NationStates Jolt Archive

Seriously, the guy is spending serious money on projects that have a lifespan of about 12 hours or less if they ever have to be used. Hardware is fine, but if you don't have the training and expertise to use it, they aren't much good except as target drones for those with the training and experience.

The Kilo can be a formidable sub with a good crew and good tactics. The SU-30 is a good airplane. But they don't have numbers or skills on their side. When was the last time Venezuela fought anyone? How much money do they have for training and who do they train against?

This is all posturing, though it might be slightly worrisome to some of his neighbors. It doesn't even approach a threat to the US.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/venezuela/story/0,,2103589,00.html

They're probably going to start some shit with Colombia. They've been buddying up with FARC and stirring up trouble on the border.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-bodies15jun15,1,7908292.story?coll=la-headlines-world

They're probably going to start some shit with Colombia. They've been buddying up with FARC and stirring up trouble on the border.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-bodies15jun15,1,7908292.story?coll=la-headlines-world

Ummmm... the diesel submarines would have to go all the way around South America to reach Columbia... I don't think they have the range...

How much do we (the US) spend on the military again? Did you just break the wall on our glass house?

Spending is his own damn problem. He has nearly endless amounts of money now thanks to oil, but those prices won't stay that high forever. When they do fall, he'll find himself in the same position that the Netherlands was in in the eighties, and the Middle East in the nineties.

I don't think it's supposed to be an aggressive threat, rather the Venezuelan government is getting paranoid about a US supported invasion, coming after thier Oil reserves in the near future.

Although I'm not exactly a great follower of South American politics myself I admit.

I don't think it's supposed to be an aggressive threat, rather the Venezuelan government is getting paranoid about a US supported invasion, coming after thier Oil reserves in the near future.

Yeah. It's good to have a big, scary enemy to rally the support of your people while you're clamping down on their civil liberties. Bush knows it and Chavez has caught on quick.

· Fleet would help Chávez thwart future US embargo

Who the hell ever said anything about a US embargo of Venezuela, besides the demagougic and irresponsible fellow that is Chavez?

I don't think it's supposed to be an aggressive threat, rather the Venezuelan government is getting paranoid about a US supported invasion, coming after thier Oil reserves in the near future.


C'mon. We all know that Chavez is using the US as the bogeyman to scare his people into line. It's far easier to implement otherwise unpopular policies on scared people than it is to do so on a happy people.

How much do we (the US) spend on the military again? Did you just break the wall on our glass house?

Our stuff can actually sink any other navy on the planet.

Who cares about Chavez? I mean honestly? He's a tinpot dictator wanna-be from a country 99% of people couldn't locate on a map.

Who cares about Chavez? I mean honestly? He's a tinpot dictator wanna-be from a country 99% of people couldn't locate on a map.

Yeah, who cares that he's spending the future of Venezuela, and fucking his countrymen out of their oil money by buying shit that will go to the bottom of the sea - once - if it ever sees combat, and until that time, will be the money pit from hell.

Khadgar doesn't care!

Ummmm... the diesel submarines would have to go all the way around South America to reach Columbia... I don't think they have the range...

Didn't think about that. Colombia doesn't have any ships on it's northern coast? Still, I don't think Chavez really believes that the US will invade Venezuela. Those weapons aren't meant for defending against the US. They're meant to solidify Venezuela's status as a major power in S. America in my opinion.

EDIT, looks like the Colombian navy is headquartered near Cartagena, along that northern coast.

The second reason is personal safety. As I said earlier Cartagena is a very safe place to live and visit. The city is surrounded by water on three sides so there is really only one way in or out if you’re a bad guy and the police and military heavily patrol the access roads into and out of the city, in fact they patrol the majority of the northern coast of Colombia from Cartagena to Santa Marta. The Colombian Navy is headquartered here on a beautiful historic naval base with a substantial contingent of Marines.http://www.escapeartist.com/efam/64/Living_In_Colombia_Cartagena.html

Our stuff can actually sink any other navy on the planet.
.....and the Land of the Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

Yeah, who cares that he's spending the future of Venezuela, and fucking his countrymen out of their oil money by buying shit that will go to the bottom of the sea - once - if it ever sees combat, and until that time, will be the money pit from hell.

Khadgar doesn't care!

It's really not our problem. We'd do well to let the rest of the world solve their own problems rather than sticking our noses in. But hey, you're a good neo-con and never met an oil bearing country you didn't want to saber rattle against eh?

So who gets to invade us because BUSH is spending away our futures? Where's your righteous indignation about that fiasco?

Yeah, who cares that he's spending the future of Venezuela, and fucking his countrymen out of their oil money by buying shit that will go to the bottom of the sea

So hes buying an old Sub and thats "fucking his countrymen".

Yet his predcesors pouring the money into the bottom of their bank a/cs and creating a hugely unfair and unequal society isn't......

So what do you suggest we do about Chavez then? Invade to "restore democracy?

His government will probably be nibbled away from inside once oil prices fall. I'm not even sure the same thing will happen in other petrodictatorships that are forming.

Yeah, who cares that he's spending the future of Venezuela, and fucking his countrymen out of their oil money by buying shit that will go to the bottom of the sea - once - if it ever sees combat, and until that time, will be the money pit from hell.

Khadgar doesn't care!

So what do you suggest we do about Chavez then? Invade to "restore democracy?

...

Oh yeah and don't forget to give the Oil wells back to the US companies so we can economically rape them after installing a puppet.

Still, I don't think Chavez really believes that the US will invade Venezuela.

