Venezuela To Host Russian Warships

Moscow To Send Naval Ships, Planes To Venezuela; Chavez: "Go Ahead And Squeal, Yankees"

(CBS/AP)  Russia said Monday it will send a naval squadron and long-range patrol planes to the Caribbean for joint military exercises with Venezuela — a deployment in the Western Hemisphere unseen since the Cold War.

The apparently retaliatory move made at the time of heightened tensions in relations with the United States follows the U.S. deployment of warships to deliver aid to the former Soviet nation of Georgia, barely a month after Russian armor and aircraft crushed the Georgian military in a five-day war.

Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko insisted Monday that Russia's decision to send the squadron and planes to Venezuela was made before Russia's war with Georgia.

"This deployment had been planned in advance, and it's unrelated to the current political situation and the developments in the Caucasus," Nesterenko said at a briefing.

But the announcement was made just a week after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin warned that Russia would mount an unspecified response to recent U.S. aid shipments to Georgia.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, an unbridled critic of American foreign policy, was specific and blunt Sunday night about the possibility the U.S. might be concerned about the exercises.

"Go ahead and squeal, Yankees," Chavez said in a national broadcast in which he announced the exercises.

The United States mocked the announcement as State Department spokesman Sean McCormack poked fun at Russia's navy. He said that if Russia really intends to send ships to the Caribbean, "then they found a few ships that can make it that far."

Asked about Russia and Venezuela's plans for a joint military exercise, Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman said Monday that the Pentagon is not concerned. He said the U.S. military conducts exercises with other countries around the globe all the time and so do many other nations.

Nesterenko said the Peter the Great missile cruiser and three other Russian navy ships would visit Venezuela before the year's end, and would be joined by a unit of long-range anti-submarine patrol aircraft.

He did not say how many planes would be sent, but said they would be "temporarily based at one of Venezuela's air bases."

Nesterenko did not name the type of planes that would be deployed to Venezuela. Russia has two such planes: the Tu-142, which is an anti-submarine version of the Tu-95 Bear strategic bomber, and the smaller Il-38.

Russian Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo said in a statement Monday that the Russian squadron will sail to Venezuela in November. He said that Russian and Venezuelan ships will practice joint action in performing such tasks as search and rescue at sea. He said the agreement to hold the maneuvers was reached when Chavez visited Moscow in July.

Chavez said the Russian vessels would call on Venezuelan ports in late November or December.

The Venezuelan leader, who has cultivated close ties with Moscow and placed big orders for Russian jets, helicopters and other weapons, has repeatedly warned that the U.S. Navy poses a threat to Venezuela.

Diplomatic relations between Caracas and Washington have been tense for years. U.S. officials have said Chavez poses a threat to democracy, and Chavez has emerged as Latin America's most outspoken critic of U.S. foreign policy.

Nesterenko said the joint exercise would not be directed against any third country.

But Andrei Piontkowsky, an independent Moscow-based political analyst, said the planned Russian deployment to the Caribbean reflected the Kremlin's increasing readiness to challenge the United States.

"The Kremlin likes to flex muscles and posture like a superpower," he said.

Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin lawmaker, sought to downplay the deployment to Venezuela, saying that it would likely be an one-time action rather than the beginning of a regular military presence. "I don't think that Russia will systematically use it," he said.

"We need bases on the territory of Iran and Syria where our strategic interests lie," Markov added without elaboration.

Russian officials have talked in the past about re-establishing a permanent presence in the Mediterranean using a Soviet-era base in Syria. They haven't talked about any possible bases in Iran.

Russian officials said past U.S. military assistance for Georgia had encouraged the Caucasus country to launch its offensive in South Ossetia, and argued that the new shipments could be a cover for weapons deliveries.

U.S. officials have dismissed those accusations, saying the ships are carrying only humanitarian supplies such as blankets and powdered milk.

Putin last week warned that Russia would respond to the U.S. aid shipments to Georgia, but he did not say how.

"We don't understand what American ships are doing on the Georgian shores, but this is a question of taste, it's a decision by our American colleagues," Putin said. "The second question is why the humanitarian aid is being delivered on naval vessels armed with the newest rocket systems."

Russia's reaction to the U.S. deployment to the Black Sea "will be calm, without any sort of hysteria. But of course, there will be an answer," Putin said.

