Venezuela Restocks
Its Arsenal
By Andy Webb-Vidal
in Miami Financial Times
3-14-5
The US military's senior officer responsible for security co-operation
in Latin America has warned of the destabilising potential posed to
the region by the Venezuelan government's controversial, and opaque,
arms procurement programme.
Hugo Chavez, the president of the world's fifth-largest oil exporter,
has begun signing contracts to buy an array of weapons to revamp his
defences to thwart what he claims could be outside "aggression".
Such fears were intensified two weeks ago when Venezuelan officials
were alarmed by the presence of US warships and marines near Curacao,
off Venezuela. US officials said it was a routine manoeuvre.
Equipment ranging from 50 latest-generation Mig-29 warplanes to dozens
of helicopter gunships, 100,000 Kalashnikov automatic rifles and a
fleet of naval vessels, have all been reported as imminent deliveries
to Venezuela's new arsenal.
General Bantz Craddock, the commander-in-chief of the US Southern
Command, said Venezuela's arms-procurement plan was a worry because
the motive was unclear, raising concern among its Latin American
neighbours.
"We are wondering just what is the intent here," Gen Craddock said in
an interview. "If it is for sovereign defence, obviously each nation
can do their own, and as well they should in terms of protecting their
sovereignty and their national boundaries."
But Gen Craddock, who is scheduled to testify before the Senate's
armed forces committee tomorrow, said it was unclear if the end-user
of some of the weapons, in particular the 100,000 rifles, really was
Venezuela.
"If it is to export instability that is a different situation," he
said. "We are concerned about that and we would like that not to
happen."
US defence officials are especially concerned that once the rifles are
delivered, there is a high risk that other weapons or ammunition from
Venezuela could fall into the hands of Colombian guerrillas who are
seeking to overthrow President Alvaro Uribe, Washington's main ally in
the region.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or Farc, have long
received guns and ammunition from rogue factions within governments in
neighbouring countries.
Vladimiro Montesinos, Peru's spymaster under former president Alberto
Fujimori, is alleged to have arranged the delivery of 10,000
Kalashnikovs to the Farc as part of a covert operation when he was in
power.
However, US officials are less concerned about Mr Chavez's apparent
plans to acquire Mig-29s from Russia. "Most up here figure this would
be a colossal waste of money for Chavez as he likely couldn't keep
these things in the air very long," said a US military officer.
Venezuela already has US-built F-16s and French Mirages but defence
analysts believe that few are operational.
Some US officials are more concerned by what they see as the lack of
financial transparency in the negotiation of the arms deals than by
the bellicose capability of the arms themselves. Price tags ranging up
to $5bn (Euro3.7bn, £2.6bn) have been reported as the total cost of Mr
Chavez's oil-financed defence spending spree, yet none of the
purchases has yet been debated in Venezuela's legislature.
"It's an orgy of corruption," said Roger Pardo-Maurer, deputy
assistant secretary for western hemisphere affairs at the US
Department of Defense.
Mr Chavez responded last month that the US had no moral authority to
make such complaints because it "lied" about the existence of weapons
of mass destruction as the principal justification for the invasion of
Iraq.
* Venezuela's government will expropriate land belonging to the Vestey
Group, the British-owned meat producer, and an animal reserve, among
other properties, saying that the private owners did not have
legitimate claims, AP reports in Caracas. The National Lands Institute
said it would take over a total of 96,440 hectares of land and give it
to the poor.
The government will take over all of El Charcote Ranch, a cattle ranch
belonging to an affiliate of the Vestey Group, an animal reserve,
Pinero Ranch, and a third privately owned ranch, El Coco. None of the
owners could be reached on Sunday. It was not clear when the
government would take possession of the lands.
© Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2005.
http://news.ft.com/cms/s
"Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one,some bigger than others"
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Venezuela restocks arsenal |
15 Mar 2005 03:25:05 PM |
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I predict that the cattle of Venezuela will all develop MCD
and the government there - will blame it on Canada.
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Venezuela restocks arsenal |
16 Mar 2005 02:20:26 AM |
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On 15 Mar 2005 13:25:05 -0800, wrote:
I predict that the cattle of Venezuela will all develop MCD
and the government there - will blame it on Canada.
No they will blame it on you Americunts, who in turn will blame it on
Canada.
"Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one,some bigger than others"
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| User: "Henning Larsen" |
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| Title: Re: Venezuela restocks arsenal |
17 Mar 2005 06:52:42 PM |
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Zak@hom.com, wrote in alt.prophecies.nostradamus, ti, 15 mar 2005 09:39:51 GMT:
Venezuela Restocks
Its Arsenal
By Andy Webb-Vidal
in Miami Financial Times
3-14-5
The US military's senior officer responsible for security co-operation
in Latin America has warned of the destabilising potential posed to
the region by the Venezuelan government's controversial, and opaque,
arms procurement programme.
The US government is now looking for the smallest little excuse they need
to attack Venezuela and reinstate the conservatives in the country again.
--
H.
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