Any sane person wouldn't, but I feel dudes like this one have a tendency to believe in their own lies.
However, I don't think there will be any use of it, except for "look at me i r teh bestest" posing.

C'mon. We all know that Chavez is using the US as the bogeyman to scare his people into line.

What amuses me most is the people in the US - like uh, RO - who are trying to use Chavez as the bogeyman.

So hes buying an old Sub and thats "fucking his countrymen".

Yet his predcesors pouring the money into the bottom of their bank a/cs and creating a hugely unfair and unequal society isn't......
Still Venezuelan society is still not fair. Chavez spends oil money on dole-out programs to the poor. So the poor likes Chavez and will vote for him regardless of whether he would allow others to criticize him or not. However, when those oil money runs out...

Our stuff can actually sink any other navy on the planet.

Yes yes, we all know you're insecure about the size of your pee-pee, and we sympathize, really. We all want you to get over it, come to terms with its inadequacy. But this doesn't really address what was said.

What amuses me most is the people in the US - like uh, RO - who are trying to use Chavez as the bogeyman.

I don't think Chavez is as big a threat as the bogeyman.

How much do we (the US) spend on the military again? Did you just break the wall on our glass house?

Approximatly 450,000,000,000USD, about 1/3 of the annual budget, I think. 'Course, a lot of the US 'military' budget goes to distinctly non-military enterprises. I believe that includes National Guard expenses and such as well.

What I find amazing is how much money is spent on showing off (buying unnecessary military hardware) when so many Venezuelans are living in such impoverished conditions. He is supposed to be the champion of the people, yet he does little to actually help them.

I don't think Chavez is as big a threat as the bogeyman.

http://i14.tinypic.com/5yjbkgo.jpg

VS.

http://i11.tinypic.com/5y7zxwo.jpg

What I find amazing is how much money is spent on showing off (buying unnecessary military hardware) when so many Venezuelans are living in such impoverished conditions. He is supposed to be the champion of the people, yet he does little to actually help them.

Yes, a politician lied. Stop the presses.

The Kilo can be a formidable sub with a good crew and good tactics. The SU-30 is a good airplane. But they don't have numbers or skills on their side. When was the last time Venezuela fought anyone? How much money do they have for training and who do they train against?


They have lots of money, enough to pay for good training and good trainers. They're preparing to fight whoever tries to give them trouble. Why would they need a reason to have a reasonably modern army?

Approximatly 450,000,000,000USD, about 1/3 of the annual budget, I think. 'Course, a lot of the US 'military' budget goes to distinctly non-military enterprises. I believe that includes National Guard expenses and such as well.

On a side note, the US spends approximatly %5 more on welfare and social services than it does on the military.
The more you know...

Who the hell ever said anything about a US embargo... Fidel

.. of Venezuela, besides the demagougic and irresponsible fellow that is Chavez?Castro.

But we all know -that when Fidel tells Chavez- "watch out for the monstrous US Embargo" ... we all know Castro is just lying, The US would never try to suffocate a small country [/uber Sarcasm]

On a side note, the US spends approximatly %5 more on welfare and social services than it does on the military.
The more you know...

Your numbers are way way way off.

As it happens the 2007 budget, comparing military versus welfare/social security/medicaid/vet benefits you come up with:

Military spending 17%
Welfare 41%.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_budget,_2007 Though it should be noted the 700 billion quoted there will likely not include the various "emergency" spending bills for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fidel

Castro.

But we all know -that when Fidel tells Chavez- "watch out for the monstrous US Embargo" ... we all know Castro is just lying, The US would never try to suffocate a small country [/uber Sarcasm]

Cuban Motherfukcing Missile Crisis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Missile_Crisis)

Permanent retribution until Castro is dead.

Cuban Motherfukcing Missile Crisis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Missile_Crisis)

Permanent retribution until Castro is dead.

And yet we trade with the Russians like it's nothing. Honestly, time to get over that. It's more likely we're holding a grudge because Bay of Pigs failed.

In other news, Venezuelan inflation is hitting 20%, the worst in Latin America, the oil industry contracted by nearly 6% despite record prices and the bolivar is the worst of the 72 most significant currencies in the world in terms of depreciation.

The country's falling apart and he is buying weapons...

Yes. The Cuban blockade is inherently childish. Besides, it hurts the people of Cuba more than Castro.

And yet we trade with the Russians like it's nothing. Honestly, time to get over that. It's more likely we're holding a grudge because Bay of Pigs failed.

Bay of Pigs would have explained the continuation of the embargo through the Kennedy and Johnson years, but the moment that created the national consensus for the extended embargo was the CMC. Without that, Castro could not have garnered sufficient national ill-will to earn such an embargo, and we would have most likely had an opening with Cuba under Nixon/Ford/Carter like we did with China.

The Russians, besides no longer having the Soviet government in power, are far more important to the world than pukey little Cuba.

Is the embargo unfair? Nowadays, probably, but it won't be lifted until the day Castro dies (then it goes immediately).

In other news, Venezuelan inflation is hitting 20%, the oil industry contracted by nearly 6% despite record prices and the bolivar is the worst of the 72 most significant currencies in the world in terms of depreciation.

The country's falling apart and he is buying weapons...

Notice communists tend to do that? Pretty well all of them.

(Venezuela economy) the worst in Latin America...I call Bull shit.
.

the bolivar is the worst of the 72 most significant currencies in the world in terms of depreciation. :rolleyes: and my left foot is the worst of the significant left foots it the 43rd quadrant. Whatever that means.
.

The country's falling apart ...I call Bull shit.