Venezuela to stage mass war games

[cal04]

Workers at Venezuela's state-run oil company are preparing to take part, along with up to 5,000 troops, in a large-scale military exercise. The civilian employees are due to be trained in the use of anti-aircraft and anti-tank rocket launchers, army chief Raul Baduel told a press conference. The operation is aimed at assessing the military training of civilians. Oil workers have also been involved in repairing military equipment that required maintenance.

Venezuela Hugo Chaves recently admitted that the US had refused to provide assistance with technology acquired by Venezuela before his rise to power in 1999, including F-16 aircraft. But he added that "friends of ours aboard and the knowledge of our professionals" had neutralised the problem.

New weapons
General Baduel said the operation, which is due to take place next Thursday in the central and northern regions of the country, should not "be cause for any concern", according to Spain's EFE news agency. He added that the simulation would help plan a military reaction "ahead of the possibility that our country might find itself plunged into such a situation".

Venezuela has said it fears that Washington may be planning to invade its territory, and the US has voiced concern about recent weapons acquisitions by the Venezuela, which has a close relationship to Cuba. Venezuela has recently bought helicopters and some 100,000 assault rifles from Russia as well as planes and boats from Spain. An estimated 90,000 reservists have been signed up by the Venezuelan army.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4608913.stm

[meppie-meppie not]

1. well hasn't golden boy made this a happy world!

:sarcasm:

[brainshrub]

2. Chavez is one smart cookie.

A show of force right now might, just possibly, prevent the US from invading.

The only reasons Chavez is still alive is because the current administration is pre-occupied and incompetent.

[Robbien]

3. And how is this any different than any other country

when they practice their war games with their military/reserves. This is only news because the propaganda mill is making it news.

[bpilgrim]

4. it isn't BUT they didn't get their papers stamped from AMERICA

the WORLDS sole SUPER-POWER

:nuke:

peace

[IndianaGreen]

5. The People's Militia at work!

There are more of them, than there are of the elites. Arm those that stand to lose the most under a US-staged coup or invasion. They will fight to the death!

[Robbien]

9. Notice how Venezuela has no problem getting recruits signed on

Makes a difference when a country's leader has the support of people willing to put their life on the line for their leader's mission.

[NNN0LHI]

6. Bet they are giving IED For Dummies classes too n/t

[Cha]

7. I'm happy the Venezuelans are

getting prepared for any contingency but who the heck are the bushreichs gonna send to Venezuela with all the ready Soldiers are in Iraq?

[Massacure]

8. Venezuela can buy F-16 parts from countries other than the United States?

[ConcernedCanuk]

10. Winning the hearts and minds of the World eh, Georgie boy?

.
.
.

From the posted article:

"Hugo Chavez aims to have a two-million-strong reservist force"

that's close to 10% of the total population which is around 25 million

and that's "reservists" - that'd be on top of regular army - -

Iraq had around 400,000 when the Boy Warrior invaded Iraq

and a quick look at the globe tells me that Venezuela is almost 2 - 3 times as large as Iraq

so short of a new-clear invasion, the US would need about 300,000 troops just to get in and start floundering around in yet another country they have no business in

but that won't stop the "War President" - -

(sigh)

[Doctor_J]

11. Their oil makes them prime targets for "democratization"

and so does the fact that Chavez works for his people instead of for a transnational corporation.

[billbuckhead]

12. But the USA was having war games on the morning of 9-11-2001

and it didn't help us?

[AP]

13. "his rise to power"??? What's wrong with "election"?

BBC's foreign coverage is agressively pro-neoliberal. Their Africa coverage is worst.

[Frederik]

15. Yeah, why don't we hear about

George Bush's "rise to power".

[TomClash]

17. The only time GWB ever rose . . .

. . . was when Jeff Gannon was working him over. :wow:

[burrowowl]

14. Mass!?!

"Workers at Venezuela's state-run oil company are preparing to take part, along with up to 5,000 troops, in a large-scale military exercise. The civilian employees are due to be trained in the use of anti-aircraft and anti-tank rocket launchers, army chief Raul Baduel told a press conference. The operation is aimed at assessing the military training of civilians. Oil workers have also been involved in repairing military equipment that required maintenance."

With upto 5000 troops! Pretty small war games!
100,000 assault rifles, I hope they have more. I'll bet the NYPD has more then that (just joking but then again: lost, unaccounted for ...).

[Frederik]

16. Good idea.

Give the neoconmen something to think twice about.