Chavez: Venezuela preparing for U.S. invasion

[__Kratos__]

PARIS, France (AP) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Thursday that his government is preparing for a possible U.S. invasion, and he warned that such "aggression" would send gasoline prices in the United States soaring.

The U.S. government repeated that it is not planning any such thing.

Chavez, a vocal critic of "imperialism" and the Bush administration, said he was not against the American people -- just the current government.

"We are sure that it will be very difficult for the United States to attack Venezuela," Chavez said. He said his country has eight oil refineries and 14,000 gasoline stations in the United States.

"If the United States tried to attack Venezuela by a direct invasion, forget the oil," he said during a two-hour news conference beamed live to Venezuela. "Everyday we send 1.5 million barrels to the United States."

The barrel price of crude oil could hit $150 following a U.S. attack, Chavez said. Currently New York light sweet crude oil trades around $60 a barrel.

"That's why Pat Robertson, the spiritual adviser of Mr. Bush, is calling for my assassination. That would be much cheaper than an invasion," Chavez said.

Robertson, the U.S. religious broadcaster, said in August that Chavez should be killed, then later apologized.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Chavez's suspicions were unfounded.

"I've stated many times before, the United States is prepared to work with any government in the region: left of center, center, right of center. Our issue is with states that don't govern in a democratic manner," McCormack said.

The Venezuelan leader used his news conference to trumpet what he called his "alternative" vision of a world that works for the poor rather than corporations seeking profits.

Chavez reiterated longtime claims that the United States finances his opponents, seeks his ouster and sabotages efforts to move his country forward.

"Venezuela is used to defending itself ... and fighting imperialism," Chavez said, speaking in Spanish with a French translator.

"We must be ready for an aggression," said Chavez, who previously said Venezuela is organizing an expanded military reserve and civilian defense units.

In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp. radio aired earlier Thursday, Chavez said he had evidence to prove the U.S. government was planning an invasion.

Chavez said he believed the reason Washington was plotting an invasion was to take control of Venezuela's oil fields.

Meanwhile, Israel canceled -- under American pressure -- a lucrative deal to upgrade Venezuelan warplanes, Israel TV reported Thursday.

The report said Israel was to install its own systems in U.S.-made F-16 fighters for the Venezuelan air force, but the U.S. government forced Israel to call off the deal. No dollar figure for the deal was given.

Israeli Defense Ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.

Source

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Paranoid bugger he is.

[bathory]

bahahaha

[sanchera1978]

Paranoid?? yeah becuase we all know the US doesnt like invading other countries!

[ROGER]

I think it's funny that he thinks we , the U.S. should supply the Planes to fight in a war with us. Maybe President Chavez spends to much time in the Coca fields.

Still I havent seen any news on whats going on in Venezuela. Should we as citizens be watching whats going on down there?

[Mekorig]

while i had to admit that its a little paranoid, the US had a habit of invading countries for no reason, and trethening others....preparation isnt out of place totally.

[Mekorig]

I think it's funny that he thinks we , the U.S. should supply the Planes to fight in a war with us. Maybe President Chavez spends to much time in the Coca fields.

Still I havent seen any news on whats going on in Venezuela. Should we as citizens be watching whats going on down there?

Roger, its a little misinformed from your part that little coment. I belive you are thinking of Colombia, a nice USA protec...i say, friendly country.

Has for Venezuela, juts comnect to any important Press org. The things are going normal in there.

[ROGER]

I did not mean to offend Mekoris. If so I apologize. The News servises in my area speak or Iraq and Israel a lot. But news form any South American Countries is not covered that much. So If you have any info on whats going on down there please tell me. And I will try to not miss inform others with bad information.

Roger L.

[justcallmefox]

hold up- hasn't the U.S. tried to assassinate Chavez before? or was it they were in support of the attempted coup against him?

[Mekorig]

I did not mean to offend Mekoris. If so I apologize. The News servises in my area speak or Iraq and Israel a lot. But news form any South American Countries is not covered that much. So If you have any info on whats going on down there please tell me. And I will try to not miss inform others with bad information.

Roger L.

No offense Roger, but it good to try to be informed of the situation of the world. If you dont see a lot of SA info is because the thing are relñative clam in the continent.

justcallmefox: Acording to Chavez...yes. I need more proff that he presented, but political assasination was ( and maybe is, i dont know) a tactic used by the USA. And for the attemped coup, strangely the first country to recognice the coup goverment was the USA.

[justcallmefox]

so then he would be RIGHT to be paranoid...

[Erikl]

What I find here annoying is that again America intervined in iner-Israeli politics using it's dollars although the entire system was developed in Israel by Israelis :angry2:.

What have we become? a puppet of America?

How pathetic .

[ROGER]

You probably right ERIKL , that it's Israelis business. But the Plane's were American made F-16's. If for some unlikely reason we do send troops down to South America , we would be facing our our War birds. This has happened in the past. The U.S. sells weapons to other countries , then ten years later end up fighting them. The next generation Fighters are just now being built , but there is a waiting list of other countries wanting to buy them already.

