Chavez and Castro
- Thread starter shimmy
- Start date
I think he was saying that if the US tries to invade Cuba after Fidel dies Venezuela might send troop to help out Cuba. I really see no point in them sending troops under such a scenario. If the US wants to invade Cuba it's going to invade Cuba.
Venezuela has only just begun to use Russian arms. Its existing stocks of arms, particularly heavy equipment, are overwhelmingly US & European, & it has always bought US & European arms in the past. e.g. Italian frigates, German submarines, F-5, Mirage & F-16, AMX-30 tanks . . .
You are right, I'm wrong. However with the new communist/socialist government under Chavez, they will certainly buy Russian weapons. They won't buy from the west anymore.
True. The Su-30s are a start.
Also, Chavez recently visited Moscow for talks with President Putin. What came of those?
As far as I know, Venezuela has also already purchased tens of thousands of AK 101s (or AK 74s) They are also considering Kilos, right?
Can they still get parts for their F-16's? Or do they have to canibalize from one plane to fly the next?
I'm about 99% sure that the U.S. has banned the sale of spare parts to Venezuela. The F-16 aquisition was made when they were more friendly to the U.S. And as with many others that can't get spare parts for their American hardware, they've gone Russian.
They did ban sales of F-16 spare parts to Venezuela. It's kind of funny becuase they had contract rules the US had to abide by and they broke them when they banned the sale of F-16 parts to them (they also refused to give back the money Venezuela already paid for spare parts) and when Venezuela said something about selling the planes to another F-16 operator the US said "well that's breaking the rules of the contract"
.Thats not the first time the U.S. has stopped selling parts to countries with American made weapons. But when relations become unfriendly, these things happen.They did ban sales of F-16 spare parts to Venezuela. It's kind of funny becuase they had contract rules the US had to abide by and they broke them when they banned the sale of F-16 parts to them (they also refused to give back the money Venezuela already paid for spare parts) and when Venezuela said something about selling the planes to another F-16 operator the US said "well that's breaking the rules of the contract"
I think someone is seriously misreading the political tea leaves if they think the US will do anything with Cuba militarily. There is no political will to do such a thing, no popular interest, and no means (with everything in Iraq right now).
I didn't say an invasion was eminent! I was just saying if the US wants to do it they would do it. The guy said that Venezuela might help out militarily I just said there would be no point under such a scenario. Please read the post again where did I say I think the US will invade Cuba?
To me the last sentence implies that you think it's possible. Sorry if I misinterpreted.
contedicavour
New Member
Cuba is likely to go the "Chinese" way, ie opening of the economy but strict control of politics. I see a transition, not a revolution or a crisis requiring peacekeepers or a US presence.
Such a transitional regime may well invite some Venezuelan help, but mostly economical (oil as usual...) probably not military.
Besides, with the US stuck in Iraq and Afghanistan and with bigger risks in Iran and N. Korea, I would be very surprised if anybody thought of sending US troops to Cuba...
cheers
Such a transitional regime may well invite some Venezuelan help, but mostly economical (oil as usual...) probably not military.
Besides, with the US stuck in Iraq and Afghanistan and with bigger risks in Iran and N. Korea, I would be very surprised if anybody thought of sending US troops to Cuba...
cheers
Raul Castro is the one running the country now, Fidel is just doing his best to avoid Hell for as long as possible. Things will go on as they have before, until the last of the Castro Monarcy is gone.
Chavez is like a mini-Khaddafi, and Venezuala is a satelite in search of a master. If Putin thinks he can afford it, he will snap it right up.
It ought to be a bargain. With all that oil, Venezuala won't need the 400 million a year the Soviets needed to prop up Castro.
Chavez is like a mini-Khaddafi, and Venezuala is a satelite in search of a master. If Putin thinks he can afford it, he will snap it right up.
It ought to be a bargain. With all that oil, Venezuala won't need the 400 million a year the Soviets needed to prop up Castro.
contedicavour
New Member
If only oil dropped below 50 USD a barrel again, Chavez would go bankrupt. He has committed PDVSA (the Venezuelan oil company) to supply oil to all Latin American friends for free or almost. He uses all revenues from oil to finance social programmes and weapons procurement, without reinvesting in maintenance and research thus worsening the downward trend in oil production. Chavez has even stolen the Central Bank's reserves for use in his programmes. So Putin has better be careful because supporting Venezuela risks costing a lot money if oil prices go down (which would also be very bad news for the Russian economy...)
cheers
Did'ent the Venezuela want to buy Spanish planes and Frigets for the coast guard?
http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_1937.shtml
Does anyone know if this has this gone through yet? Either way it's more the US trying to strangle the supply of arms, than Venezualea rejecting the west.
Lifted from wikipedia (beware)
U.S. military embargo
The government of the United States announced an embargo of military material and equipments to Venezuela; no US made weapons or technology can be sold to Venezuela by any country or company.[12] This embargo has harmed several Venezuelan purchases, as not only are US technology goods unavailable, but other nations friendly to the US have chosen to block sales of arms to Venezuela, as well. This is also considered one of the reasons Venezuela has turned to Russia and China for arms, in a move reminiscent of the Cold War. Below is a list of acquisitions frustrated directly or indirectly by the US embargo:[13]
L-159 Jets from Czech Republic: the Czech government forbade Aero Vodochy, the manufacturer, from creating a variant with French avionics and Ukranian engines, specially requested by Venezuela.
Saab AB, a Swedish arms company announced it would honor the US embargo, and would not sell arms to Venezuela. Carl Gustav recoilless rifles, AT4 AT weapons, as well as RBS-70 AA systems are in service in the Venezuelan military.
Spanish company EADS CASA halted the sale of several transport planes that contained extensive US technology.
Brazil was forced to cancel the sale of Embraer Super Tucano airplanes to the Venezuelan Air Force due to its use of Pratt & Whitney engines.
Embraer was also forced to cancel the sale of AEW&C equipped planes.
France decided to block the sale of Scorpene submarines to Venezuela.
Russian companies Rosoboronoexport and Sukhoi have been sanctioned by the US government for procuring arms for Venezuela.
Perhaps Venezuela see's the supply of western made arms drying up under US pressure in the case of a conflict (with Columbia being the most probobale future enemy). All in all it looks more like the Venezuelans being forced to buy Russian for want of a better alternative.
contedicavour
New Member
The Spanish have started to build the OPVs for Venezuela. So the deal is going ahead. Your list is quite interesting. It shows to what extent a lot of weapons systems still rely on US technology and can't be exported without US go-ahead...
At this stage only Russia and China would dare provoke openly the US with weapons systems (the Spanish OPVs and Casa C212 are to a Coast Guard standard so honestly more for police duties than military).
cheers
At this stage only Russia and China would dare provoke openly the US with weapons systems (the Spanish OPVs and Casa C212 are to a Coast Guard standard so honestly more for police duties than military).
cheers