Posted on 01/11/2006 11:32:02 AM PST by FerdieMurphy
CARACAS,VENEZUELA-Venezuela's president told soldiers he will buy jets from Russia or China if the U.S. won't send parts for his country's F-16s.
President Hugo Chávez said Tuesday that Venezuela would consider buying Russian-built MiGs or Chinese warplanes if the United States fails to honor a contract to supply his country with parts for its F-16 jets.
Chávez also accused Washington of blocking Venezuela's acquisition of Super Tucano military planes from Brazil because the jets are built with U.S. technology and suggested he could turn to China or Russia.
''The contract for Brazil to make us some planes, which are for training, could not be signed because of the United States,'' said Chávez, speaking to hundreds of soldiers at a military fort in Caracas.
''We will have to wait to see if Brazil can resolve the problem. If not, well, they produce fighter jets and bombers in China, too,'' he added.
A spokesperson for the Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A., or Embraer, refused to comment on the proposed deal between Venezuela and Brazil.
Chávez said the United States has failed to supply the parts needed to keep Venezuela's F-16s flying, but U.S. officials said replacement parts for U.S.-made warplanes have recently been sent to the South American nation.
''If we have to substitute the fleet of F-16s with a modern fleet of MiGs we will do it, nothing is going to stop us,'' said Chávez, an ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
Brian Penn, a U.S. embassy official, denied the United States has failed to send replacement parts. Cartridges for F-16 ejector seats arrived at Caracas' La Guaira international airport on a C-17 cargo plane in November, Penn said in a telephone interview. Penn said he did not have any information about Venezuela's plans to purchase planes from neighboring Brazil.
Venezuela purchased its fleet of 21 F-16s in 1983U.S. officials have said the 1982 contract does not obligate the United States to supply parts indefinitely to Venezuela or to upgrade the planes.
Chávez also urged Venezuela's military to prepare for a possible invasion by the United States.
He said Venezuela would never enter an armed conflict with any of its Latin American neighbors, but could eventually be forced to repel a military invasion by U.S. troops. ''If we are going to war, the only war possible for us would be the one that we are obliged to make against an invasion by North American imperialism,'' he said. U.S. officials have repeatedly said there is no plan to invade Venezuela, but Chávez has called on his countrymen to prepare for a conflict by learning to use a firearm and joining the nation's military reserve. Chávez said he is creating a new socialist system in the world's fifth-largest oil exporter.
Chávez also said he is certain the U.S. is conspiring to try to overthrow Bolivia's leftist President-elect Evo Morales, his close friend and ally.
A communist liar!
Boycott Citgo and help put this tin-horn out of business.
Hmm... let's change that around a bit...
'U.S. planes slam Chávez'
There.
Man...he lies as much as every Islamic spokesman I've ever heard.....and those weenies at the IAC buy every single word of it.
We'll be seeing this at the March anti-war protests. Look!!! The United States is going to invade Venezuela!!!
Well, if we WERE to ever go to war with Venezuela, the best possible scenario would be to have them flying ancient MIGs...
They won't be flyin' ancient MiG - they'll be flyin' late model MiGs and Sukhois - excellent airplanes.
On the other hand, I don't think it will matter much.
Hey, you can pick up a battle-ready Mig 21 for less than $100K. Since Chavez is just going to using them to strafe civilians, why invest in all that up-to-date technology?
Or 21 F16's that need parts!
Should be a real short 'dog fight'.
Am I the only one who finds it funny that out of ALL the parts they could've mentioned, they mentioned "ejector seats"?
Chavez better hurry up and sue the US before Alito is confirmed. Stevens, Ginsberg, Souter, and Breyer are about to become a lonely bunch.
Good buy Russian and chinese planes it will make good target practice.
Lucky for us, Belafonte can resolve this quickly with a simple phone call.
Your #2 is better.
Why do they allow the typing monkeys to write about things that they nothing about. The Super Tucano is a propeller driven primary trainer. It does have a turbine engine, but is not a jet.
Best Regards
Sergio
"Why do they allow the typing monkeys to write about things that they nothing about."
Should read.
Why do they allow the typing monkeys to write about things that they know nothing about.
True - saves the US taxpayer money on expensive target drones.
Yeah, cyz who is going to fly them? Jimmy Carter, Harry Belafonte, an such...
Having planes is one thing, but having trained combat pilots is quite another.
In Hoc.
Chavez is a loon.
Stevens will either retired or be carried out. Another opportunity.
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