Posted on 03/03/2008 3:34:08 PM PST by 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.
58 is a yes or no question.
I noted you declined to answer.
As an afterthought. Are we a corrupt country? Is there a shadow war going on in this country driving events?
“Speculated? That’s your argument?”
actually, I don’t see what arguing about corruption in latin america proves. Of course they are stealing as much as they can - that is what governments are for/do! I am also not sure that a third of the budget is a high number.
“No sanctuary for terrorists, that includes Farc, and it includes within Venezuela. You can be prudent about it temporarly for tactical and timing reasons if that is advisable, but do not, do not, conceed on the principle of no sanctuary for terrorists, and the moral equivalence between terrorists and states that harbor, arm, fund, and support them.”
Go tell that to Bush regarding the terrorists hiding out in the territories in Pakistan. He won’t go in with our troops and clean out the infestation, including where Osama Bin Laden is most likely hiding. So much for principles of no sanctuary for terrorists. Hah.
No.
What % of the US budget do you think ends up in the wrong hands?
lol...But it's slightly different here. We *allow* it to occur, AND we are told where it goes, for the most part. In Colombia it just disappears, and is used to further crime and corruption.
Can you name U.S. military commanders involved in drug smuggling and bombings of civilians and others actively attempting to overthrow our government here?
I'm not against anyone going up against chavez. The sooner that creature meets Jesus, the better off this hemisphere will be.
We need to help Columbia if war breaks out, because it would be dangerous to allow Chavez to create a Venezuelan Empire.
He's cool.
Leni
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? Can you seriously call a country like that an ALLY?
So now Columbia is our ally that doesn’t smuggle illegal drugs into this country? I guess I am out of the loop as I was under the impression they were the biggest problem in the war on drugs stemming back to the 80’s...
Fascinating reads about Nickle Grass, Polybius. Thanks for those links.
Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia...
“No, you go tell these folks - if you can find the pieces”
It’s a start. But it is a mini-step in the big picture. We need to get in there and wipe out all of the lice.
“They are evil human beings, not lice. I intensely dislike the language of pest control applied to political discourse. It has a simple appalling track record.”
Evil human beings, lice, whatever knocks your socks off. I prefer lice myself, but each to their own.
Only Columbian.
My favorite from that region is from El Salvador and Honduras.
My favorite overall is from Ethiopia and Kenya.
I love watching those on the military channel taking out everything in a large area even a fly.
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