How serious is Chavez about war?

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President Hugo Chavez says Venezuela must prepare for a possible war with Colombia. Is a conflict now likely?

(Feed provided by BBC News | Have your Say (http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/2/hi/talking_point/default.stm))

[Bright Banana Beard]

I am sure there is mistranslate in purpose to make Chavez a warmongering.

[pranabjyoti]

Maybe, Colombia can start a war with Venezuela as frontline soldier of US empire. But, I think that will worsen the condition of the Colombian rulers and the way to supply of arms to FARC will open. Then they have to fight in the two fronts and I have great doubt that whether they can withstand the war.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

I doubt there will be war between the two nations.

Chavez is so badly misrepresented by the western media. The man could not have better democratic credentials yet apparently he is some sort of Communist dictator:rolleyes:

[Radical]

Hopefully I shall have learnt spanish by the time the war starts.

If Venezuela goes to war with Colombia. So does Cuba, and Brazil.

[RedSonRising]

I doubt there will be a war, there is not enough provocation by the Colombian government for Chavez to devote so many resources and risk his international credibility through a war that will provoke the US, affect or drag other countries into the conflict, damage trade relations as neighbors and most likely drain both countries and devastate their land....and all of this without anything to gain. Unless there is an offensive by either side, there won't be a war. He is simply taking defensive measures in case of some US-conspired coup attempt or something of the like. With everyone watching the tension and so much to lose with so little to gain, war is unlikely.

[The Red Next Door]

I hope not, we do not need a war over here.

[redflag32]

Chavez should be thinking about going to war with the Capitalist class of his own country if anything.

[mosfeld]

Actually, Venezuela is preparing for war. Colombia and the US are at the border of Venezuela under the guise of stopping "drug trafficking", and we know what happens when Colombian troops go to someone's border. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Andean_diplomatic_crisis) Preparing for war does not translate into preparing to invade. If war does break out, it'll be a regional war against the progressive ALBA bloc and it's supporters versus the Yankee imperialists and its lackeys. I think its fucking clear where us communists stand..


Fuck Yankee encroachment. Full support to Venezuela!

“We are the sons and daughters of Bolivar. We live all around, from Mexico to Argentia. Venezuela is not alone, we have an extensive group of friends. Let everybody know that a war against Venezuela will not only be against Venezuela” -Chavez

Coverage:
Al Jazeera (http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/11/200911932044127782.html)
Hands off Venezuela (http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org/chavez_if_the_usa_attacks_venezuela_a_100-year-long_war_will_be_unleashed_.htm)

[Die Rote Fahne]

I don't think war will happen, but shit can sometimes get out of hand.

It's time Chomsky paid him a visit and set him straight.

[mosfeld]

I don't think war will happen, but shit can sometimes get out of hand.

It's time Chomsky paid him a visit and set him straight.

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

[Comrade Gwydion]

Hopefully I shall have learnt spanish by the time the war starts.

If Venezuela goes to war with Colombia. So does Cuba, and Brazil.

Cuba, yes. Bolivia probably. I suspect Brazil to chicken out out of fear for the USA. But you never know.

If any nations support Venezuela and/or Colombia, it could however escalate.... far.

[Radical]

A war with Colombia would probably be great progress for the left in Latin America.

Colombia fighting Venezuela on multilple fronts? This would be disasterous for the bourgouise and Colombia would inneviatbly lose. Thats unless US sent troops to Colombia - Declarations of intent to carry out violent acts are not tolerated on Revleft. Please show some consideration. Bobkindles.

[punisa]

South America has a great prospect in becoming the next "Eastern Europe", eg the breeding ground for red invasion.
I completely support president Chavez, I just hope he has enough support from other S.American countries as well.

[Sam_b]

You're a fool, Radical.

[Radical]

You're a fool, Radical.

I'd rather be a fool than a disgusting revisionist and Trotskyist

[RedSonRising]

A war with Colombia would probably be great progress for the left in Latin America.

Colombia fighting Venezuela on multilple fronts? This would be disasterous for the bourgouise and Colombia would inneviatbly lose. Thats unless US sent troops to Colombia - If they did, Consider myself a terrorist with a bomb strapped to my back running inside the pentagon

A war with Colombia may suffer a defeat for the bourgeoisie government's army, but that does not guarantee a victory for the working class over the bourgeoisie itself. There is no party or organization ready enough, big enough, popular enough, proletarian enough, and credible enough to be able to fill the vacuum of a collapsed Colombian government. In fact, a war with Colombia would most likely mean unpopular, unwanted violence between two armies that could give the Colombian State more reason to be increasingly reactionary and restrictive. The Venezuelan government would be doing an honorable and necessary thing in defending itself against imperialist forces if the US/Colombia were the aggressors, however I don't think it feels like devoting resources to military action if it doesn't need to. All things considered, I think any sort of large-scale conflict will be on hold and indeterminable until the next Colombian election.

There is also no clear victor in such a war, and a war between a semi-proletarian nation and a bourgeoisie one, in this case, would do little for the proletariat in either nation; this national conflict is too beside class conflict to benefit the working class, however all wars have the potential to harm it.

