Chavez Warns of War With Colombia

[Bulldogcakes]

Chavez Warns of War With Colombia (http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8V5H5TG1&show_article=1)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Warning that Colombia could spark a war, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez sent tanks and thousands of troops to the countries' border Sunday and ordered his government's embassy in Bogota closed.
The leftist leader warned Colombia's U.S.-allied government that Venezuela will not permit acts like Saturday's killing of top rebel leader Raul Reyes and 16 other Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrillas at a camp across the border in Ecuador.

"Mr. Defense Minister, move 10 battalions to the border with Colombia for me, immediately—tank battalions, deploy the air force," Chavez said during his weekly TV and radio program. "We don't want war, but we aren't going to permit the U.S. empire, which is the master (of Colombia) ... to come to divide us."

He ordered the Venezuelan Embassy in Bogota closed and said all embassy personnel would be withdrawn. It pushes already tense relations between the South American neighbors to their lowest point yet, with potentially far-reach effects on billions of dollars in cross-border trade.

Though Chavez didn't say how many troops he was sending, a Venezuelan battalion traditionally has some 600 soldiers—meaning some 6,000 could be headed to the border.

Chavez called the Colombian government "a terrorist state" as he sided with the leftist rebels it has battled for decades, saying its military "invaded Ecuador, flagrantly violated Ecuador's sovereignty."

[HBox]

He's desperately trying to hold on to his influence. Venezuela's influence is waning, Brazil is rising, and Chavez has had setbacks within his own country. That he's trying to spark something with one of our allies is not surprising. He's done it before, he'll do it again as long as it works for him.

[cougarjake13]

why dont we just take him out

[HBox]

why dont we just take him out.

We tried already. Its a part of why he's sop popular.

[Bulldogcakes]

He's desperately trying to hold on to his influence. Venezuela's influence is waning, Brazil is rising, and Chavez has had setbacks within his own country. That he's trying to spark something with one of our allies is not surprising. He's done it before, he'll do it again as long as it works for him.

Exactly. This is also something of a proxy war if it happens. Columbia has long been supported by the US and he's our #1 adversary on the world stage. What amazes me is that HE'S the one starting it, and on such flimsy grounds. Columbia has been dealing with the FARC for years with varying levels of violence, this is nothing new. The FARC is classified by the UN as a terrorist organization, an unrecognized pseudo government within Columbia's borders. They have hostages (some American) and they fund themselves through narcotics trafficking. They are terrorists by any measure. To claim that they are the victims here is to fail to recognize Columbia as a legitimate state.

But chances are he's just blowing smoke, as usual. He loves to change the subject from the fact that his socialist policies have been a total bust.

BTW-Oil is already at $100 a barrell. The commodities markets are gonna love this move from oil-rich Venezuela.

[Bulldogcakes]

why dont we just take him out

We've wanted Castro dead for 40 years. Its not that simple.

[Kevin]

I want Johan Santana OUT OF HERE!!!


(Bobby Abreu has shown to be a decent human being and can stay)

I do not trust that Johan as far as i can throw him.

[HBox]

I want Johan Santana OUT OF HERE!!!


(Bobby Abreu has shown to be a decent human being and can stay)

I do not trust that Johan as far as i can throw him.

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/images/2007/02/27/uY8isxom.jpg

Is good.

[scottinnj]

(Bobby Abreu has shown to be a decent human being and can stay)


You're Welcome

[NewYorkDragons80]

It's been speculated but not proven that Chavez supports the FARC. IMO, it's no coincidence that the only country in South America with petroleum reserves that rival Venezuela's has a huge concentration of guerrillas when the oil fields are. Oh and by the way, they're in the provinces that border Venezuela. I'm glad to see nobody here has jumped to Chavez's corner, cause this guy needs to go. And civil wars aside, Colombia is a more united country than Venezuela at this point. The Uribe government has done a magnificent job of both reconciling the AUC (right wing militias) with the central government while simultaneously beating the FARC's brains in. Good for Colombia. Chavez beware.

[TheMojoPin]

The Uribe government has done a magnificent job of both reconciling the AUC (right wing militias) with the central government while simultaneously beating the FARC's brains in. Good for Colombia. Chavez beware.

But drug cartels, rest easy.

[Snacks]

Exactly. This is also something of a proxy war if it happens. Columbia has long been supported by the US and he's our #1 adversary on the world stage. What amazes me is that HE'S the one starting it, and on such flimsy grounds. Columbia has been dealing with the FARC for years with varying levels of violence, this is nothing new. The FARC is classified by the UN as a terrorist organization, an unrecognized pseudo government within Columbia's borders. They have hostages (some American) and they fund themselves through narcotics trafficking. They are terrorists by any measure. To claim that they are the victims here is to fail to recognize Columbia as a legitimate state.

