Hugo Chavez: Prepare for War With U.S.

[Dos Equis]

Uh oh.   

Monday, June 25, 2007 7:50 a.m. EDT
Hugo Chavez: Prepare for War With U.S.

President Hugo Chavez urged soldiers on Sunday to prepare for a guerrilla-style war against the United States, saying that Washington is using psychological and economic warfare as part of an unconventional campaign aimed at derailing his government.

Dressed in olive green fatigues and a red beret, Chavez spoke inside Tiuna Fort—Venezuela's military nerve-center—before hundreds of uniformed soldiers standing alongside armored vehicles and tanks decorated with banners reading: "Fatherland, Socialism, or Death! We will triumph!"

"We must continue developing the resistance war, that's the anti- imperialist weapon. We must think and prepare for the resistance war everyday," said Chavez, who has repeatedly warned that American soldiers could invade Venezuela to seize control of the South American nation's immense oil reserves.



U.S. officials reject claims that Washington is considering a military attack. But the U.S. government has expressed concern over what it perceives as a significant arms build-up here.


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  Chavez — a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro — told soldiers the Washington was trying to weaken and divide Venezuelan society, including the armed forces, without resorting to combat.



"It's not just armed warfare," said Chavez, a former army officer who is leading what he calls the "Bolivarian Revolution," a socialist movement named after 19th-century independence hero Simon Bolivar. "I'm also referring to psychological warfare, media warfare, political warfare, economic warfare."

Under Chavez, Venezuela has recently purchased some $3 billion worth of arms from Russia, including 53 military helicopters, 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles, 24 SU-30 Sukhoi fighter jets.

Last week, Chavez said he is considering arms purchases, including submarines and a missile-equipped air defense system, as he prepares for a tour of Russia, Belarus and Iran.

"We are strengthening Venezuela's military power precisely to avoid imperial aggressions and assure peace, not to attack anybody," he said Sunday.

Opposition leader Julio Borges condemned the president's interest in acquiring weapons, saying the government should focus on reducing violent crime in Venezuela, which has one of the highest homicide rates in Latin America.

"This isn't resolved with military purchases and foreign tours," Borges said. "This is resolved with the determination of having a country with justice."

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/6/25/75325.shtml?s=ic

[Colossus_500]

Part of me just wants to write this man off as a nutcase, but I have to give him credit for conjuring up this diversion to his recent decision to pull any tv station that's not in sync with his thought process. 

[headhuntersix]

Maybe he'll choke on a burito.

[Hugo Chavez]

Maybe he'll choke on a burito.

Ju arrrr eh donnnnnky.... Ju arrrr eh donnnnnky.... 

[headhuntersix]

I guess he's buying Russian fighters and other weapons systems....I think his AF would last about 15-20 minutes if we went to war. I bet he wouldn't even get anything flying..he's an idiot. He needs to fix his crime rate and feed his people.

[Hugo Chavez]

I guess he's buying Russian fighters and other weapons systems....I think his AF would last about 15-20 minutes if we went to war. I bet he wouldn't even get anything flying..he's an idiot. He needs to fix his crime rate and feed his people.

Maybe it would be easier to address social problems if X superpower wasn't subversively causing havoc every which way they can at every opportunity.  Maybe X superpower is partially responsible for creating the man Chavez is.  Or maybe it's just all Hugo's fault for not being subservient bitch he's suppose to be....

[headhuntersix]

Come on...there is plenty of oil wealth there for him to turn his country around. Instead of trying to solve poverty and crime he's buying submarines...We have no intention to invade and if we did..there is very little he could do about it anyway. But we aren't and this is just a way for him to consoldate power. The new liberal darling as turned out to be another South Amrican dictator.

[loco]

Maybe he'll choke on a burito.

Venezuelans don't eat burritos.   

[24KT]

Come on...there is plenty of oil wealth there for him to turn his country around. Instead of trying to solve poverty and crime he's buying submarines...We have no intention to invade and if we did..there is very little he could do about it anyway. But we aren't and this is just a way for him to consoldate power. The new liberal darling as turned out to be another South Amrican dictator.

Kind of reminds you of another wealthy nation. Lots of money, ...but instead of challenging child poverty or providing real health care to it's citizens, ...it's squanders record surpluses, turns them into record deficits, destroys it's economy, ...and buys weapons to go to war. Turns out that republican darling was just another stupid fuck.

Big difference between the 2 though is, ...one country's citizens actually like, respect, and admire their leader's actions.

[CQ]

Come on...there is plenty of oil wealth there for him to turn his country around. Instead of trying to solve poverty and crime he's buying submarines...We have no intention to invade and if we did..there is very little he could do about it anyway. But we aren't and this is just a way for him to consoldate power. The new liberal darling as turned out to be another South Amrican dictator.

I doubt Chavez would lay down and acquiesce to any invasion, and I most definitely think he could do something about it.

Kind of reminds you of another wealthy nation. Lots of money, ...but instead of challenging child poverty or providing real health care to it's citizens, ...it's squanders record surpluses, turns them into record deficits, destroys it's economy, ...and buys weapons to go to war.

