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Posted on 07/27/2006 10:33:07 AM PDT by Pokey78
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Thursday that Russia had helped his country break a U.S.-imposed "blockade" by agreeing to sell Caracas fighter planes and helicopters worth billions of dollars.
Neither Chavez nor Russian leader Vladimir Putin gave details about any new deals signed Thursday, but Russia's defense minister said last week that Moscow had agreed to sell the oil-rich South American nation about 30 Su-30 fighter jets and some 30 military helicopters.
Putin said Thursday that Moscow and Caracas would prove "reliable partners" and - in comments clearly aimed at Washington - said their cooperation should not be viewed as being "aimed against any third country."
The head of Russia's state arms-trading agency, Sergei Chemezov, said Venezuela over the last 18 months had signed contracts for arms purchases including 24 military planes and 53 helicopters for more than $3 billion, the Interfax news agency reported.
The helicopter and fighter plane deal announced last week by Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov will cost Caracas $1 billion.
Chavez, who has become an increasing thorn in Washington's side because of his anti-U.S policies, is also hoping to set up Kalashnikov weapons and ammunition plants in Venezuela.
The Venezuelan leader spoke Thursday of the "astonishing progress in military-technical cooperation" - a euphemism for arms sales - and repeated his thanks to Putin for supplying Caracas with weaponry.
In opening remarks at his Kremlin meeting, Chavez said the fighter jets were critical because it was unable to purchase replacement parts for its aging fleet of U.S.-made F-16s.
The United States in May announced a ban on U.S. arms sales to Venezuela.
"We would like to thank you for delivering us from a blockade," Chavez said. "We were almost disarmed."
He also thanked Russia for supporting Venezuela's push for a non-permanent U.N. Security Council seat - which the U.S. government is lobbying to block.
Chavez has used surging oil revenues to modernize Venezuela's military, signing multibillion defense deals with Russia and Spain. Venezuela also has agreed to buy 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles.
The United States underlined its opposition to the arms sales Tuesday, saying they were not helpful to regional stability, and urged Moscow to reconsider.
Russia's defense minister flatly dismissed the U.S. demands.
Moscow-based defense analyst Pavel Felgenhauer said that Russia, which has sold anti-aircraft missiles to Syria and Iran in defiance of U.S. criticism, saw Venezuela as a lucrative partner.
"Chavez wants to thumb his nose at the U.S. and the Russians are delighted to get his money," he said.
The Venezuelan arms deals are one of the many irritants in US-Russian relations that have chilled markedly in recent years amid U.S. criticism of Putin as backsliding on democratic reforms and using Russia's oil and gas reserves as instruments of political pressure.
However, Washington has shown little inclination to confront Russia with anything more than harsh statements.
Chavez, a leftist former army lieutenant colonel who has frequently warned that the United States could invade, is on an international tour that will take him onto Iran, Qatar and Vietnam.
On his way to Russia, the Venezuelan leader visited neighboring Belarus, where he met with authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who is dubbed "Europe's last dictator" in Washington and shares Chavez's strong anti-U.S. views.
Could you post a link to it?
Don't remember when it ran exactly. Some time in the past 12-18 months, I think.
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US Airforce and Navy thank Russia for the targets.
Never ceases to amaze me how completely ignorant of any sort of grasp of political reality the Knee Jerk Bush haters are. At the time we were going hat in hand asking for Russian help in getting us basing rights in the 'stans, access to Russian humit on the ground in Afghanistan and Russian help tracking and liquidating terrorists fiscal and action cells. Bush NEEDED something from Putin then so of course he kissed ass. The same way Reagan did to get the Minutemen nukes deployed in Europe. Cannot decide what is funner the arrogance of the Freeper Know Nothings in their daily squealing or their feverish need to spew their ignorance everywhere day in and day out
Did any of the Whiners ever bother to notice the entire Chinese economy is smaller then how much our economy has GROWN in just the last 48 months?
Arming to the teeth? With 25 year old obsolete used Soviet Junk?
Freeper please.
They are also delighted that he thumbs his nose at us. Putin and Chavez share opposition to the "illegal" US war in Iraq and both support Iran and Red China's efforts to expel us from Afghanistan. Russia's support of communism in South America is all a part of their stated national strategy of promoting a "multipolar world," defined as countering the USA at every turn.
"The national projects of our countries are aimed at creating a multipolar world and are directed towards the destruction of imperialism, which tries to create a unipolar world... Countries like Venezuela and Belarus must keep their hands on their sword... America has tried to close off our countries ... with its hegemony and imperialism." - Hugo Chavez, Communist
The Muslim Radicals are the Communist's cannon fodder.
To be added or removed from the list, Freepmail me.
The USSR still exists. It's boundries are that of the pre-Stalin USSR.
However, eastern Ukraine wants to rejoin with Russia.
Exactly, and the bit about eastern Ukraine... that is exactly the same thing my Ukrainian friend tells me. But she also says that western Ukranians are much more pro western. But she is predicting that Russia will be a complete dictatorship again in less than 20 years.
This thug has got to go.
That used to be true but after Putie turned off the gas and doubled prices overnite, the ones that hit the worst was Eastern Ukraine and its reflected in the most recent polls.
Tymoshenko actually took 1/3 of the support that Yanukovych had in the prior election.
Good point. And while that may be true, Russia itself is moving rapidly back to its old ways (I realize you probably already know this).
Its my opinion that we need to send several signals to Russia... crystal clear messages... that we don't appreciate their back stabbing.
Poland, Romania, and Hungary are members of NATO. I know Poland and Romania are with us in Iraq. Hungary in Afghanistan. We just about sell them anything they want. Ukraine wants in NATO.
yitbos
I doubt it. At least not until after the 2008 presidential election.
yitbos
2 Seruzawa
>Ah, yes. Russia. The wannabe but also-ran "superpower". All >Russia does is create havoc in the misguided belief that >that makes it relevant. Pathetic really.
>Real superpowers can feed their own people.
!>
I am once again convinced that dissolution of the USSR was a mistake.
I look a post similar yours and I understand. It was necessary to go by China.
Then there wouldn't was a ten years of ruin, humiliations, "advisers" and "saviors" of Russia and Russian.
The lesson has been learnt. We any more shall not repeat mistakes of 1990.
2 navyguy, Proud_USA_Republican
>We should start selling a HUGE arsenal to Poland, Romania, Ukraine and Hungary.
>Slap a bunch of cruise missiles and planes in the Ukraine and Poland. That will get Putin's red panties in a bunch.
You already did it. USA armed Poland, Baltic, Georgia.
2 navyguy
> Russians, like Muslims, LIKE dictatorship. They NEED dictatorship. They LIKE oppression.
I remember, before the first war in Iraq, American was asked, whether they know "where is Bagdad ?"
30 percent have answered, " somewhere about Moscow ".
Aren't You casual from similar "experts"?
2 MNJohnnie
> US Airforce and Navy thank Russia for the targets.
You welcome. )) Any time. Simply ask.
One of my best friends is from Ukraine... she can tell you all about it. Russia is almost certainly going to go back to Communism. ===
BHAHAHAHAHAHA:) You friend smokes strong pot:).
Russia will never go back to communism. I think the Ukraine will go there first.
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