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The last time that border flared up, in 1895, was also the last time the US and UK almost came to blows. The UK supported Guyana to pressure a debtor Venezuela. Pres. Cleveland, with the noisy support (was there any other kind?) of TR, backed Venezuela and invoked the Monroe Doctrine (ah, how quaint). The Brits backed down and their documents later made clear that they decided then and there never to challenge us again in the Western Hemisphere.

Anyway, much like Saddam's 19th province claim on Kuwait and the Argies claim on The Falklands, the history of this border is murky enough to encourage Chavez. After all, if he moves in the near term, he'd have a pretty solid SA block behind him or neutral. But the geography makes me almost hope he tries something conventional, rather than the more covert, and successful, means he's now using in Bolivia and Colombia. Park a carrier or two off the coast and watch Hugo's pricey new toys explode.