Hugo Chavez lives in the back yard of the USA. These weapons systems can therefore be systematically eliminated with relative ease should the US ever wish to. The only weapons systems the US fear are those capable of hitting its own soil or its strategic interests abroad. Until Chavez has an effective and stong multi layered offensive capability he will not be taken too seriously by the USA. In the meantime Russia gets to make some money, and Chavez gets to feel like he can posture in front of the USA. Chavez had better be careful though as if he does too much posturing someone may take an opportunity to put him in his place on the world stage..............

Sounds like a threat... Jim! "someone may take an opportunity to put him in his place on the world stage.............." Why do we have to threaten? Could be that is what he feels coming from America.... We Americans should be above that... Sad!

Jim, S. America is NOT Washington's slave. None of those countries have an obligation to obey US orders. They are free to have relations with whoever they want and defend themselves. It is clear the US is running scared. If it wasn't, it would keep it's mouth shut. If anyone is destablizing and provoking unrest in Latin America, it is the US. they've been at it for over a hundred years. Bringing in Russia creates a much-needed moderating force into Latin America. If Russia has interests there, the US will think twice before it attempts to act as a slave-plantation owner in that region. The US is cared of Russia and it will not attempt to go against them directly. If there is any military unrest in Latin America, it will be caused by the US or it's surrogates, not Chavez. "Until Chavez has an effective and stong multi layered offensive capability he will not be taken too seriously by the USA." So this means that all these US government scary stories about Chavez are BS?

Kyle - I would certainly never make a threat. I was simply pointing out want tends to happen when leaders who are not allied with the USA get a 'bit big for thier boots'. It has happened in the past and could well happen in the future.

April 10, 2010, 01:20, Paul the greater part of the US military is in afghanistan and iraq and cannot care less about Venezuela and pretty much the rest south america (let them be themselves except Columbia drug smuggling rink got to take that down) U know what that means were trying to invade and enslave all of south america and kill all Venezuelans =D

Hugoooooooooooooooooo… Don’t……. play…… with ………fire…. Because you might get burned…. I seriously doubt that America is too concern about this foolish man…. All they would have to do is press one button and Venezuela would be wiped-out from the face of the earth… Russia could never defend this country…. It would be far to expensive to do and for what….. What can Venezuela offer Russia that other South American countries can’t??????

The problem is USA is too hegemonic and authoritarian. Just as P.M. Mr. Putin said in Munich Conference 2007: "We are seeing a greater and greater disdain for the basic principles of international law. And independent legal norms are, as a matter of fact, coming increasingly closer to one state’s legal system. One state and, of course, first and foremost the United States, has overstepped its national borders in every way. This is visible in the economic, political, cultural and educational policies it imposes on other nations. Well, who likes this? Who is happy about this? In international relations we increasingly see the desire to resolve a given question according to so-called issues of political expediency, based on the current political climate. And of course this is extremely dangerous. It results in the fact that no one feels safe. I want to emphasise this – no one feels safe! Because no one can feel that international law is like a stone wall that will protect them. Of course such a policy stimulates an arms race. "

April 10, 2010, 01:20, Paul wrote > Jim, > S. America is NOT Washington's slave. None of those countries have an obligation to obey US orders. They are free to have relations with whoever they want and defend themselves. It is clear the US is running scared. If it wasn't, it would keep it's mouth shut. > If anyone is destablizing and provoking unrest in Latin America, it is the US. they've been at it for over a hundred years. Bringing in Russia creates a much-needed moderating force into Latin America. If Russia has interests there, the US will think twice before it attempts to act as a slave-plantation owner in that region. The US is cared of Russia and it will not attempt to go against them directly. > If there is any military unrest in Latin America, it will be caused by the US or it's surrogates, not Chavez. > "Until Chavez has an effective and stong multi layered offensive capability he will not be taken too seriously by the USA." So this means that all these US government scary stories about Chavez are BS? Paul, If South America isn't a "slave" to the USA, then WHY do they still insist on taking "Foreign" aid from the USA? Why do ALL the South Americans, Latin Americans, and Central Americans come to the USA, either "legally" or "illegally"? I tell you what........Let Putin and Medvedev take them in and relieve the "burden" these people place on the "welfare" state!

Go Russia! I have no doubt in my mind that the flow of drugs will increase out of Columbia, and that terrorist attacks will start to spur in that region with Venezuela being the target. Have you guys ever seen the movie American Gangster? No? Well you get to see the Columbian version instead of the Vietnamese version!

Tell why then so many Americans are living poverty.. in fact I think US should send aid to its ghettos first where people are living in extreme poverty worse than the poverty in Venezuela and India as these people can still live subsistent whereas the American poor are condemned to their concrete hells with low or no wage.