Despite the presence of Russian troops on Georgian soil, President Mikhail Saakashvili said Sunday the West would help his country regain control of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the separatist regions of Georgia recognized as independent nations by Moscow last month.

"Our territorial integrity will be restored, I am more convinced of this than ever," Saakashvili said in a televised appearance. "This will not be an easy process, but now this is a process between an irate Russia and the rest of the world."

"Our goal is the return of our territory and the peaceful unification of Georgia," he said.

[samsel3]

Venezuela, has struck oil and natural gas deals with Iran & Malaysia , as well as China and Russia .

China & Russia. will aid and protect Venezueala if needed .
It s all about BIG OIL. The administration wants regime change in Iran & Venezuela. Conoco-Phillips, Exxon Mobil & Chevron would not accept new conditions for their oil leases. They wanted significant control in new areas of the gulf of Venezuela, but the Venezuelan''''s are looking after their own interests and offered a diminished role in developing oil reserves or nothing. As a result all three companies were terminated. The owners of these companies are Richard Cheney s friends and now look for the administrations strong arm tactics.

In 2006 & 2007 Iran & Venezuela vested oil deals and partnered to develop tracts in Venezuelas Orinoco Reserve. One tract Iran will help develop contains approximately 30 billion barrels of oil.
Venezuela s total oil reserves are estimated at 265 billion barrels which could top the Saudi s Reserves.

[evanlenardo]

Im sorry i had to stoop to your level MR. Mcthreeteeth but you angered me and you had it coming i apologize if i have insulted you if you feel it is right please report my abouse
once again I am sorr

[evanlenardo]

it is not the peoples making moneys fault that they are in poverty it is they themselves** fixing something that i messed up and really screwed up my message

[evanlenardo]

This message is directed towards Mr. Mcthreeteeth
Sir,
it is not the republican party''s fault that Russia is a dictatorship and has a grudge against us since we signed that treaty with Poland. Also I have reported you for abouse for calling me something that I am not. Just because you are some sort of hill billy with only three teeth left trying to use them to speak your small insignificant thoughts that are not true republicans did not get us into this mess but they will get us out I have nothing against the Democratic party or Senator Obama he is a good man with good intentions infact i was there when he announced his run for the democratic canidate
I just think that abortion is the murder of unborn babies and that the people should run the government not politicians also i believe we do not need the extra taxing that will happen with a democratic president people work hard for their money they deserve what they make the government DID NOT earn that money we did it is the peoples making money fault that others are in poverty or being able to pay their bills its theirs for not getting a good job.
VOTE MCCAIN ''08

[libsluv2spit]

Chavez still supplies cheap oil for the poor in this country, unlike the greedy US, Saudi & BP oil tycoons.

Posted by samsel3 at 09:01 AM : Sep 09, 2008
+ report abuse

********
i really doubht that chavez supplies FREE OIL FOR THE POOR...chavez provides oil for cheap for anybody that would buy it.

just want to correct your sentence..its pretty ''associated press'' oriented

[texnews]

I am really afraid something may happen with those old-fashioned Russian ships during their long voyage, so they would blame US for that loss.

[petro49l]

Venezuela like all South American countries has excellent reserves of petroleum. U.S. Oil Corporations should reject Saudi Arabia for new suppliers. Central and South America must regenerate rain forests. The Governments need revenue to purchase equipment, tools, workers, and materials. Draining oil from the environment improves the ecology. Why not beautify South America?

[hacker101001]

Diplomatic relations between Caracas and Washington have been tense for years. U.S. officials have warned that Chavez poses a threat to democracy, while Chavez has emerged as Latin America''s most outspoken critic of U.S. foreign policy.

The socialist leader ridiculed any U.S. concerns over the joint exercise with the Russian forces, saying, "Go ahead and squeal, Yankees."

[samsel3]

Chavez still supplies cheap oil for the poor in this country, unlike the greedy US, Saudi & BP oil tycoons.

[hacker101001]

Russia to keep troops in Georgia breakaway regions

[cfin5]

Squeal?....LOL!!! What would be even funnier is to see a video of the Venezuelan Navy holding "Joint Military Exercises" with the Russian warship,......(snicker). Demonstrating how helpful it is for Venezuelan naval rowboats to......uhm, that''s not working. Ahem, To coordinate the defense of,.....that won''t tread water either. Oh, just send a video to the US Navy brass. I''m sure that will cause not a little bit of squallin''. Yeah, you stick it to them Chavez.