I thought the same thing. Although I am over simplifing it, it is a shame to see wars being waged causing death and trauma....while the funds and energy could be used for so many positive things instead.

[loco]

Funny how people come in here talking about Chavez as if they know who he is, and talking about Venezuela as if they know Venezuela.

Chavez is uneducated and dumb.  The brains behind Chavez is Fidel Castro.  Castro is a very smart leader, evil and self centered, but very smart.  Talk to any Cuban who was around in the years after Castro took power in Cuba.  Chavez is following the exact same steps to turn a democracy into a communist dictatorship.  Castro is smart, but poor.  Chavez is dumb, but rich.  Chavez is Castro's puppet.

Oh, and comparing the US and Bush to Venezuela and Chavez is...well, not very intelligent.  The US is the best country in the world to live in, and you can easily see that by the small number of people who want to leave the US and the multitudes who want to go in the US.  By contrast, there are tons of people fleeing or trying to flee Venezuela right now.

Also, in the US, you can make fun of Bush and call him stupid if you want to.  In Venezuela, if you openly criticize and insult Chavez or his government, there is a good chance that you and your family will be arrested, accused of conspiring to overthrow the government, and tortured to death.

[CQ]

Funny how people come in here talking about Chavez as if they know who he is, and talking about Venezuela as if they know Venezuela.

I see the assumption that people do not know Chavez, but why make the assumption that no one knows Venezuela? I live within the region and have been there a few times, do I know it well? No. Do I know it? Yes.

The US is the best country in the world to live in

An opinion, not fact.......I don't feel that way and I am sure many Canadians, Brits, Swiss, Australians etc would concur with me. The US is a great place to live sure, as are many other nations. The 'best' nation all comes down to everyones personal tastes really, and level of importance they place on variables.

[loco]

why make the assumption that no one knows Venezuela?

Because of the stuff that I'm reading on this board.  It clearly shows that many here don't know and are simply basing their opinions on the media.  I did not say that "no one" knows Venezuela.  There might be people here who live there or have lived there.  If that's the case, I don't see those people posting here.

An opinion, not fact.......

The small numbers of people leaving the US and the huge numbers of people going in or trying to go in the US are a fact.

[CQ]

The small numbers of people leaving the US and the huge numbers of people going in or trying to go in the US are a fact.

Very true.

I speak from a unique perspective though. I live on a tiny island, where our pop. is sub 60,000.....about 10,000 of those being American expatriates here for our tax free incomes, sun, beach, tropical lifestyle etc. The actual number of poeple of my nationality is sub 35,000 in total...with under 1,000 of those having emigrated to the US. 1,000 of us left for the US, with 10,000 US ppl in...so that statement does not hold for us, quite the opposite actually. So, although on a general world level your statement is true the vast majority of the time, I have a unique perspective.

US is great, I visit there all the time and enjoy it, and although I am actually a legal US citizen [marriage] I adore where I live and would not emigrate to the US. It's all just a matter of personal tastes.......I'll take my tiny little tropical paradise anyday.

I mean no disrepect btw, just I find people [not you] forget there are over 200 nations in the world, and many are great places [and many are crappy also yes]......but what the 'best' nation is, is all a matter of opinion.

[loco]

Very true.

I speak from a unique perspective though. I live on a tiny island, where our pop. is sub 60,000.....about 10,000 of those being American expatriates here for our tax free incomes, sun, beach, tropical lifestyle etc. The actual number of poeple of my nationality is sub 35,000 in total...with under 1,000 of those having emigrated to the US. 1,000 of us left for the US, with 10,000 US ppl in...so that statement does not hold for us, quite the opposite actually. So, although on a general world level your statement is true the vast majority of the time, I have a unique perspective.

US is great, I visit there all the time and enjoy it, and although I am actually a legal US citizen [marriage] I adore where I live and would not emigrate to the US. It's all just a matter of personal tastes.......I'll take my tiny little tropical paradise anyday.

I mean no disrepect btw, just I find people [not you] forget there are over 200 nations in the world, and many are great places [and many are crappy also yes]......but what the 'best' nation is, is all a matter of opinion.

Yours sounds like a great place too!  Makes me want to be there on vacation right now.   

I can rephrase my statement and say instead that the US is one of the greatest countries to live in, and still be true that comparing the US to Venezuela is not very smart.  Venezuela is one of the worst places to live in at the moment.  It shouldn't be that way.  Venezuela is a beautiful tropical country, with great weather and beautiful women everywhere, and lots of oil too.  It's too bad that Venezuela has so much corruption, a bad government and a bad economy.

[Hedgehog]

Maybe it would be easier to address social problems if X superpower wasn't subversively causing havoc every which way they can at every opportunity.  Maybe X superpower is partially responsible for creating the man Chavez is.  Or maybe it's just all Hugo's fault for not being subservient bitch he's suppose to be....

I am of the opinion that USA and EU have a big responsibility for the actions that happens in Venezuela.

Why?

Because we are the enlightened ones, we are the places where Democracy is heralded. And we have the responsibility to lead countries like Venezuela.

Not leech the natural resources out of Venezuela, but help build the democracy and the economy, so the country becomes independent.

