U.S. could intervene as Chavez prepares for war on Colombia

The Daily Mail ^ | March 2, 2008 | William Lowther

[2ndDivisionVet]

Venezuela threatened to declare war on neighbouring Colombia last night, raising the prospect of the U.S. being drawn into conflict in South America.

Venezuela's Left-wing president Hugo Chavez ordered ten tank battalions to the Colombian border and put war-planes under emergency stand-by.

The tension follows Colombia's decision to send its army to strike against anti-government guerrillas hiding in the jungles of Ecuador.

The surprise attack - launched without Ecuador's permission - killed Raul Reyes, a top commander in the Left-wing Colombian rebel group Farc, and about 16 of his men.

President Chavez yesterday closed the Colombian embassy in Caracas, warning that any similar entry into his country's territory after the rebels would be "cause for war".

The U.S. would almost certainly come to Colombia's aid if oil-rich Venezuela launched an invasion. But Washington-based diplomats played down the brouhaha and said it might be no more than bluster from Chavez, an outspoken opponent of the U.S.

However, Pentagon sources said Colombia had been warned not to allow its hunt for Farc rebels to cross Venezuela's borders.

Over the last few weeks President Chavez, who is very close to new Cuban President Raul Castro, has been in negotiations with Farc leaders and has persuaded them to hand over some of the hostages they have been holding for years.

While the US has bitterly deteriorating relations with Venezuela it has recently improved ties to Colombia and has troops in that country helping in the fight against the massive illicit cocaine trade.

President Chavez moved quickly yesterday to close the Colombian embassy in Caracas and to declare on national television that Colombian President Alvaro Uribe was a "criminal."

He said the killing of the rebel leader was a "cowardly murder."

President Chavez said that any similar incursion into Venezuelan territory after the rebels would be seen as a "cause for war."

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa has called the killing of the rebels inside his country "scandalous."

According to Pentagon sources the US has warned Colombia not to let its military venture into Venezuela in pursuit of Farc guerrillas and there is no indication that they have done so.

The US is hoping that President Chavez – known for making extravagant claims – is on no more than a sabre-rattling exercise with no real intention of going to war.

[tet68]

“...But Washington-based diplomats played down the brouhaha and said it might be no more than bluster from Chavez, an outspoken opponent of the U.S. “

What is it about diplomats that makes them blind to dictatorial ambition?

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Chavez saw Saddam swing. I don’t think he’s about to give the U.S. any pretext to tie him to a tree.

[johnny7]

What is it about diplomats that makes them blind to dictatorial ambition?

Because 'dictatorial ambition' isn't in their bullsh•t vocabulary... the closest they come is blaming themselves for “a failure to communicate”

[lentulusgracchus]

Best we could do is keep our nose out of it. Let those two wacky countries fight between themselves.

No, Chavez is a thug and a jackbooted dictator.

If he gets out of line, we'll have to step on him. The Panama Canal is too close, to risk Colombia's falling into the orbit of a new anti-American axis.

Remember, Chinese agents are already running the port facilities at both ends of the Canal.

[lentulusgracchus]

President Bush is also duty and honor-bound to kick Iran a new asshole — but don’t hold your breath.

Ask the Iranians and their Quds Brigade toughs if they've finished brooming up their comrades' body parts from that arsenal/missile-production factory that accidentally blew up a couple of months ago.

Which somebody may have had something to do with.

Quds being a bunch of murdering little ***holes and all.

Who's your daddy now, Dinner Jacket? Speak up, punk.

</asides>

[lentulusgracchus]

So much for principles of no sanctuary for terrorists. Hah.

Tell that to Adam Gadahn "al-Amriki" and his fuzzy shower buddies. They're all pushing up daisies in Waziristan courtesy of the Company.

[lentulusgracchus]

Chavez saw Saddam swing. I don’t think he’s about to give the U.S. any pretext to tie him to a tree.

Chavez is a thugpunk. His extra Y chromosomes and jump-school endorphins have been frying his brain cells for years. His I.Q. is probably down to about 85 by now.

Remember what Robin Williams said about blood, brains, and male genitalia.