Some times I think our Politicians are our own Worst Enemy!

Edited October 21, 2005 by ROGER

[Erikl]

You probably right ERIKL , that it's Israelis business. But the Plane's were American made F-16's. If for some unlikely reason we do send troops down to South America , we would be facing our our War birds. This has happened in the past. The U.S. sells weapons to other countries , then ten years later end up fighting them. The next generation Fighters are just now being built , but there is a waiting list of other countries wanting to buy them already.

Some times I think our Politicians are our own Worst Enemy!

The US sold Venezuela the F-16s, not us.

All we did was selling them Israeli avionics. Which were developed in Israel, by Israeli scientists and technicians with the experience of Israeli pilots.

Venezuela is a legitimate country in that it doesn't sponsore terrorism and it's a democracy.

I see no reason for it to be bullied around by Bush or why Israel shouldn't be able to sell them our avionics.

And ofcourse I can't see any reason why it should be any of Bush's business that we do!

[roppi311]

well he's got all reasons to fear, just look at the pretty background the us has when it come to invasions

[Piney]

hold up- hasn't the U.S. tried to assassinate Chavez before? or was it they were in support of the attempted coup against him?

The U.S. assasinated Allende the freely elected president of Chile. They also had the elected president of Panama (I forget his name) assasinated and placed one of their CIA operatives (Manuel Noriega) in his place. The U.S. also attemped many coups on Fidel Castro so he has every right to be scared.

Lapi'che

[Babs]

The US sold Venezuela the F-16s, not us.

All we did was selling them Israeli avionics. Which were developed in Israel, by Israeli scientists and technicians with the experience of Israeli pilots.

Venezuela is a legitimate country in that it doesn't sponsore terrorism and it's a democracy.

I see no reason for it to be bullied around by Bush or why Israel shouldn't be able to sell them our avionics.

And ofcourse I can't see any reason why it should be any of Bush's business that we do!

Wow!...we do a lot for Israel. Why shouldn't you do things for us? Where do you get that attitude?

Edited October 22, 2005 by Babs

[__Kratos__]

I just think he is over reacting with nothing to back him up.

[Thanato]

Wow!...we do a lot for Israel. Why shouldn't you do things for us? Where do you get that attitude?

To quote a fames UM hypocrit not naming any names or anything "Where do you get that attitude?" Isreal is a great country, proud to have them as Allies to Canada. They run there own business the way they want to, not the way you want to.

If you dont like the way a soverign country handles its own business, tough. Canada has done lots for the United States, and you guys stab us in the back, so why should other contries do stuff for you?

~Thanato

Edited October 22, 2005 by Thanato

[roppi311]

The U.S. assasinated Allende the freely elected president of Chile. They also had the elected president of Panama (I forget his name) assasinated and placed one of their CIA operatives (Manuel Noriega) in his place. The U.S. also attemped many coups on Fidel Castro so he has every right to be scared.

Lapi'che

not to forget Victor Allende...

[bathory]

Panama yes

Chile no

the US didn't play a part in the coup that put Pinochet in power

[roppi311]

Panama yes

Chile no

the US didn't play a part in the coup that put Pinochet in power

but they definetley did in all the other leader who were too leftist...

[Erikl]

Wow!...we do a lot for Israel. Why shouldn't you do things for us?

Babs you better go learn some modern history cause Israel has done alot for the US as well, sometimes getting criticised by the US for doing those things.

When Saddam fired Scud missiled on Tel-Aviv in 1991, we didn't retaliate because the US asked us not to.

We halted so many operations that were vital for our security during the 1990s and the 2000s because of American pressure.

We cancelled billion dollars projects because US feared that Israeli technologies would be better than theirs, thus hurting American economy.

The US has been acting like it runs our country since the late 1980s till virtually these days!!

Just few months ago we cancelled a multi-billion dollars project with China and fired our chief security advisor, because, guess what - yes! - the US "asked" (yeah right... more like offered us an offer we couldn't refuse ) us to do so!!

So give me a break - yeah we love american music, movies, we usually agree with american policies - but we don't want to be an American province, so stop telling us what to do and what not to do, and start treating us as equalls, rather than your puppets.

And when we complain about these things, please show the basic decency and recognize what other countries have done for you :angry2:.

(and stick your nose out of our inner-policies).

[Erikl]

Isreal is a great country, proud to have them as Allies to Canada. They run there own business the way they want to, not the way you want to.

Thank you Thanto for these kind words .

[bathory]

but they definetley did in all the other leader who were too leftist...

there weren't that many leaders lol

Panama is the only definate one i can think of

[Stellar]

Wow!...we do a lot for Israel. Why shouldn't you do things for us? Where do you get that attitude?

Isreal is a sovreign country, it can do whatever the hell it wants. It is not your puppet. They can choose for themselves whether they want to do something for themselves or for the US. Why should they become puppets of the US because the US did some things for Isreal? Isreal did things for the US, but I dont see Isreal trying to control the US...