Chavez Agrees to $2.2 Billion Russia Arms Credit Line

[lostinblue 1,989]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=ema...id=a9Q.xFWvaMps

Sept. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Russia will provide a $2.2 billion credit line for weapons purchases and help develop a peaceful nuclear program, prompting the U.S. to voice concern about a South American arms race.

Venezuela will buy 92 T-72S tanks, Smerch missiles with a range of 90 kilometers (56 miles) and an S-300 Antey-2500 anti- aircraft defense system including radar and missiles with a range of 400 kilometers, Chavez said yesterday during his weekly program on state television, “Alo Presidente.”

The Venezuelan president spent about $4.4 billion on Russian weapons from 2005 to 2007, including Sukhoi fighter jets and 100,000 Kalishnikov rifles. Chavez said the arms are needed to defend the nation’s energy resources and won’t be used for offensive purposes.

The question is how many of these guns ended up in the mexico drug wars with the american gun dealers taking the blame.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Chavez is a loose cannon. And a blowhard.

[NickD 203]

Those AK-47's were already used to suppress his own people, the tanks and missiles with help him with that. Claims he is being threatened, by whom? He's the threat. In the meantime, inflation is running wild, grocery store shelves are running dry, and people are losing their jobs.

[HAL 9000 96]

Chavez is a loose cannon. And a blowhard.

Another harmless nutcase. He should be locked in the same room with Alvaro Uribe and both should do humanity a favor.

Those AK-47's were already used to suppress his own people, the tanks and missiles with help him with that. Claims he is being threatened, by whom? He's the threat. In the meantime, inflation is running wild, grocery store shelves are running dry, and people are losing their jobs.

And no other country on the planet, let alone the region, is doing the same. Or having economic woes...

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Hes nothin until he kills a couple hundred folks. Then we should start worrying.

[Danno 1,228]

This is clearly a ####### for tat, for our insistence on forming a NATO ring around Russia.

We say we have the right to put bases, missiles and take part in military relations with her neighbors... now we will see how we like it when Russian arms and Technology are entering our spear of influence.

Soon Irans Nuclear aspirations will seem a "far away" as Chavez begins the same path.

I had hoped Obama would correct this huge Bush blunder... but it does not look promising.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

A fine example of HOPE and CHANGE, Heh?

[zqt3344 21]

Mother Russia is always strong and always causing problems for western governments, this is just another example of how they try to keep themselves in the running as a global power, a very fox like country always thinking many moves ahead.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=ema...id=a9Q.xFWvaMps

Sept. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Russia will provide a $2.2 billion credit line for weapons purchases and help develop a peaceful nuclear program, prompting the U.S. to voice concern about a South American arms race.

Venezuela will buy 92 T-72S tanks, Smerch missiles with a range of 90 kilometers (56 miles) and an S-300 Antey-2500 anti- aircraft defense system including radar and missiles with a range of 400 kilometers, Chavez said yesterday during his weekly program on state television, “Alo Presidente.”

The Venezuelan president spent about $4.4 billion on Russian weapons from 2005 to 2007, including Sukhoi fighter jets and 100,000 Kalishnikov rifles. Chavez said the arms are needed to defend the nation’s energy resources and won’t be used for offensive purposes.

The question is how many of these guns ended up in the mexico drug wars with the american gun dealers taking the blame.

[HAL 9000 96]

This is clearly a ####### for tat, for our insistence on forming a NATO ring around Russia.

We say we have the right to put bases, missiles and take part in military relations with her neighbors... now we will see how we like it when Russian arms and Technology are entering our spear of influence.

Soon Irans Nuclear aspirations will seem a "far away" as Chavez begins the same path.

I had hoped Obama would correct this huge Bush blunder... but it does not look promising.

I'm going to have to tap into several nations' intelligence servers to see what the 411 is on Chavez' nuclear ambitions. But I sincerely doubt there is one- at least from a weaponized perspective. The man is crazy but not an idiot.

When you define things in terms of 'spears of influence' it is natural to expect those within that imperialistic 'spear' to resist to defend their own sovereignty.

[NickD 203]

What's missing from this story, we (the USA) have already spent 6 billion dollars in Colombia to aid the Colombian government to fight the druggies and are permitted to have up to 1,400 troops stationed in Colombia. We are also improving our trade relations with Colombia, not so sure about their roses, but dang, we need their coffee.

Chavez fears this as he suspects we are going to attack him, already spent 2 billion on Russian arms and is going in debt for another 2 billion and prefers to deal with Russia. We also depend on oil imports from Venezuela, Chavez is trying to kick us out.

We have both relatives and friends in both countries, can only hope this does not turn out to be another Korea or Viet Nam, we know many people in Venezuela that fear Chavez and he is not helping the poor like he claims he is. Both are beautiful countries with ideal climate with many very good people. A lot can be done to industrialized these two countries and improve utilities, would be nice to be able to drink tap water in either. If their are fears as to what socialism is like in a government, just go to Venezuela and look around, it doesn't work and never has as a form of government, people need to work and support themselves, need opportunity and must be competent. Chavez's takeover of private utilities with incompetent people he trusts is making one hell of a mess. Infrastructure positively sucks, only thing that is reliable is the subway that is maintained by the French, wonder how long that will last.

