Russian Warships Cruise Into Venezuela

President Hugo Chavez Welcomes Flotilla As Moscow Seeks To Flex Muscle In Region

(CBS/AP)  Russian warships sailed into a Venezuelan port Tuesday, greeted by a 21-gun salute and an eager welcome from President Hugo Chavez as Moscow seeks to expand its influence in Latin America.

Russians sailors dressed in black-and-white uniforms lined up along the bow of the destroyer Admiral Chabanenko as it docked in La Guaira, near Caracas. The deployment is the first of its kind in the Caribbean since the Cold War and was timed to coincide with President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Caracas - the first ever by a Russian president.

For the past six months, it seems that Medvedev has been working hard to dismantle his liberal image and revive memories of the Cold War, reports CBS News' Alexsei Kuznetsov.

Chavez, basking in the support of a powerful ally and traditional U.S. rival, wants Russian help to build a nuclear reactor, invest in oil and natural gas projects and bolster his leftist opposition to U.S. influence in Latin America.

Chavez also wants weapons - he has bought more than $4 billion in Russian arms, including Sukhoi fighter jets, helicopters and 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles, and more deals for Russian tanks or other weaponry may be discussed after Medvedev arrives Wednesday.

Russia's deployment of the naval squadron - the behemoth flagship Peter the Great, the missile destroyer and two support vessels - is widely seen as a demonstration of Kremlin anger over the U.S. decision to send warships to deliver aid to Georgia after its battles with Russia, and U.S. plans for a European missile-defense system.

But Bush administration officials mocked the show of force.

"Are they accompanied by tugboats this time?" U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack joked to reporters in Washington. He noted that Russia's navy is but a shadow of its Soviet-era fleet, and reasserted U.S. dominance in Latin America.

"I don't think there's any question about ... who the region looks to in terms of political, economic, diplomatic and as well as military power," McCormack said. "If the Venezuelans and the Russians want to have, you know, a military exercise, that's fine. But we'll obviously be watching it very closely."

Venezuelan sailors stood at attention along the pier where the destroyer docked, while two support ships also pulled into port. The Peter the Great, the largest ship in the Russian fleet, anchored offshore in the distance due to its size.

When Russia sent two strategic bombers to Venezuela in September, some drew comparisons to the Soviet Union's deployments to Cuba during the Cold War.

But both countries have also shown signs of trying to engage President-elect Barack Obama.

And Chavez told reporters that it's ludicrous to invoke the Cold War to describe the naval exercises beginning Dec. 1.

"It's not a provocation. It's an exchange between two free countries," Chavez said.

Russia's ambitions to make inroads in Latin America may be checked by global events. Both Venezuela and Russia are feeling the pinch of slumping oil prices, and their ability to be major benefactors for like-minded leaders is in doubt given the pressures of the world's financial crisis.

The maneuvers starting Dec. 1 "should be viewed largely as a propaganda exercise," said Anna Gilmour, an analyst at Jane's Intelligence Review.

"Pragmatic Russian policy suggests that it will content itself with a brief high-profile visit, rather than a longer-term deployment that could cause severe tensions with the U.S., at a time when Russia may be looking to re-engage with the new administration," she said.

Next week, the warships will participate in exercises enabling sailors to practice reconnaissance, anti-drug patrols, anti-terrorism and search and rescue operations. There will also be anti-aircraft exercises involving Venezuela's newly bought Sukhoi fighter jets, though no live ammunition will be used, Rear Adm. Luis Morales Marquez said.

He said two of the Sukhois welcomed the ships with a flyover early Tuesday as they neared the coast.

Medvedev's tour this week to Peru, Brazil, Venezuela and Cuba was planned before the financial crisis, and Russia must now downsize its ambitions in Latin America because its pockets are no longer so deep, said Fyodor Lukyanov, the editor of Russia in Global Affairs Magazine.

"Russia will have to put off big projects like the construction of a gas pipeline across South America," Lukyanov said. The proposed natural gas pipeline is Chavez's brainchild, a controversial and ambitious plan for which he has explored Russian investment.

