Russia and Venezuela to conduct joint naval exercises in Caribbean

Praxius

Praxius

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Move comes after U.S. naval deployment in Black Sea
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/09/08/russia-venezuela.html

Russia will send a naval squadron and long-range patrol planes to Venezuela this year for a joint military exercise in the Caribbean, said Russian officials Monday in an announcement made at a time of steadily deteriorating relations with the United States.

Russia's move follows the U.S. deployment of warships to deliver aid to the former Soviet nation of Georgia, barely a month after Russian armour and aircraft crushed the Georgian military in a five-day war.

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

"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.

The Interfax news agency quoted Vyacheslav Nikonov, a pro-Kremlin political analyst, as saying that the Russian cruise to Venezuela was a response to the deployment of U.S. navy ships to Georgia's Black Sea coast.

"That shows that Moscow won't leave such challenges unanswered," Nikonov was quoted by Interfax as saying.

The Peter the Great missile cruiser and three other Russian navy ships would visit Venezuela in November, and would be joined by a unit of long-range anti-submarine patrol aircraft, said Nesterenko.

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

The joint exercise would not be directed against any third country, said Nesterenko.
U.S. ships may deliver weapons to Georgia, says Russia

Past U.S. military assistance for Georgia had encouraged the Caucasus country to launch its offensive in South Ossetia, said Russian officials, arguing 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," Putin said.

"But of course, there will be an answer."
'Go ahead and squeal': Chavez to U.S.


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

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.
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Big deal or not?
 
lone wolf

lone wolf

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Colpy said:
Not really......although perhaps the Russians should now STFU about the USA in their old "sphere of influence".

It is really a shame we're going back to the Cold War.........but there it is......
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Was Central and South America under United States or United Fruit's "sphere of influence"?
 
gerryh

gerryh

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Colpy said:
Not really......although perhaps the Russians should now STFU about the USA in their old "sphere of influence".

It is really a shame we're going back to the Cold War.........but there it is......
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SO let me get this straight...the mighty u.s. is allowed to poach in Russia's backyard but Russia isn't allowed to return in kind?:roll:
 
EagleSmack

EagleSmack

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gerryh said:
SO let me get this straight...the mighty u.s. is allowed to poach in Russia's backyard but Russia isn't allowed to return in kind?:roll:
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He did not say that. But now that they are here in the Caribbean they should stop whining about US ships in the Black Sea.

Welcome back to the Carribean my Soviet buds!
 
EagleSmack

EagleSmack

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lone wolf said:
Wonder what it is about old adversaries swimming in the same pools that bothers people?
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It makes a great story...that is all. The Ruskies are free to cruise the seas as they see fit. They can play with the Venezuelan frigates and gun boats all they like.

Hey...maybe Canada can play with them. THAT would make so many people happy in this forum for sure!
 
Ron in Regina

Ron in Regina

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I didn't see this coming, but it makes sense (from the Russian perspective) to put things
in check...tit for tat...and Venezuela happens to be in OPEC which'll earn Russia some
points on certain fronts. Hugo has no love for America (but loves those U.S. dollars) so
this is a potential backplay when you factor in the relationship between Chavez and the
Castro's. Cuba lost much love for Russia when they came apart (and the $$$ stopped
flowing) but this could open up that door again. The Cuban embargo still being in place
by the U.S. won't help things. Venezuela is tight with Cuba, and Cuba is tight with China.
The U.S. tends to walk softly so as not to wake up China. This is a very tangled web...
 
Ron in Regina

Ron in Regina

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This is a very tangled web...that ties Russia to China via the Caribbean...that ties Russia
and China to OPEC via Venezuela. Was Georgia worth opening this can of worms???
 
EagleSmack

EagleSmack

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Ron in Regina said:
This is a very tangled web...that ties Russia to China via the Caribbean...that ties Russia
and China to OPEC via Venezuela. Was Georgia worth opening this can of worms???
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As I said... it is ONE Russian warship. I know you may be hoping for us to be all afraid and concerned...but we aren't. Sorry to dissapoint.
 
Ron in Regina

Ron in Regina

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Like Chess, I'm trying to picture three moves ahead. One ship?

"The Peter the Great missile cruiser and three other Russian navy ships would visit
Venezuela in November, and would be joined by a unit of long-range anti-submarine
patrol aircraft, said Nesterenko."

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

I'm not doing the doom&gloom thing, I'm just saying it's an interesting Chess move, and that Russia has hit
the timer on the clock, and the next move is the USA's.
 
Ron in Regina

Ron in Regina

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EagleSmack said:
As I said... it is ONE Russian warship. I know you may be hoping for us to be all afraid and concerned...but we aren't. Sorry to dissapoint.
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Concern and fear are two very different things. Conquering a fear is admirable. Ignoring a concern is
just plain stupid. I'm not saying you are stupid, nor am I saying that the powers that be are either,
but to not look ahead and being aware of your environment isn't a wise path. You may not be afraid and
"good on you" for it, but I'm sure that military advisors globally are dissecting this move and are concerned.

FYI I'm probably at least as Right leaning as you are, if not more so on several issues.
 
EagleSmack

EagleSmack

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The Ruskies are back on the block and that is for sure. They have a lot of money nowadays and are flexing their muscle. I wonder how the people of Venezuela will feel about becoming the newest Russian satelite country.
 
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