Thread: would the US invade?

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez today said he plans to buy 5000 Dragunov sniper rifles from Russia to protect the oil-rich nation from a possible US invasion.
The self-styled socialist revolutionary and open critic of Washington has bolstered the OPEC nation's weaponry by buying planes, helicopters and assault rifles from Russia to prepare for a guerrilla-style resistance to a foreign invader.
"I'm going to buy 5000 Dragunov rifles from Russia ... with telescopic sight, the best in the world, with infrared night-view," Chavez said during his weekly Sunday broadcast held on a beach along Venezuela's eastern coast.
"We will knock out any imperialist that approaches."
The United States has cut arms sales to Venezuela and blocked several attempts by Chavez to acquire military aircraft technology on the grounds that Venezuela has not adequately explained why it needs the equipment.
US Assistant Secretary of Defence for Hemispheric Affairs Stephen Johnson said during a recent visit to Colombia that countries in the region should be concerned about Venezuela's multi-billion dollar weapons purchases.
Venezuela last year purchased 24 Sukhoi fighters jets and 100,000 Kalashnikov AK-103 assault rifles from Russia, and is currently negotiating the purchase of submarines.

Would the US invade a country just because it was oil rich???

a bit difficult to read the OP.

i'm not too concerned about the US invading venezuela...the US doesn't have enough troops for the wars it's already lost (iraq) and losing (afghanistan).

The main reason the US would not invade Venezuela is because Chavez has most of the oil fields ready to be sabotaged. It would send Wall St into a tailspin.

Furthermore pictures of disembowelled Venezuelan beauty queens might assist Prince Rupert, but would absolutely not help the US' already sullied reputation. There is no money to be made from it, so it will not happen.

Assassination or Coup' are the CIA's preferred options.

Does it say something about the world's perception of US foreign policy that Chavez can cry wolf like this , probably to prop up his domestic position.

We've heard Einstein McCain singing "Bomb , bomb Iran" and he's only a presidential candidate , not a serious example of US political viewpoints.

Hands up who has NEVER found himself in a bar with a good ole boy too far into the Jack and Coke blathering about "Kicking arse" ?

Originally Posted by sledge

Would the US invade a country just because it was oil rich???

Rhetorical question I guess as the answer is fairly obvious.

Bush tried the Coup option already. It failed dismally and bolstered Chavez when he was under a lot of pressure on the streets from the have's. America seems to specialise at going off half cock and radicalising it's neighbours. Bay of Pigs ring a bell ?

Chavez is not that important, their oil production is not that much anyway.
The country is not very advanced in todays world. they use about 1/2 a mil barrels of oil a day. their output is less than 3 mil barrels a day and Chavez is sperading that damn thin with what he is promising the world he will do and what he will finance and the money he is spending in Russia for arms.
I think he is a nut that should be watched.

^
When Castro croaks, Chavez will have lost his socialistic support and he'll be even further marginalized.

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

socialistic support

It's alright, he'll still have the socialist support.

^
Sean Penn & Jane Fonda?

...try again, TEFLer...

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Sean Penn & Jane Fonda?

...try again, TEFLer...

Perhaps you should try again to spell "socialist". I'm sure either of the aforementioned persons would be happy to help you.

"TEFLer"? Oh dear, looks like I've broken Boon Mee. He's dribbling made-up stuff again.

Chavez is irrelevant and lets face he's a nutter.

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

When Castro croaks, Chavez will have lost his socialistic support and he'll be even further marginalized.

how so? if anything a leftist revival has taken place in south and central america over the last few years....and chavez is castro's likely successor in terms of identifying and standing up to the heavy handed and duplicitous foreign policy out of washington.

Originally Posted by britmaveric

Chavez is irrelevant

not with oil at $70/ barrel he isn't.

Yanks could crush him within an hour. The lad is delusional and his time is coming to an end sooner rather than later.

Originally Posted by britmaveric

Yanks could crush him within an hour.

Not likely. The vaunted 'two-fronts capabilities' has already been shown to have been grossly over-estimated. Last thing the US needs now is another.

Originally Posted by britmaveric

Yanks could crush him within an hour.

really? how's that?

because they already tried ousting him in a coup a couple of years ago and failed....miserably.

and they certainly don't have any troops available to invade......what are you alluding to....bombing caracas?

is the CIA supposed to assassinate him....like they've been trying to do to castro for 50 years?

Funny thing is Noriega thought pretty much the same thing.

you're comparing venezuela and panama? laughable.

and in case you've forgotten, noriega was a CIA stooge.

and you haven't answered my question---which is only asking you to provide more info on your post....how could the US 'crush him in an hour'?

Originally Posted by britmaveric

Funny thing is Noriega thought pretty much the same thing.

Eh? Sorry I don't quite see your point? Noriega worked for the CIA. Yet another dictator on the pay-roll.

I haven't been there since the mid 70s when we helped start up their oil fields, but I do not think that the people are that much behind him since he started the dictator shit after he was elected, at least the people used to like some freedom and that seems to have came to an end.Their crude was not sweet/light oil, so it is not prime.
He has already started to step on folks for not agreeing with him, I really do not see him lasting to long even if he did get it passed where he will be the leader for life.
But we will see how it comes out. Hell the rest of the world is fighting among themselves and killing each other, why not a Banana Republic.

enlighten us booner.....how are noriega/panama and chavez/venezuela comparable?

Originally Posted by raycarey

enlighten us booner.....how are noriega/panama and chavez/venezuela comparable?

I'm having another 'go' at shit-for-brains aunti - as far as I know, Chavez isn't dealing coke...yet. Wait 'till he runs out of oil, then we'll see. After all, he's president for life now, eh?

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

I'm having another 'go'

that's an interesting way of looking at it.
here's a bit of advice boner.....quit while you're behind----you're getting abused.

Originally Posted by raycarey

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

I'm having another 'go'

that's an interesting way of looking at it.
here's a bit of advice boner.....quit while you're behind----you're getting abused.

Not quite there ray...ain't even started yet.
Speaking of getting abused, you being nice to those kiddies there teach?