[JasonC]

Lenin and Goebbels are proud of you. But I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole.

[processing please hold]

No sign of it

That's good to hear.

I believe russia sold about 30 of them to iran last year.

He is dangerous and lunatic reckless.

Bump that.

[processing please hold]

So now Columbia is our ally that doesn’t smuggle illegal drugs into this country?

Doesn't our government consider mexico our ally? It's a screwed world we're now living in. Up is down and down is up.

[rrrod]

Colombia is a very good ally!!!!

[Polybius]

I wish Reagan was alive to read your post. His War on Drugs would have been nullified by what you say, calling Columbia an ally when most of the illegal drugs are still smuggled from that country. What am I missing?

Ummmm .... Maybe you are missing the fact that our ally is the current Colombian Government and that the drug traffickers, many of them being Communist guerrillas are the enemy?

Ummmm .... Maybe you are missing the fact that, when Pablo Escobar was killed by a combined U.S. Government-Colombian Government operation, the "enemy" was Pablo Escobar and not our ally in the war against him, the Colombian Government?

Ummmm .... Maybe you are missing the fact that, in the year that the City of New York was racked with crime and Rudy Giulliani bacome Mayor, the enemies were the crimminals in New York and not the City of New York or Mayor Giulliani?

Can you seriously call a country like that an ALLY?

Not if you lack the ability to use basic logic.

Here is a basic logic lesson for you:

In the photograph below, the "allies" are the Columbian Government troops, with still smoking guns, that staged a successfull raid against the drug lord Pablo Escobar in close cooperation with U.S. military personnel that were providing electronic surveillance support in Colombia.

In the photograph below, the "enemy" is the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. He is the fat, dead guy with all the bullet holes in him.

One more thing:

"....calling Columbia an ally ..."

Colombia, with an "o", is a country in South America.

Columbia, with a "u", is an allegorical name for the United States of America.

[Blue Highway]

Since the establishment of the War on Drugs, the United States and European countries have provided financial, logistical and tactical aid to the government of Colombia in order to implement plans to combat the illegal drug trade. The most notable of these programs has been the Plan Colombia which also intended to combat terrorist organizations producing illegal drugs in Colombia. Despite these programs Colombia remains the leading producer of coca with approximately 70% of the total share and dominates approximately 90% of the cocaine processing market in the world.

Precisely why I think it is a sham that they "wink wink" want to defeat the drug trafficers there in Colombia. Doesn't seem to be working despite the big time bust you mentioned and the other one I just read about from another cartel in January.

Isn't Cocaine specifically, one of their biggest exports for the country?

This somehow seems like it will be the way we call Pakistan an ally. One with great skepticism...

[Blue Highway]

One more thing:

"....calling Columbia an ally ..."

Colombia, with an "o", is a country in South America.

Columbia, with a "u", is an allegorical name for the United States of America.

Thanks for the correction. I found an error in your own spelling of Colombia in the same post you are correcting me, which I find amusing...

In the photograph below, the "allies" are the Columbian Government troops....

[flaglady47]

“Lenin and Goebbels are proud of you. But I wouldn’t touch you with a ten foot pole.”

A ten foot pole? You flatter yourself.

[freeandfreezing]

Can you name U.S. military commanders involved in drug smuggling and bombings of civilians and others actively attempting to overthrow our government here?

It has been suggested that a former Commander in Chief was involved with drug smuggling in and around Mena Arkansas, and he did manage to kill quite a few civilians in Waco Texas, whether or not it was a bomb or just a fire is a little unclear. As for attempting to overthow our government here, luckily not, he was too busy chasing the interns.

[FatherofFive]

I think a flight wing of A-10s would do wonders

Then the military stages a coup and hangs Hugo by his feet. I'd really like to see Hugo invade.

[strongbow]

Man I really miss being active duty on days like this. I retired six years ago and make four times my USAF salary but I would give it up in a second to bring it to Hugo. Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war.

[dragnet2]

Ya got a point there.

[Ditto]

My be time for Columbia to support some Venezuelan ‘rebels” and see how Hugo likes it.