Chavez itching for South American war

Let me mince no words: There is no world leader thirsting for war with anyone as badly as Hugo Chavez.

Here's the deal: Leftist Ecuadoran leader Rafael Correa didn't seem as upset the day before yesterday about Colombia reaching inside Ecuadoran territory to strike at a camp of FARC leaders, making their most important kill yet in taking out commander and spokesman Raul Reyes, one of seven members of the guerrilla group's hierarchy.

But in the past several weeks, Chavez, a longtime supporter of FARC, has been doing the "hostage negotiation" dance with FARC in an effort to publicly usurp the power and influence of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe (who, it has to be said, has really cleaned up the country and is Satan to Hugo because he has a good relationship with the U.S.). The slaying of Reyes puts Uribe firmly back in control and probably wounds the FARC -- a longtime thorn in the side of Colombian stability -- to the point of no return.

Chavez's message now: He's has Russian arms and he wants to use 'em. He licks his lips at the thought of drawing the U.S. into a South American conflict, and is trying to stoke the fires by saying that the U.S. jointly killed Reyes. He's gotten lapdog Correa as riled up as he needs to be.

More from the AP:

"...Chavez on Sunday promised Venezuela would respond militarily if Colombia violates its border, where he ordered tanks as well as thousands of troops. He also ordered closed Venezuela's embassy in Bogota.

Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, called for the troop deployment while also withdrawing his government's ambassador from Bogota and expelling Colombia's top diplomat.

'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 divide us.'

Correa said Colombia deliberately carried out the strike beyond its borders. He said the rebels were 'bombed and massacred as they slept, using precision technology.'"

Precision technology? What's wrong with that? It meant that innocents weren't killed. Oh, that's right... you refuse to believe that the FARC are terrorists...

"'This could be the start of a war in South America,' Chavez said. He warned Uribe: 'If it occurs to you to do this in Venezuela, President Uribe, I'll send some Sukhois' — Russian warplanes recently bought by Venezuela."

The thing about Chavez is that Colombia may not even have to step one inch inside Venezuela's border for him to find "cause" to start a war. And never mind that he took his helicopters inside Colombia for his FARC kaffeeklatsch hostage retrieval.

Comments

[Michael K]

Chavez may be an anti-American despot, but it would be an incredibly stupid move on the part of Columbia or the U.S. to confront this showman militarily. The political consequences of the United States reprising its previous interventions in Latin America will be a diplomatic catastrophe that not only will hurt the US in the region, but the chances for the expansion of democracy in Latin America. I'm traveling in Costa Rica right now and even Ticos who are sympathetic to the U.S. cannot tolerate the arrogance and stupidity of the U.S. in world affairs.

[A Correct Person]

Of course it would be a stupid move for the US to confront this lunatic militarily - he knows that - that's EXACTLY why he's trying his best to get that to happen.

The circle-jerk between Chavez and the FARC terrorist/rebel army has gone on long enough. We should just get ready to embargo that whole shitty country. (As soon as we get some renewable energy up and running so we can cut oil imports - Venezuela's imports first since their oil exports suck anyway.)

Of course, since we'll probably have Obomber in the white house, we'll probably end up sending them financial and military handouts while chatting with him instead.

[David]

If you look up the word "idiot" in the dictionary, Bush's picture is no longer there but Chavez.