But Russia still has an economic interest in selling more weapons and boosting business in Latin America, and Venezuela can help "open the doors," noted Venezuelan political scientist Ricardo Sucre Heredia.

"It's a win-win relationship for the two countries," Sucre said. "Russia gains in terms of its international power and its presence, and Venezuela gains in terms of having an ally."

[jgunther7]

You guys are much better than my spell checker.

[biblethumpar]

as7sig7na7tion (%u0101s''%u012Dg-n%u0101''sh%u0259n) Pronunciation Key
n.
The act of assigning.
Something assigned, especially an allotment.
An appointment for a meeting between lovers; a tryst. See Synonyms at engagement.
as''sig7na''tion7al adj.

[jgunther7]

Countries like Iran, Brazil, Russia, Venezuela, Bolivia and Peru have natural resources that the super powers China and the United States desire. With their all powerful militaries, the super powers are prone to overrun the weaker countries and take what they want without paying. Iraq being a case in point. The attempted coup in Venezuela and attempted assignation of Hugo Chavez by navy seals being another. It makes little sense for the smaller countries to partner with the super powers, as it is those super powers that they need protection from. The smaller countries are not a threat to each other and can therefore gain by banding together for security. For example, Brazil and Russia do not have any motivation to invade Venezuela and take its oil, because they have their own oil. They can all benefit from the nuclear deterrent of Russia and Russia can benefit from having an international presence.

[downtowner97]

Bush has just under two months to get us into a war with Russia, Venezuela and Iran. Let''s see if he can do it!

[biblethumpar]

william209 , Google " Operation Condor"
Iran Contra. etc.

[trishab56]

By developing like minded allies around the world, they increase their own security. Their allies likewise gain from the synergy of being included in a greater defence umbrella, and both parties benefit.
Posted by jgunther7 at 07:26 AM : Nov 26, 2008

-nicely said, missing something though. If Russians are tempted by the American capitalist venture (not to say adventure!), they better watch out! See what chaos we are in! Expanding their influence means also sharing their wealth with the partners they''re developing, inducing an attempt to self-indebting which is not bad per se, but that could reveal deleterous if debt was contracted with foreign countries, like we are doing now!

-Of course Russians are not partnering with Haiti. Strategic Oil rich Venezuela can exchange its purchase orders with oil values over the mercantile system and pay the Russians. In fact, Venezuela would better ally with China because of its evident superiority in man-power and potential market over Russian over the midterm range, if they chose not to ally with the United States because of it''s ''recently'' failed economic balance. Maybe Chavez can''t stand Chinese leaders and is less attracted by the Oriental culture...

[krescera]

The Russian navy does not probably know crude oil price is hovering around $5o per barrel !!!

[jgunther7]

Russia has no desire or need to attack or invade the US. They already have all the resources, oil, timber, gold, iron, titanium and land that they could possibly need. Why would they want part of a country like the US with an umpteen trillion-dollar deficit?

All they are doing is expanding their national commerce and sphere of influence as a means of self protection. By developing like minded allies around the world, they increase their own security. Their allies likewise gain from the synergy of being included in a greater defence umbrella, and both parties benefit.

Learning from the mistakes of the Soviet system, the new Russia will only invests enough gross national product in defence to secure their safety. While their defence budget is only a small fraction of the US defence budget, it is sufficient that they could still retaliate by destroying the rest of the world if China or we should attack. However, with all the wealth they hold they must remain constantly vigilant.

As a consequence, the United States will have to relinquish any plans they might hold of taking Russian or Venezuelan resources and concentrate on developing their own. The cold war is no more. The US military industrial complex will have to downsize, and the US will have to redeploy their resources into new areas of self improvement.

[ajmarine111]

Is this figure, who claims to be president of the United States, the same who pledged an oath to "protect, preserve and defend" the document he calls a "GD)((#@*! piece of paper"?



Posted by alphaa10000 at 03:57 AM : Nov 26, 2008



I''ve heard this said,....but I can never find a site that "says" he said it or when.

Do you have one.

[emelder]

Our cowboy President is nearly gone. Can''t wait!