Does this alarm anyone else here?

[jaesun]

Russia offers Chavez nuclear help amid US tensions

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was to meet Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on Friday after Russia risked Washington's wrath by offering the fierce US foe help developing nuclear energy.


The two were to meet in the city of Orenburg after hawkish Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told Chavez in Moscow on Thursday that Russia was "ready to consider the possibility of cooperation in nuclear energy."

The countries have boosted ties in recent weeks following sharp US criticism of Russia's incursion into Georgia, with Moscow dispatching long-range bombers and warships to Venezuela for exercises near US waters.
Putin made the nuclear offer after Russia this week delayed talks with the United States and other powers on fears Iran is developing nuclear weapons, concerns critics say have been exacerbated by civilian nuclear technology provided by Moscow.

Chavez called for increased ties with Russia as a counter-balance to US power.

"Today like never before all that you said on the multi-polar world becomes reality. Let us not lose time," Chavez told Putin. "The world is fast developing geopolitically."

In deployments not seen since the Cold War, Russia this month sent two long-range bombers to Venezuela for exercises and has dispatched a flotilla of warships from the Arctic base of Severomorsk to Venezuela, near US waters.

Putin thanked Chavez for the "warm welcome" given to the planes and said South America was growing in importance for Moscow.
"Latin America has become an important chain-link in creating a multipolar world, and we will pay more attention to this vector," he said.

Russia's relations with the United States are in a deep chill, most recently over the brief war in Georgia last month -- a conflict where Chavez was one of the few world leaders to support Moscow.

During that war, Washington angered Moscow by holding naval exercises near its Black Sea coast. And when the war ended, the United States used warships to deliver humanitarian aid to Georgia.

Chavez and Medvedev were expected to touch on military and energy cooperation in Friday's talks, a Kremlin official said.

The Kremlin on Thursday announced that Russia had granted Venezuela a one-billion-dollar (682-million-euro) loan to buy Russian arms.

Venezuela has signed deals for 4.4 billion dollars' worth of Russian arms since 2005, including fighter jets, tanks and assault rifles.

Russia's Kommersant daily reported last week that Venezuela was planning to purchase anti-aircraft systems, armoured personnel carriers and more combat aircraft.
Chavez arrived in Russia from China and will continue on to France as part of a world tour ahead of local elections in Venezuela in November. It is his third trip to Russia since June of last year.

Copyright AFP 2008 <<LINK HERE>>

[PatMeetsPsy]

[DJ Uhm]

There was also a Russian parliament meeting, I believe in the past week, where a certain person - don't recall whom - who was calling for a pre-emptive strike against the US down the road. The Russians are very concerned with the McCain/Palin ticket and feel certain that the powers at be will make certain that they get into office. Ultimately leading to actions that would lead into another cold war that this time won't end nearly as well.

[johnny861]

the ongoing chess game between US and Russia...

[St. Stalin the Apathetic]

Originally Posted by johnny861

the ongoing chess game between US and Russia...

through proxies

[Mali]

Originally Posted by DJ Uhm

The Russians are very concerned with the McCain/Palin ticket and feel certain that the powers at be will make certain that they get into office. Ultimately leading to actions that would lead into another cold war that this time won't end nearly as well.

Make a long story short, this is pretty much how it is.

[St. Stalin the Apathetic]

Originally Posted by DJ Uhm

Ultimately leading to actions that would lead into another cold war that this time won't end nearly as well.

Russia can't really compete w/us and they know how the last one ended. They are financially weaker now than they were in the 70s and 80s. They are militarily much weaker (the money is now inthe hands of oligarchs and gangsters - not the gov't - and even if the gov't did control the wealth it'd still be less than during the height of the cold war). The question is, if we're going to get into a game of chicken, who'd blink first. I do not think we have the will as a nation to play that game even though I believe we have a significant advantage. Who knows though. Putin has been using us as a bogey man to help rally nationalist sentiments for some time (even though our interests have not been at counter purposes... he's done a lot to try to make them so homwever) He may come to a point where it is no longer helpful to continue poking at us though.

[Mali]

Originally Posted by St. Stalin the Apathetic

Russia can't really compete w/us and they know how the last one ended. They are financially weaker now than they were in the 70s and 80s. They are militarily much weaker (the money is now inthe hands of oligarchs and gangsters - not the gov't - and even if the gov't did control the wealth it'd still be less than during the height of the cold war). The question is, if we're going to get into a game of chicken, who'd blink first. I do not think we have the will as a nation to play that game even though I believe we have a significant advantage. Who knows though. Putin has been using us as a bogey man to help rally nationalist sentiments for some time (even though our interests have not been at counter purposes... he's done a lot to try to make them so homwever) He may come to a point where it is no longer helpful to continue poking at us though.

There is no competition and Russia will not back down. You can blindly see this will be started with McCain and ultimately lead to a nuclear war.

Wellcome to the future.

[St. Stalin the Apathetic]

Originally Posted by Mali

There is no competition and Russia will not back down.

There hadn't been, at least until recently and generally I think it is of Putin's making. Agreed that Putin probably won't back down. The guy's willing to have former KGB assassinated in the UK, kill journalists, jail other oligarchs who may challenge him etc etc - he's not to be trifled with.

Originally Posted by Mali

You can blindly see

huh?

Originally Posted by Mali

this will be started with McCain and ultimately lead to a nuclear war.

I think that's a bit of a stretch to suggest and even more of one to presume. If you're suggesting Russia has less to lose now than in the cold war... maybe. But to disparity of power is much greater today making them the much more obvious loser.

[Mali]

Originally Posted by St. Stalin the Apathetic

I think that's a bit of a stretch to suggest and even more of one to presume. If you're suggesting Russia has less to lose now than in the cold war... maybe. But to disparity of power is much greater today making them the much more obvious loser.

Everyone will be a loser if it comes to that. How do you see this panning out? Do you think the US will send troops to Russia? Bombing Raids? Cruise missiles?

By saying "blindly see" means you can see it even if you are blind, thus something is a certain fact. An old saying in my homeland.

[St. Stalin the Apathetic]

Originally Posted by Mali

Everyone will be a loser if it comes to that.

Without doubt. Something necessry to avoid.

Originally Posted by Mali

How do you see this panning out? Do you think the US will send troops to Russia? Bombing Raids? Cruise missiles?

No, no and no. We want nothing to do with a war with Russia - nothing to be gained much to be lost and then there's that whole nuclear bomb problem. I do think Putin uses the fact that we've no interest on going ot war with them as a safety net and as I said bogey man. He can decry the US as these nasty brutes to stir up popular support at home while conducting his business (domestic and foreign) as brutally as he sees fit.

Originally Posted by Mali

By saying "blindly see" means you can see it even if you are blind, thus something is a certain fact. An old saying in my homeland.

ah, understood.

[Mali]

Originally Posted by St. Stalin the Apathetic

No, no and no. We want nothing to do with a war with Russia - nothing to be gained much to be lost and then there's that whole nuclear bomb problem.

I hope it will not, im sure everyone else does too, but with McCain soon in the office my hopes are hard to keep.

[St. Stalin the Apathetic]

Originally Posted by Mali

I hope it will not, im sure everyone else does too, but with McCain soon in the office my hopes are hard to keep.

McCain gives off a hard ass vibe. I like that. I don't think the next step that you're making is entirely warranted though. He's not going to take un into a nuclear exchange - too much to lose.

There are lots of developments to occur in the next few years vis a vis Russia that could take our relationship with them in either direction.

If Putin continues to true to reassemble the Soviet empire there will be problems.