Posted on 11/25/2005 2:41:18 PM PST by Alex Marko
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said his government will go ahead with the purchase of Spanish military aircraft and naval vessels even as he accused the U.S. government of pressuring Madrid to halt the transaction.
Chavez, closely allied to U.S. foe Cuba, has stepped up military spending this year with a slew of deals for Russian automatic rifles and helicopters, Brazilian aircraft and Spanish patrol ships and aircraft.
U.S. officials, who brand the leftist leader a threat to the region's stability, say they are worried some of the Venezuelan weapons could fall into the hands of Marxist Colombian rebels Washington calls terrorists.
The U.S. ambassador to Spain said on Wednesday Washington was still considering whether to allow Spain to sell aircraft with U.S. technology to Venezuela. But Chavez said Spain's Defense Minister, Jose Bono, would arrive in Venezuela next week to sign the deal.
"Next Monday Don Pepe Bono will be with us signing the contracts for the planes and the boats," he said in a speech broadcast late Wednesday.
Since Chavez's election in 1998, relations between oil producer Venezuela and its main petroleum client, the United States, have deteriorated steadily.
Chavez has also downgraded military cooperation with the United States and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Spain plans to sell 1.3 billion euros of equipment to Venezuela, including four coastal patrol ships, four corvettes, 10 C-295 transport planes and two maritime surveillance planes.
The aircraft Spain wants to sell to Venezuela have 50 to 60 percent U.S. components and require a U.S. export license.
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has built up friendly relations with Chavez. Bono has not scheduled a visit to Caracas but that could change, a Defense Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday.
If thats what takes to protect the US then so be it. Infact we are not 'imperialist' (aggresive) enough. I wish Bush would stop the cash flow to the welfare crap and start building up the miltiary Reagan style again, repairing the damage done by Clinton. As Governor Tarkin said, FEAR will keep the local systems in line.
More politely, Ronald Reagan said Peace through strength.
Its not our fault that Moscow is siding with Tehran. Iran is ruled by a nutcase who WOULD use a nucear weapon.
China is the one who wants to annex Taiwan. Not the other way around. We give them weapons and patrol that area to protect them and Japan.
At least Germany is changing for the better. France and the US always had a love-hate relationship (quasi war against them in the 1800s and early 1900s, then alliance in the cold war, then tensions in the post cold war including their attempt to stop us from bombing Libya, so we 'acidently' bombed their embassy and so on).
You said it. I agree.
Drat! Missed him.
He went fast !
Yeah, a tragic accident like his head accidentally running into a bullet.
Aw, what a cute little orange kitten!
It's hard to believe my Tomas once looked like that.
I know that there are millions of loyal Spanish citizens who voted against this creep, but I have little sympathy for the Spanish PM, his allies, and those who voted him into office. By abandoning the Coalition in Iraq, the Spanish have painted a big bulls-eye on their backs and it is just a matter of time before someone takes another shot at them (like the Al-Qaeda linked group the Guardia Civil busted this past weekend).
Normally, I wouldn't wish this chicken-livered pipsqueak on anyone, but since its Hugo Chavez, I guess I can live with the rats congregating together. It makes them easier to identify.
Learn how to read and then go back to DU or whatever anti-FR site you came over here from.
Light the fires, oh handmaiden of the tar pots; your Queen commands it! :-)
Here comes the asphalt..............................
Sheesh................nuthin left to pave now!!
Poring asphalt now..............................
Good and go stoke the fires too. Thanks.
I'm not sure how to post an image so it shows in my post, but here's the link of a picture I found of an evil-eye troll patrol kitty. Maybe someone could adopt him into the official ranks...
http://img517.echo.cx/img517/8211/evileye17qk.md.jpg
Not like the good old days when you signed up. When was that? Way back on ... 5/16/2005.
By the way; I won't hold my breath for a reply. When I clicked on your name, it came up 'banned or suspended'.
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