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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| Chavez: U.S. will 'bite the dust' if it invades |
| 2005-08-09 |
| CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez told thousands of visiting students that if U.S. forces were to invade the South American country, they would be soundly defeated. The U.S. government has strongly denied Chavez's claims that it is considering military action against Cuba's closest ally in the Americas. But Chavez said late Monday that the U.S. government, which "won't stop caressing the idea of invading Cuba or invading Venezuela," should be warned of the consequences. "If someday they get the crazy idea of coming to invade us, we'll make them bite the dust defending the freedom of our land," Chavez said to applause. He spoke during the opening ceremony of a world youth festival bringing together student delegations from across the world and convened under the slogan "Against Imperialism and War." Chavez called the United States the "most savage, cruel and murderous empire that has existed in the history of the world." The Venezuelan leader said "socialism is the only path," and told the students the collective goal is to "save a world threatened by the voracity of U.S. imperialism." Earlier, the students waved flags, danced in traditional dress, and held signs praising socialism, Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Ernesto "Che" Guevara. More than 300 students from the United States shouted out their disapproval of U.S. President George W. Bush, chanting "Get out Bush!" Other students chanted: "Bush, fascist -- you're a terrorist!" Some 15,000 youths from 144 countries traveled to Venezuela for the weeklong festival and conference, organizers said. Chavez wore a red shirt like many of the students, and embraced delegation leaders as their groups marched past. The ceremony was held in Venezuela's military headquarters in Caracas. Troops looked on while students passed carrying colored flags and shouting: "We will overcome!" This year's World Festival of Students and Youth is the 16th. The first, in 1947, was held in Czechoslovakia, and during the Cold War most host countries were aligned with the Soviet bloc. Apart from the former Soviet Union, other host countries have included Romania, Poland, Finland, Cuba, the former East Germany and North Korea. The weeklong gathering will include musical performances, panel discussions and an "Anti-imperialist Court," which in past years has condemned the U.S. government's actions. While tensions have grown between Chavez and Washington, the Venezuelan leader has built close ties with countries from Iran to China. Chavez expressed his support Monday for Iran's new president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, saying he expects to continue strengthening relations. Chavez said like Venezuela, Iran is a country that has been "attacked" for many years by "the hand of imperialism." Chavez, whose country remains a major supplier of oil to the United States, also is sharply critical of the U.S.-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #28 Are they passing a hat for Mylar? I think we need some carrier group sized Mylar sail boat racing off Hugo's coast too. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet 0’ Doom 2005-08-09 22:35 |
| #27 Not to mention that their Secretary of Defense would not be cut from Rumsfeld cloth. More like Jimmy Carter. No worry about "open-loop" or "run away", Mrs. Davis, except for "run away" as in a French retreat. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2005-08-09 21:39 |
| #26 dream on Mrs D - their base won't allow them to act in America's interest without Kofi's Krew©'s imprimatur |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-08-09 20:34 |
| #25 1. Military Action (GOP) 2. Law Enforcement Method (Dems) This thinking is so 9/10. If the Dems ever get into the WH again and they wuss out after an attack, they can kiss the party good bye at the national level for ever. They know it and that is why, if anybody attacks during the next dem administration they will get womped good. My fear would be that the Democrats are so bad at managing the military (Somalia) that they would let the military run open loop in responding and events would run away from them, leading to widespread war. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-08-09 20:24 |
| #24 "blips, I mean ballons"? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-08-09 20:11 |
| #23 These are not the Shipmans you are looking for (waves hand). Personally, if I were a Station Chief in, say somewhere upwind of Caracas, I would be launching swarms of mylar helium ballons. Or maybe those radar reflector kites used on life rafts. Not that I'm trying to cause widespread panic or an international incident or anything. I just like balloons. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2005-08-09 20:01 |
| #22 Ship is gone from this thread, in fact he was never here, OK??? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-08-09 18:49 |
| #21 Shipman, did you not hear me say: "...aptly supported..."? Now for your lower intelligence consideration, answer this question; if you had your choice of fighting an opponent in a room on a wood floor or a glass floor, which would you choose? Think about it and tell me tomorrow! |
