Colombia said it is preparing its defences against a possible foreign military attack, amid growing tensions with neighboring Venezuela, while Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Sunday Colombia would regret any actions that hurt his country.
Without specifically accusing Venezuela, Colombian Defense Minister Gabriel Silva was quoted as saying on Sunday that his country was preparing a strategy to ward off any attack.
Colombia, a close ally of the United States, and Venezuela, whose leader Chavez is one of the most strident critics of the United States in Latin America, are locked in a growing political and trade dispute. Chavez, an outspoken socialist, accuses the United States of planning to invade Venezuela with the help of Colombia, a charge the United States denies.
The two Andean countries almost went to war in 1987 in a dispute over a maritime border in the Caribbean Gulf.
Chavez ordered tanks to the Colombian border in 2008 after Colombia raided a rebel base inside Ecuador. Chavez ally President Rafael Correa condemned the raid as an aggression. Tensions eased after a summit a week later.
"In Colombia, we have concentrated on the internal threat. But the risk is growing because what has been clearly and directly presented is an eventual action against Colombia from outside," Silva told El Tiempo newspaper.
Colombia has for decades struggled to subdue Marxist rebels profiting from the cocaine trade inside the country.
"Colombia was not used to thinking about this eventuality in its foreign policy and defense strategy. Unfortunately now we have to put this variable on the map. There is a risk of a foreign aggression," Silva said.
Colombia last week activated seven new army battalions, including two along the Venezuelan frontier.
Iain George Salisbury
said:
 |
... Venezuela is in desperate trouble and has just overtaken Ukraine as the country most likely to default (57.7% probability, according to insurers) so the rhetoric is not surprising. The Venezuelan military is in no shape to attack anyone, however, and in '08, those few who set off for the border mainly contrived to break down well short. Nobody believes in the offensive, using cold war surplus soviet tanks, across the Andes to attack the Americans and this is simply an attempt to take some pressure off the terrorists that even Ecuadore now admits Chavez is supporting. |
Friend of CR
said:
|
... both Colombia and Venezuela are light years behind in securing their borders. The amount of revenue that both countries lose via the black market must be staggering.....they both need to do a better job of it....and have alluded to this being an underlying goal for some time..... |
Kalcu
said:
|
... written by Friend of CR, December 21, 2009 both Colombia and Venezuela are light years behind in securing their borders. The amount of revenue that both countries lose via the black market must be staggering.....they both need to do a better job of it....and have alluded to this being an underlying goal for some time..... That is really quite the truth, but I think Venezuela has more wallop to their military than what the economy shows. They have their own fuel source, fact as long as their fuel processing isn't bombed, they keep their machines in working condition. It would take a lot of American air power to stop tanks and Venezuela has a nice sized Air force, they are simply behind the Colombian Navy in a lot of respects. It doesn't matter if you default loans before a war, some would say drones are darn close to a deceleration of war. We KNOW that the CIA drones do carry guided weapons, as well as mark targets but satellites do that just fine. It looks like the US actually wants Colombia to do this thing, well get it on already! |
Kalcu
said:
|
... Oh ya and with Rebels providing security along roads for Tanks, well just realize that it doesn't take much to take down US air power. Saddam was broke when he was kicked around both times, well the first time really just hurt him enough. I am curious as to what the US has down there, that really dictates a lot but with North Korea it looks like it could be to many conflicts. Basically enough for WWIII and the 'free world' losing badly, it really is just like China and Russia waiting for the land grab after the USA put it's head right on the axe board. The USA talks more crap than what they can really handle all at once, but if anyone has any reports of US style military hardware flying around...that would be good to know, otherwise it seems they would need a fleet down there to operate air support...or just from Florida, Texas and other refueling bombing missions. I wouldn't want to take off in Colombia, it's a short air space but not that small. |
Kalcu
said:
|
... ..I do know that a SAM can reach well beyond a border. If they are smart, both sides will just keep it a guerrilla campaign which it has been. But then again the NVR drove tanks into South Vietnam after decades of guerrilla insurgency that cost America a measure that cannot be healed anytime soon! B-52 strikes cost more than the damage they inflict, unless it's an industrial center. Guerrilla's are far from industrial, your talking primitive war! They are not making German Tigers in the Jungle, people are delusional about American power~ Plus to be able to control air space, you have to be able to scrabble quickly or always be in the air...I haven't heard of US SAM sites being developed either. People talk about that cold war Soviet stock being weak, no! It's strong stuff, these are run down weapons. These are very effective, it's not at all similar to US forces being stationed in Saudi Arabia. America usually stinks at Jungle Warfare, but this isn't similar to Vietnam either. The supply route isn't nearly as complex, the politics sure are! You have very POWERFUL countries backing up Chavez, it's easy to hate online not so easily in real warfare! |
Bluebird
said:
|
... Oh come on Kalcu stop beating around the bush and tell us how you really feel! LOL And this talk of WWIII ??? Come on man....get a grip! How did we jump from a border squabble to WWIII??? |