When you see what's going on in Venezuela, certainly aids concern the way the USA is going, and yes, just about anything you can buy in Venezuela is also made in China.

[Danno 1,228]

This is clearly a ####### for tat, for our insistence on forming a NATO ring around Russia.

We say we have the right to put bases, missiles and take part in military relations with her neighbors... now we will see how we like it when Russian arms and Technology are entering our spear of influence.

Soon Irans Nuclear aspirations will seem a "far away" as Chavez begins the same path.

I had hoped Obama would correct this huge Bush blunder... but it does not look promising.

I'm going to have to tap into several nations' intelligence servers to see what the 411 is on Chavez' nuclear ambitions. But I sincerely doubt there is one- at least from a weaponized perspective. The man is crazy but not an idiot.

When you define things in terms of 'spears of influence' it is natural to expect those within that imperialistic 'spear' to resist to defend their own sovereignty.

Dude, your logic is -hit or miss- .. but your spell-check is right on.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Chavez's real problems are going to come when Chevron and Shell settle their international arbitration. They were smart and had all of Venezuela's holdings in the UK frozen ahead of the arbitration hearing that will surely be one sided. Good luck getting any foreign investment in the country now. Venezuela lacks the infrastructure and capacity to process petroleum. I'd wager that this round of nationalizing assets and oil fields was simply a ruse to negate EU and US contracts so that he could re-assign them to Russia, China, or some other OPEC national company. Chavez isn't a dumb man, but he is far from a smart one. Just look at his spending habits, which have yet to be curtailed. His spending is based on a budget that was premised on $110-$125 per barrel prices, and has not adjusted. They have burned through their slush funds and are now into the governments general fund.

[HAL 9000 96]

This is clearly a ####### for tat, for our insistence on forming a NATO ring around Russia.

We say we have the right to put bases, missiles and take part in military relations with her neighbors... now we will see how we like it when Russian arms and Technology are entering our spear of influence.

Soon Irans Nuclear aspirations will seem a "far away" as Chavez begins the same path.

I had hoped Obama would correct this huge Bush blunder... but it does not look promising.

I'm going to have to tap into several nations' intelligence servers to see what the 411 is on Chavez' nuclear ambitions. But I sincerely doubt there is one- at least from a weaponized perspective. The man is crazy but not an idiot.

When you define things in terms of 'spears of influence' it is natural to expect those within that imperialistic 'spear' to resist to defend their own sovereignty.

Dude, your logic is -hit or miss- .. but your spell-check is right on.

He has oil and that's all that likely concerns you.

[The_Dude 1,142]

This is clearly a ####### for tat, for our insistence on forming a NATO ring around Russia.

We say we have the right to put bases, missiles and take part in military relations with her neighbors... now we will see how we like it when Russian arms and Technology are entering our spear of influence.

Soon Irans Nuclear aspirations will seem a "far away" as Chavez begins the same path.

I had hoped Obama would correct this huge Bush blunder... but it does not look promising.

I'm going to have to tap into several nations' intelligence servers to see what the 411 is on Chavez' nuclear ambitions. But I sincerely doubt there is one- at least from a weaponized perspective. The man is crazy but not an idiot.

When you define things in terms of 'spears of influence' it is natural to expect those within that imperialistic 'spear' to resist to defend their own sovereignty.

Dude, your logic is -hit or miss- .. but your spell-check is right on.

He has oil and that's all that likely concerns you.

yeah, but it's heavy crude, not the good stuff.

[HAL 9000 96]

This is clearly a ####### for tat, for our insistence on forming a NATO ring around Russia.

We say we have the right to put bases, missiles and take part in military relations with her neighbors... now we will see how we like it when Russian arms and Technology are entering our spear of influence.

Soon Irans Nuclear aspirations will seem a "far away" as Chavez begins the same path.

I had hoped Obama would correct this huge Bush blunder... but it does not look promising.

I'm going to have to tap into several nations' intelligence servers to see what the 411 is on Chavez' nuclear ambitions. But I sincerely doubt there is one- at least from a weaponized perspective. The man is crazy but not an idiot.

When you define things in terms of 'spears of influence' it is natural to expect those within that imperialistic 'spear' to resist to defend their own sovereignty.

Dude, your logic is -hit or miss- .. but your spell-check is right on.

He has oil and that's all that likely concerns you.

yeah, but it's heavy crude, not the good stuff.

Oh he can sell it anyways. Like I said, he's a nutjob but definitely not an idiot. China is going crazy buying up real estate ALL OVER South America- particularly in the Oil-rich areas of Colombia and Venezuela. I sure hope President Obama realizes this is a good moment to follow through on his campaign promises to make our business interests there more of a better neighbor, not an exploiter.