| Posted by: smn 2005-08-09 17:47 |
| #20 'Mods please erase last comment I'm still in deep cover about Agent Grape. This one too, matter of fact, put Agent Grape on the To Kill List. Yes, it's the right thing to do. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-08-09 17:43 |
| #19 BTW SMN are you maybe familiar with Agent Grape? It was secretly dropped by multi-colored C-130HM, the people in the know will deny it, but I'll bet you've seen it in action. I'm with 'ya. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-08-09 17:41 |
| #18 Of course, excellent analysis SMN. It was the damn tunnels! |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-08-09 17:38 |
| #17 In addition to any precision bombing of Venezuela, a total deforesting of the country would be in order. Remember that in Vietnam, the US carpet bombed, but realized years later that their lattice network of tunnels aptly supported the guerrilla movements. Our eyes in the sky will need unfettered access to ground 'movements' by the enemy in support of an invasion. |
| Posted by: smn 2005-08-09 16:30 |
| #16 More than 300 students from the United States shouted out their disapproval of U.S. President George W. Bush, chanting "Get out Bush! Where are these kids parents! Probable dropouts I suspect. Strange bedfellows to say the least. Isn't Venezuela mostly christian, while as we all know Iran and those types are muslims? Or has Venezuela had a muslim onslaught too. Sad to hear how charasmatic this Chavez must be to have such a following. |
| Posted by: Jan 2005-08-09 16:23 |
| #15 Any smart dictator knows to wait til Bush is out of power. There are two mind sets in the U.S. on how to handle terrorism. 1. Military Action (GOP) 2. Law Enforcement Method (Dems) It really depends on who our president is, at the time of action. Law enforcement method was used against the Cole attack. |
| Posted by: Poison Reverse 2005-08-09 12:41 |
| #14 Actually, what he needs to fear is that the U.S. will be able to shrug off criticism of such a precision strike - from enemies, both foreign and domestic. |
| Posted by: Edward Yee 2005-08-09 12:17 |
| #13 Cheaderhead: is Lower Slobovia where the blue people live? |
| Posted by: Xbalanke 2005-08-09 12:14 |
| #12 Not Fidel, cause Fidel can stand before a sea of people and rant for hours on end. Chavez Boy is a wanabe Manuel Noriega. He's started to supply rebels in Columbia who are in tight with the drug business. That will be his Noriega ticket and an adjoining room is being prepared. |
| Posted by: Flash Hupomoling8954 2005-08-09 12:07 |
| #11 I think it is pretty safe to assume that somewhere deep in the recesses of the five sided funny farm there exists a contingency plan to invade Chavezland (along with Botswana, Canada, the UK, France and Lower Slobovia). After all that's part of what staff and planning officers do. But as to whether such a plan would ever be employed the chances of that are only slightly higher than me taking a stroll on the surface of the sun. Hugo is just trying to steal a page from Fidel's notebook and keep the populace wound up. |
| Posted by: Cheaderhead 2005-08-09 11:38 |
| #10 Frank - That took me a while. |
| Posted by: Matt 2005-08-09 11:36 |
| #9 Any terrs hit US targe5ts and are traced back to Venezuela, Mr Chavez gets a .338 Lapua Lobotomy, and his family gets a visit from a bunker buster. Let him know the terms now. Might wake him up. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2005-08-09 11:25 |
| #8 PR nails it. |
| Posted by: leader of the pack 2005-08-09 11:07 |
| #7 another Queen fan. That is sooooo over |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-08-09 10:57 |
| #6 Not that we care enough to invade. Dreamer. But look at this and tell me how hard it would be to blockade... |
| Posted by: mojo 2005-08-09 10:53 |
| #5 I don't buy the premise that he is delusional. He knows exactly what he is doing and we need to take him seriously. Chavez is trying to set us up, so that world opinion will be against a future precision attack. Why am I saying this? It's in the bottom of this article. "the Venezuelan leader has built close ties with countries from Iran...is a country that has been "attacked" for many years by "the hand of imperialism." Our intelligence agencies knows fully well that Iran is setting up terrorist bases in Venezeula to attack the U.S. using homicide bombers. If we were to execute preemptive strikes to destroy the bases, Chavez will cry "imperialism." He will cry, "not only does the U.S. want to rule the Middle East, they also want to rule South America." In reality, we just want to destroy the terrorist bases. Chavez's propaganda machine will be in full swing so that we won't be able to strike in a manner we would like. |
| Posted by: Poison Reverse 2005-08-09 10:49 |
| #4 I think he is pretty safe from invasion. Assasination however..... |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-08-09 10:16 |
| #3 this man is delusional beyond belief. |
| Posted by: Thraing Hupoluper1864 2005-08-09 10:08 |
| #2 Woof! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr! Snarl!!!! |
| Posted by: Chavez 2005-08-09 09:46 |
| #1 Words fail me. This would be funny if it weren't for the 25 million Venezuelans in this clown's captive audience. |
| Posted by: RWV 2005-08-09 09:44 |