[RedHal]

nice heading from bbc :rolleyes: Chavez that warmonger is gonna unlease the muslim extremists that he's been harbouring all this time.

[Tatarin]

I wonder... didn't Russia send some submarine or military vessel to Venezuela not long ago? A new proxy war?

[ArrowLance]

I think Venezuela has legitimate reasons to prepare for aggression from across the Colombian border. And as it has been said, preparing for war is not preparing to invade. Of course it is drawn as warmongering since the United States 'assures Venezuela that its bases there are to fight the drug trafficking only.'

To Tatarin: I'm not sure but I do believe i read somewhere recently that Venezuela opened up a line of credit with Russia in order to buy weapons.

[mosfeld]

Here you all go.


Official US Air Force Document Reveals the True Intentions Behind the US-Colombia Military Agreement

An official document from the Department of the US Air Force reveals that the military base in Palanquero, Colombia will provide the Pentagon with “…an opportunity for conducting full spectrum operations throughout South America…” This information contradicts the explainations offered by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and the US State Department regarding the military agreement signed between the two nations this past October 30th. Both governments have publicly stated that the military agreement refers only to counternarcotics and counterterrorism operations within Colombian territory. President Uribe has reiterated numerous times that the military agreement with the US will not affect Colombia’s neighbors, despite constant concern in the region regarding the true objetives of the agreement. But the US Air Force document, dated May 2009, confirms that the concerns of South American nations have been right on target. The document exposes that the true intentions behind the agreement are to enable the US to engage in “full spectrum military operations in a critical sub-region of our hemisphere where security and stability is under constant threat from narcotics funded terrorist insurgencies…and anti-US governments…”
Read the rest here (http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org/official_us_air_force_document_reveals_true_intent ions.htm), it's a long article.

[Comrade B]

I'd rather be a fool than a disgusting revisionist and Trotskyist
Well said, only a fool is a Stalinist. And their opposite, why, naturally... Trotskyists.
A joke, don't get pissed anarchists, left communists, and all you fellows out there... but yeah... Stalinists... you can be pissed... I am cool with that.


Chavez is about as serious about war with Columbia as the US is about enforcing the freezing of the Israeli settlements. It is all words to boost popularity.
However Chavez tends to do good things with his popularity, while the US just does things.

[Coggeh]

It is a war of words and Chavez (known to some around here as god apparently) is using it to distract the Venezuelan people from the conditions they face because of his pragmatism and economic mismanagement.Caracas is now the 15th most expensive city in the world and water is turned off in hospitals and residential areas for 2 days a week he has backed down from challenging the capitalist class and has subscribed to a social democratic position of slow reforms, for all his rhetoric Chavez has delivered little in reality towards the road of socialism that the venezualan people and social movements are supporting . Chavez needs to stop thinking that a war of words with the Columbian government will solve any problems in Venezuala except for the one of will he be in the job much longer .

[Luís Henrique]

I don't think either country has internal conditions that allow for an all-out war. Both are poor, face internal social and economic crises, and the legitimacy of their governments is shaky. It is one thing to make grandstanding declarations (and certainly Chavez beats Uribe 10-0 in this item); it is completely different to actually make war against an actual enemy. Particularly if your army is undermanned and undergunned. Especially in difficult terrain as the Amazon forest. And far from siding with either side, the reaction of the other countries in Latin America - Cuba included - will be to try and impose peace deals as soon as possible.

Frankly I would expect the government of those countries to undergo serious crises, and possibly be toppled, in the case of all-out war.

The only technically possible war in the region would be a direct American intervention against Venezuela. But this has even higher political costs. With the US already overstretched over Iraq and Afghanistan, I frankly don't see it.

Luís Henrique

[Mather]

I don't think either country has internal conditions that allow for an all-out war. Both are poor, face internal social and economic crises, and the legitimacy of their governments is shaky. It is one thing to make grandstanding declarations (and certainly Chavez beats Uribe 10-0 in this item); it is completely different to actually make war against an actual enemy. Particularly if your army is undermanned and undergunned. Especially in difficult terrain as the Amazon forest. And far from siding with either side, the reaction of the other countries in Latin America - Cuba included - will be to try and impose peace deals as soon as possible.

Frankly I would expect the government of those countries to undergo serious crises, and possibly be toppled, in the case of all-out war.

The only technically possible war in the region would be a direct American intervention against Venezuela. But this has even higher political costs. With the US already overstretched over Iraq and Afghanistan, I frankly don't see it.

I agree, this will most likely be a war of words as opposed to a war of bullets.

[Dr. Rosenpenis]

I feel that the only thing lacking in this conflict is oganized, armed opposition in Venzuela. Uribe and Washington have no cause to fight for in Venezuela. Everybody in Venezuela is happy with their massive oil revenues, both the bourgeoisie and the poor. Things don't escalate in a political climate where both sides are enriching more than ever before. If the Venezuelan opposition becomes more belligerent against Chavez, then surely the yanqs will be there to help out.