A South American Arms Race?

A South American Arms Race?

news.yahoo.com

First it was Venezuela, spending $4 billion on Russian fighter planes, Kalashnikovs and perhaps even submarines. Then it was Brazil, in August announcing a 53% increase in its military budget for 2008, the biggest such increase in more than a decade. The competition is still in the early stages but when two of Latin America's nouveau riche oil powers start splashing out on weapons, alarm bells ring over an arms race.

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This is a very strong move by Chavez as his ideas were just defeated in the recent elections. The last thing that I read on Chavez, he was dealing with Ahmedinijad to deny oil selling in U.S. dollars. Is this military build up the next power play in these two new allies plan? My question is should we the U.S. be worried about this possible arms race or is it truly just a move for more political power in South America? I wonder what good old G.W. is thinking about this as I am sure there are some oil interests for us in South America.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I have to include this snippet from an article from 2004 that I found. You should check this article out as well. This buildup was in place in 2004 it seems.

October 22, 2004
When I recently interviewed Roger Noriega, the top State Department official in charge of Latin American affairs, I was surprised that he played down reports that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez plans to buy 50 Russian MiG-29 planes, risking a new arms race in Latin America.

Latin America arms race 2004

[edit on 12/22/2007 by palehorse23]

Arms race in SA? Not going to happen....Chavez is moving to protect his posistion in power against any future coup launched against him no doubt with the backing of the CIA. Brazil is looking to reign in deforesters and drug traffickers. The last wars in South America between rival powers were in the 19th century....The Pacific war between Peru-Bolivia vs Chile.

reply to post by Peruvianmonk


Ok. I am thinking more along the lines of Iran/Venezuela relationship as they have both recently decided to team up against U.S. And with SA border so close, it makes me wonder a bit. I do not think the SA arms race will happen either. Just curious as to why after Chavez gets backing from uranium enriching Iran, he needs to bulk up militarily. And oh yes, the CIA are definitely involved here as well. To what extent, I am sure we will never know. Funny, yet creepy, how things get so interconnected.

Well he's building up militariy and diplomatically to defend against any future intrusion by the US in Veneuzalan affairs and to stand up to US aggression worldwide.

Chavez always seems to be portrayed as a crazy almost dictortorial leader. Even though he has abided by the vote against him being installed as president for life. He is a democrat on the level that the leaders in Washington will never reach.

The US is just worried that Chavez will launch a natilionaztion process that will garner support amongst other SA countries and withold markets to American Bussiness, it's quite simple really.

reply to post by palehorse23


It's not just an Iran/Venezuela thing either. Most South American countries are withdrawing from the central banking system and starting their own sort of "union" to combat the constant pressure from the United States, England, and the rest of the westernized world. Any "arms race" would surely be to secure the "union" instead of any one country.

Fairplay to them, about time they stood up to the economists of the U.S. Having red the 'Shock Doctrine' it is clear that U.S intervention in Argentina, Chile, Boliva, Uruaguy and Brazil in the 60's-80's led to the deaths of tens of thousands and the economic regression of these developing countired leading to the deaths of thousands more.

Let them develop their own way of running their economy, they were doing fine until the Friedman's got involved.

reply to post by Peruvianmonk


I think the tipping point was the last Bolivian election. A native farmer is now in control of that entire country. Things are definitely changing for the "better" down there. I hope they maintain their integrity. I especially hope better things for Venezuela. We'll see if that "union" isn't broken up while it's still in it's infancy.

reply to post by DeadFlagBlues


True that, but is the U.S really going to let this continue indefinitly? They haven't before so why would they now, have they suddenly found a moral conscience? That's why Chavez builds up his military, not just to protect his country, but also that of other allies such as Bolivia and Ecuador(Who are attempting to remove the U.S from their airbase)

These countires are portrayed as leftist and a threat to 'democracy'. It is such tripe. They should implement their own reverse 'shock therapy' renationalise all former state industries such as oil,gas,nickel,phone,banks and kick out the foreign corporations and defend against any portrayl of them as communist,facist,dictotorial, anti-democracy and any tag dished out to them.......

reply to post by Peruvianmonk


The U.S. have lost all credibility with those people. They've been trying to convince us for years that Chavez is some insane dictator, but their people aren't biting (as far as a majority) and the US is now stuck in a rock and a hard place with what to do. They can't seem to drum up the popular support it would take for the those South American countries (colonies? haha) to turn on their own. They've seem to have lost the same amount of credibility with we the people as well. They were pushing for Iran so hard and just recently through in the towel for the time being. It's good to see ill will stopped in it's tracks by common sense.

reply to post by DeadFlagBlues

Yes it is looking good right now, but their are still people within these countires who do not like Chavez, mostly the landowners and members of the remaining multinational companies..... He is not out of the woods yet and probabley never will be whilst the American establishment act as they do.