said the US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had been wrong last week to compare the Venezuelan president with Adolf Hitler:

"The imperialist, genocidal, fascist attitude of the US president has no limits. I think Hitler would be like a suckling baby next to George W Bush."

Washington is deeply opposed to the government of left-wing Mr Chavez, who is a vocal critic of the US.

The US has expressed concerns about Venezuelan democracy under Mr Chavez and about the effect of his government's military purchases on regional stability.

But the US has not said it will break off relations with Venezuela, and correspondents say Washington has dismissed threats by Mr Chavez as inflammatory rhetoric aimed at his core supporters.

[JHBowden]

If anybody is fascist, it is Mr. Chavez and his buddy Fidel.

[YOUGOTIT]

Close down the embassy and stop all trade with the Communist dictator.

[King Moonracer]

But the US has not said it will break off relations with Venezuela, and correspondents say Washington has dismissed threats by Mr Chavez as inflammatory rhetoric aimed at his core supporters in the DNC, especially New England democrats.

[conservative physics]

If that nut gives millions of assault rifles to the people... he is guaranteeing his overthrow with those same guns.

I say, cheer him on!

[Riley]

I am reminded of H.L. Mencken's quote about 'imaginary hobgoblins'. Chavez knows damn well that we haven't the slightest inclination to invade Venezuela.

I wonder what all the hardware is really for?

[Youngman442002]

He also threatened today to imprision our Embassy staff....and to hut down his refineries here in the US....I say go ahead..if you touch our embassy..its an act of war...your refineries...we will take them over..and as far as the Citgo gas stations....make them McDonalds...go ahead Ceasar..I am Brutus...

[kenth]

He didn't say he wanted all Venezualans armed, but a million. I'm sure that million were to be loyal to the leftist regime.

He's not going to arm his detractors, but his loyal followers to keep the detractors at bay. It's to use against his own people, not us.

[burzum]

The purpose of the military in this case is to protect the government from the people. There really isn't much of a threat of foreign invasion or attack in South America (except perhaps by Fidel or Chavez).

Not that this is surprising. This has been the communist military strategy from day 1: disarm the people and arm the military in a way that the people can't counteract.

[Billthedrill]

He's not going to arm his detractors, but his loyal followers to keep the detractors at bay.

Yep. Classic case. Sounds like he's been taking lessons from Mugabe.

[Mike Darancette]

[David1]

People have got to read this article:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1572237/posts

[LeoWindhorse]

this cockroach needs to be squashed before it breeds....

[Fishing-guy]

He is planning a military take over?

[Shermy]

"I wonder what all the hardware is really for?"

His goon squads/block committees. There will be noise when he declares himself president for life.

[El Gato]

Venezuela needed a million well-armed men and women, he said.

Think about this Hugo baby:

We have four times that many dues paying members of the NRA, and a whole bunch more armed folks who aren't members.

[95 Bravo]

This clown needs a colonoscopy....via Hellfire missile.