But chances are he's just blowing smoke, as usual. He loves to change the subject from the fact that his socialist policies have been a total bust.

BTW-Oil is already at $100 a barrell. The commodities markets are gonna love this move from oil-rich Venezuela.

sounds very familiar.

[K.C.]

It's all posturing.

Even though Chavez has been more vocally against American activity in recent years, Castro was always the symbolic figure head of the anti-American movement in Latin America...now that Cuba is in a little bit of turmoil in regards to its future, Chavez can assert him self as the rallying point for anti-American political beliefs to rally around in the region.

The FARC/Colombian government issue is probably the defining issue of his Presidency, and he's losing on it.

Chavez has always seemed to desire asserting himself as a world force...he knows if he fails in his own backyard, how the hell could he hold sway anywhere else?

At the end of the day, though, there's no teeth to this. He can't topple Colombia himself, especially if the Americans jump in, and all indications are that FARC can't either.

So he's screwed.

[K.C.]

The one thing that does make me curious is that if for whatever reason, war did start, would Chavez call back all the Venezuelan baseball players.

And would they go?

[Kevin]

The one thing that does make me curious is that if for whatever reason, war did start, would Chavez call back all the Venezuelan baseball players.

And would they go?

With baseball players, Money talks. No way. Their national flag colors are green and white.

[K.C.]

With baseball players, Money talks. No way. Their national flag colors are green and white.

I would think so, too.

But the Venezuelan players have always come across as a little more nationalistic than most of the other Latin American countries.

I know the Phils have a Venezuelan baseball academy and every year since Chavez came to power, there's always been an article about the looming threat of how the slightest instability in Venezuela could cause Chavez to expel all of the American baseball presence in the country and withdraw Venezuela from the MLB system.

But Chavez publicly denies it, saying that he wouldn't do it because of the nationalistic pride that comes with baseball, or something to that effect.


I think he'd do it if he knew the players would come back...it'd be a statement of 'these players are giving up millions to come back because they believe in their country and it's cause.'

But like you said, it's usually all about the money.

[Kevin]

I would think so, too.

But the Venezuelan players have always come across as a little more nationalistic than most of the other Latin American countries.

I know the Phils have a Venezuelan baseball academy and every year since Chavez came to power, there's always been an article about the looming threat of how the slightest instability in Venezuela could cause Chavez to expel all of the American baseball presence in the country and withdraw Venezuela from the MLB system.

But Chavez publicly denies it, saying that he wouldn't do it because of the nationalistic pride that comes with baseball, or something to that effect.


I think he'd do it if he knew the players would come back...it'd be a statement of 'these players are giving up millions to come back because they believe in their country and it's cause.'

But like you said, it's usually all about the money.

Latin players in general are more nationalistic. You see a lot of DR flags and Puerto Rican, etc. Its not really just Venezuelan. But with the money that thye make, and how hard it was to get to where they are, they will not give it up.


On the main topic.. I find it incredibly hypocritical for us to bash Chavez but be allies with Columbia. The Columbian goverment has been in bed with the drug cartles for decades. I am not saying be friends with Chavez, but not Columbia either. They are one of the most corrupt countries on the planet.

[NewYorkDragons80]

But drug cartels, rest easy.
If there was ever an argument to end the drug war, this is it. Legalizing drugs would put these polesmokers out of business and even further onto the fringe of Colombian peasant support. Uribe should be the true beacon of hope for Latin America, not Chavez. He's built a dynamic economy that included tax increases for corporations, and he did it without antagonizing them. Should this come to war, the US could provide limited air support and allow the vastly superior Colombian ground forces to take care of the rest. Maybe that will allow Bogota to regain control of their eastern provinces and the oil they house, giving us a firm US ally pumping a sizeable amount of petroleum outside of OPEC's sphere of influence. I don't anticipate a hot war. Chavez has grown fat and lazy with power and makes only calculated moves, not risky military ventures. Does anyone outside of Chavez's communist allies think Colombia was even wrong for doing this?

[Bulldogcakes]

The one thing that does make me curious is that if for whatever reason, war did start, would Chavez call back all the Venezuelan baseball players.

And would they go?


I love how 2 countries are on the verge of going to war, hundreds of thousands could die as a result, and were worried about whether this affects our respective baseball teams. We really are just awful, horrible people.


BTW-Bobby Abreu, Francisco Cervelli and Jesus Montero and are going NOWHERE. I will stand at the door of their plane if I have to.

[Bulldogcakes]

Ecuador breaks off Colombia ties in Andean crisis (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080303/wl_nm/venezuela_colombia_dc)

South America on brink of war (http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080303/FOREIGN/933500764/1001)

U.S. could intervene as Chavez prepares for war on Colombia (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=524314&in_page_id=1811)