[kohin-2009]

You, american,you always talking about the only superpower, but hey let me refresh your memory if your not worry about Russia , why can you act alone? After, couple of months in IRAQ you go crying and asking for help to the arabs and the Nato? Why your Cheney was travelling around Europe, and not any ,but the onewhich are close to Russia? The imbecils knows what they prepared for and You and your stupidities are still talking nonesenses.
If only the america that I know was still there, we could`ve have demonstrations against these crazyBush/Cheney and Mcsame

[samsel3]

Venezuela, has struck oil and natural gas deals with Iran & Malaysia , as well as China and Russia .

China & Russia. will aid and protect Venezueala if needed .
It s all about BIG OIL. The administration wants regime change in Iran & Venezuela. Conoco-Phillips, Exxon Mobil & Chevron would not accept new conditions for their oil leases. They wanted significant control in new areas of the gulf of Venezuela, but the Venezuelan s are looking after their own interests and offered a diminished role in developing oil reserves or nothing. As a result all three companies were terminated. The owners of these companies are Richard Cheney s friends and now look for the administrations strong arm tactics.

In 2006 & 2007 Iran & Venezuela vested oil deals and partnered to develop tracts in Venezuelas Orinoco Reserve. One tract Iran will help develop contains approximately 30 billion barrels of oil.
Venezuela s total oil reserves are estimated at 265 billion barrels which could top the Saudi s Reserves.

[samsel3]

Moscow -- Armed forces will be used if necessary, including preventively and with the use of nuclear weapons, for protection of Russia and its allies, the Russian Armed Forces Chief of the General Staff Yuri Baluyevsky said on Saturday.

"We do not intend to attack anybody. But all our partners must realize that for protection of Russia and its allies if necessary armed forces will be used, including preventively, including with the use of nuclear weapons," Baluyevsky was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.

Baluyevsky reportedly made the statement at a scientific conference of the Academy of Military Sciences January 19, 2008.

[tapsettle]

The EU publicly backs the US, but privately they are snuggling up to Russia and China. Chavez always knew where he should position himself. This show of force marks the decline of the US as a respected superpower, and the emergence of Russia as the lynch-pin of the new one. Some americans are only just realising how much damage Bush and Cheney have done, some, like McCain, still do not realise and are carrying on regardless. The US truly does have the least intelligent population of the modern world.

[whitemale08]

We would not even be heading towards WWIII if the Republicans didn''t allow Darth Cheney to run around loose.

He should''ve been at the Olympics and at the conventions instead of instigating wars around the world.

[evanlenardo]

Sorry for my spelling errors you should be able to make them out I hope I was typing to fast and to upset to care about it at the time

[evanlenardo]

I honestly can''t believe you people you are all more interested in how much money you are paying for gas which I to agree is important rather than looking at this as a threat to our homeland! We need to be preparing for this like it is not just a threat but the real deal. I mean honestly I have heard people on the Histor Channel talk about how horrible a nuclear bomb is they said everyone in Hiroshima were dragging themselves to the rivers trying to drink because the radiation had caused a horrible thirst that was unquenchable and burnt their skin so bad these people needed water to stop the never ending sting of the fire that wasnt there people just kept crawling in on top of each other many drowned or were crushed Some even crawled through flames without knowing it so I want you to tell me what is more important right now is it how much you are spending on gas or how you and your children and, if you have them,grandchildren will die because we were to busy keeping our wallets nice and fat to worry about the mushroom clouds forming all around us!?

[berkshirerez]

This is just one more example of how G.W. Bush has set the US up for failure. Russia is now being run by its own dictator (Putin) via a puppet president. They are distancing themselves further and further from the US and aligning themselves with the countries that we identify as terrorist organizations and to top it all off Bush''s appointed officials are taunting Russia by making a snide comment about their navy--GROW UP! We cannot afford 4 more years of Republican rule, the US would become the weakest ever in its history.

[libsluv2spit]

the liberal masses are fast on comparing this country to russia..soon enough europeans would know the difference..the HARD WAY...then who is going to stop russia??? the europeans???the United Nations??.."world condemnation??"...