[jdm]

This article is a week old but, I believe, worth a post.

[operation clinton cleanup]

Most experts agree that Russia's arms trade policy in Latin America is not ideologically driven. On the contrary, it is merely business, says political scientist Riordan Roett.

I guess we can sell a couple of Ohio class submarines to Taiwan... strictly as business.

[EagleUSA]

Large scale weapons deals are in line with Putin’s need to generate hard cash. What better way to keep a scumbag commie dictator like Chavez on a leash? He will now be heavily dependent on Russian support for those weapons.

Putin is building is army of surrogates that are anti-American.

[Thrownatbirth]

Maybe Chavez will give New Englanders free Kalashnikovs with their oil next winter.

[tsowellfan]

Chavez is a looney tune

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI0_VzFxTzs

[Tailgunner Joe]

Putin doesn't really support Chavez when he goes off on these anti-U.S. tirades. There is no shared agenda between Putin and Chavez.

Completely false.

Consider Putin's own anti-American tirades.

"Today we are witnessing an almost uncontained hyper use of force - military force - in international relations, force that is plunging the world into an abyss of permanent conflicts. As a result we do not have sufficient strength to find a comprehensive solution to any one of these conflicts. Finding a political settlement also becomes impossible. We are seeing a greater and greater disdain for the basic principles of international law. And independent legal norms are, as a matter of fact, coming increasingly closer to one state's legal system. One state and, of course, first and foremost the United States, has overstepped its national borders in every way. This is visible in the economic, political, cultural and educational policies it imposes on other nations. Well, who likes this? Who is happy about this?" - Putin's Prepared Remarks at 43rd Munich Conference on Security Policy, Feb. 10, 2007

The Chekist Putin is the inspiration of anti-American dictators the world over and their leader.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Latin America pinglist.

[Smokin' Joe]

Arms transfer specialist Mark Bromley says, "If you look at the relationship Russia has with Venezuela, it is built on natural resources and arms sales. There is not much of an ideological affinity."

"I think [Russian leader Vladimir] Putin doesn't really support Chavez when he goes off on these anti-U.S. tirades. There is no shared agenda between Putin and Chavez. Chavez wants to get away from the United States. Russia, unlike any other country in the world, has the technology and is not under the influence of the United States and is willing to sell to Venezuela," says Bromley.

Ri-ight. A fine vintage of Kool-Aid...communist totalitarianism is alive and well and expanding in a continent near you.

[G8 Diplomat]

Russian Arms in Latin America

Well this sounds familiar...