I support the expropriation of the oil fields. Eight days a week. I hope that will occur in Nigeria as well.

But it would be much better if USA, EU and the rest of the West didn't opposed the expropriation, but looked upon it as something good, as something necessary, for these countries to break away.

Berserker and loco, here's an interesting interview with Johan Galtung btw:

http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2003/05/264373.shtml

-Hedge

[headhuntersix]

Pretty good debate...but LOCO is spot on. This guy came in with plenty of fire...helping his poor etc. But he knows folks have figured him out. No revolution is sponsored or started by the poor classes. They just supply the foot soldiers. Middle and upper classes start and fund them.  He has lost his middle class and pissed off the rich. Now there is speculation that he wants to be president for life. One of our oil companies just pulled out because of his crap. We have no plans to invade, but if we give his poor something else to think about, the middle class won't be able to rile them up against the government. Jag don't compare us to venezuela in any way shape or form.

[Hedgehog]

Pretty good debate...but LOCO is spot on. This guy came in with plenty of fire...helping his poor etc. But he knows folks have figured him out. No revolution is sponsored or started by the poor classes. They just supply the foot soldiers. Middle and upper classes start and fund them.  He has lost his middle class and pissed off the rich. Now there is speculation that he wants to be president for life. One of our oil companies just pulled out because of his crap. We have no plans to invade, but if we give his poor something else to think about, the middle class won't be able to rile them up against the government. Jag don't compare us to venezuela in any way shape or form.

Having an outer enemy will always unite a people.

I hope the next US president will be more skilled than the current, and reach out to Chavez, refuse to be the bad guy to Venezuela, and do whatever possible to get the Venezuelan economy going, as well as the trade between US-Venezuela, strengthening the ties.

That will ultimately cut the power base for Chavez.

Look at Cuba: It's my firm belief that Cuba, just like the rest of the countries under the Iron Curtain, would've been democratized by now if USA had opened up trade with Cuba as soon as possible.

-Hedge

[24KT]

Jag don't compare us to venezuela in any way shape or form.

{looking about coyly & innocently}

Did I name the USA?

I just said it reminded me of another country whose Republican president turned out to be a stupid fvck.

But, ...then again, I suppose if the shoe fits.... feel free to wear it! 

[Hedgehog]

Having an outer enemy will always unite a people.

I hope the next US president will be more skilled than the current, and reach out to Chavez, refuse to be the bad guy to Venezuela, and do whatever possible to get the Venezuelan economy going, as well as the trade between US-Venezuela, strengthening the ties.

That will ultimately cut the power base for Chavez.

Look at Cuba: It's my firm belief that Cuba, just like the rest of the countries under the Iron Curtain, would've been democratized by now if USA had opened up trade with Cuba as soon as possible.

-Hedge

My point is, that Chavez will be more popular if there is an outer enemy.

And he will portray USA as the bad guy.

The way to handle such, is not through isolation politics, or through playing hardball.

If USA reaches out, Chavez will look a fool to his people if he doesn't take the offer.

And if he takes the offered hand, the relations will become better, and the anti-USA propaganda will hurt Chavez.

Whoever gets the presidency next, I hope for someone with a grasp of international relations.

Unlike "Mista Bush" .

Bush is a bad president. But Chavez isn't democratic.

-Hedge

[Colossus_500]

Having an outer enemy will always unite a people.

I hope the next US president will be more skilled than the current, and reach out to Chavez, refuse to be the bad guy to Venezuela, and do whatever possible to get the Venezuelan economy going, as well as the trade between US-Venezuela, strengthening the ties.

That will ultimately cut the power base for Chavez.

Look at Cuba: It's my firm belief that Cuba, just like the rest of the countries under the Iron Curtain, would've been democratized by now if USA had opened up trade with Cuba as soon as possible.

-Hedge

There you go with that "diplomacy" bit again.  Talk to anyone, damn the message that it sends right?  lol 

[headhuntersix]

I think Chavez needs to go..he's allowing to many folks into his area that area detriment to our stategic best interest. China, Russia etc.

[w8tlftr]

Kind of reminds you of another wealthy nation. Lots of money, ...but instead of challenging child poverty or providing real health care to it's citizens, ...it's squanders record surpluses, turns them into record deficits, destroys it's economy, ...and buys weapons to go to war. Turns out that republican darling was just another stupid fuck.

Big difference between the 2 though is, ...one country's citizens actually like, respect, and admire their leader's actions.

Sweet baby Jesus, Judi. I can't believe you'd actually compare Bush against Chavez. 

And don't be coy. We all know which "republican darling" you had in mind.

[Hugo Chavez]

Sweet baby Jesus, Judi. I can't believe you'd actually compare Bush against Chavez. 

And don't be coy. We all know which "republican darling" you had in mind.

LOL "SWEET BABY JESUS JUDI"    Yea, no comparissons, Chavez is all good and well, Bush.... uhm...

[ToxicAvenger]

i ran from a country ruled by money hungry self serving c unts...

to...exactly the same 

well at least we got bigger roads..hotter chix..better booze..better drugs..rock n roll...more to occupy us with so the corruption is easier to ignore..