[Thunder90]

The Venezuelans bought 5 MI-35 Hind E helos from the Russians.

The Russians are also building a weapons factory for the Venezuelans, so Venezuela can build 1.9 million more Kalashnikov rifles and RPG launchers by the end of 2007.

[Thunder90]

Russia/Venezuela PING

[Stellar Dendrite]

where are the putinistas now?

[NordP]

Well now, with all the arms Russia sells those that don't like us...their economy should be doing MUCH better than it is!

I can't BELIEVE these people!

[Brilliant]

Big deal. Let him think he's got the upper hand. I'm guessing that at some point, his proletariat supporters will wonder why he's spending their money on helicopters.

[killjoy]

MI-17s can be used in an assault role or as a transport craft.

This one is quite laughable. They will be lucky to just keep the things in the air. If I was Russia and I could pawn off 25 year old helicopters onto suckers, I would do it also.

[RedCell]

Here's an idea... as part of the shakedown of the new Lockheed Martin F-35, we can scoot on down and dust their Hind-E's (get it?... haha). ;-)

[beaver fever]

They aren't MI-25 Hinds, they're MI-17s that come in a version with missles mounted on stub wings. They are not gun ships.

[darkwing104]

The Russians are also building a weapons factory for the Venezuelans, so Venezuela can build 1.9 million more Kalashnikov rifles and RPG launchers by the end of 2007.

One little thing the Little Dictator forgets. His people can use those guns against him when they get tired of his crap or when it's economy go to pot.

[screw boll]

In the ‘60’s it was Cuba, now it is Venezuela…

[pierrem15]

C'mon. They're better than towed targets.

[kerryusama04]

What was the name of the last communist dictatorship that tried to stare us down with Russian weaponry?

[danmar]

Venezuela has received the first three of at least 10 military helicopters purchased from Russia.

First and foremost what exactly is Venezuela at this point; When this crack head Chavez was elected President(courtesy of the "motta" heads in Venezuela)used to be a semi-reasonable country to deal with.

Now Chavez has elevated himself to the likes of Noriega, another words, a nuisance, like a mosquito.
This tinfoil hat Dictator hasn't learn anything from the past events.

[DarkWaters]

Foward deployment of assests.

[AnimalLover]

PING

[M. Espinola]

If Hugo is planning a "Red Dawn" with the help of the Putin's Russkie horde & the Communist Cubanos, if so that Red porker should recall the commies lost in the movie version, and will in real life too.

The Putin Promoters Club has no comment on this one, eh? lol....

[JCEccles]

Venezuela has received the first three of at least 10 military helicopters purchased from Russia.

Q: What do you call ten Russian helicopters piloted by Venezuelan crews?

A: Target practice.

[Malesherbes]

Whatever happened to the Monroe doctrine? There are now only three countries on the South American mainland that don't have Marxist leaning governments playing footsie with the Chinese, Russia, and even the Iranians. Columbia, Paraguay, and Peru are the holdouts, and Peru is very shaky.

[RusIvan]

AFAIK MI-17 is transport hellicoppters not military. So far Venesualla got transport helos.

The Venezuelans bought 5 MI-35 Hind E helos from the Russians. ==

MI-35 is export copies of Mi-24 Hind with decrease capabilities. It is military indeed. Russia sold the lot of them especcially to Africa. Now Venesuella.

[Caipirabob]

I dunno, I mean, has any of you ever seen a Venezuelan military pilot?

[spikeytx86]

Thees weapons and deals are definitely the sign of aggression most likely aimed at Colombia. He is not looking for a head on war with the U.S. he knows he would lose. But if he were to "Liberate" Colombia and install the FARC regime that would put him within 100 miles of the panama canal and definitely in fighter and Short Range Missile Range. He could also use special op's raids to sabotage the canal or provoke revolution in panama from Colombia and installing a pro-chavez regime. China would back such an act because it would provide the Chinese with strategic leverage against us, and the Russians would support it because part of resurrecting there status as super power would entail client states especially those in strategic zones. Brazil also is a wild card, they have a communist president and anti-american population and the hopes of becoming the super power of the south equator. If Chavez were to act incrementally and if we continue to be preoccupied with the middle east, Chavez could carry out alot of the above described operations with little to no u.s. military engagement (especially since we have a phobia of jungle wars).