Russian President Gets Red Carpet Treatment From Venezuelan Leader
EmailABC News’ Martha Raddatz and Richard Coolidge report: Russian President Dimitri Medvedev arrived in Venezuela today, getting the red-carpet treatment from President Hugo Chavez. Medvedev is in the middle of a four country tour in Latin America seen by some as a sending a bold message to the United States because of its support for Georgia in that country’s recent conflict with Russia – and possibly reviving old Cold War rivalries. Today, in Washington, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice dismissed the Russian show of power. “I just don’t think there’s any question about who has the preponderance of power in the Western Hemisphere” she said. “a few Russian ships is not going to change the balance of power.” Upon his arrival in Caracas, Medvedev was met at the airport by Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizales. While in Venezuela, Medvedev is expected to discuss potential arms and energy deals with Venezuela. Past Russian sales to Venezuela have included military jets, helicopters and Kalashnikov rifles. The Russian Navy, led by the nuclear powered cruiser “Peter the Great” arrived in Venezuela Tuesday and will be taking part in joint naval exercises with the Venezuelan navy next week. Medvedev is expected to visit the Russian ships Thursday, before continuing on to Cuba and a meeting with Raul Castro.
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We have the power to blow these countries off the face of the earth.So, what are they trying to prove?
Posted by: orangecat | November 26, 2008, 7:55 pm 7:55 pm
The Monroe Doctrine and the Kennedy Kruschev missle crisis agreements in 1962 dictate, as well as the Panama Canal Treaty. Any transfer of significant weaponry should subject foreign ships that are suspect to boarding by the US Navy. No nuclear material could be transferred to Venezuela without the promise of an airstrike. Medvedev could be laying the groundwork for a US invasion of Cuba and Venezuela if he’s not careful. This is not Georgia; history guides the US.
Posted by: Bonzai | November 26, 2008, 7:56 pm 7:56 pm
For the first time I find that an information medium simply do what they are suppossed to do: Inform about what is happenning; whithout trying to present prefabricated and interested half trues or lies as information. And yes, today we have to congratulate a journalist when he just does his job the way is meant to be. I was specting the poisonnous ignorant caricature comment and it wasn’t there!Thank you!
Posted by: FPG | November 26, 2008, 8:05 pm 8:05 pm
A snake meets a worm..do not trust either or it’s people..
Posted by: Wally J | November 26, 2008, 8:15 pm 8:15 pm
I am 7 miles away from Venezuela in the Republic of Trinidad and the US has a very good presence here to monitor what Chavez and friends are up to. I suspect that recent US naval visits was not accidental or coincidential.
Posted by: AA Manboadh | November 26, 2008, 8:59 pm 8:59 pm
cold war is back????
Posted by: Angela Lou Stanton | November 26, 2008, 9:00 pm 9:00 pm
cold war is back????
ya think????
Posted by: Angela Lou Stanton | November 26, 2008, 9:03 pm 9:03 pm
We have the power to blow them off the face of this planet??? Yes we have the power to incinerate this earth 1000 times over but what does that prove??? The US knows if they blow a country out of this world they can expect a few nukes in return. Bush’s weak foreign policy of ignoring other countries has led us to this… At one point he even said if you are not with us, you are against us. That type of talk its not in the diplomatic vocabulary…
The us is known as the bully around the world… Therefore other people around the world support this alliances… I must say we are not the greatest nation in the world anymore because there is not many categories were we rank less than 45. Education, Health, Stem cell research and i can go on…
We need to put down the #1 Foam finger and start acting like we are number #1… Greed must disappear or it will consume us all everything here in the states its carry out with money in mind like Health care, its should be given to everyone just like in France and some third world countries…
Even some jails trade publicly in the stock market…
To overcome this tyrants we need to lead by example…
Posted by: John T. | November 26, 2008, 9:21 pm 9:21 pm
A perfect example of how to turn a relatively harmless situation into a grudge match.
Rice: “I just don’t think there’s any question about who has the preponderance of power in the Western Hemisphere. A few Russian ships is not going to change the balance of power.”
Why even go there? That serves no purpose. It actually sounds defensive and weak.
Her only comment should have been along the lines of, “We wish the Russian president well on his trip.”
That’s a confident response – the kind of response someone representing a super power ought to give.
Posted by: Paul | November 26, 2008, 9:22 pm 9:22 pm
In my opinion, let’s just blow them up. Seriously, what are they trying to prove? I am sick and tired of other nations testing us. Seriously, we just need to blow up a country to show them that we mean business.
Posted by: Raul | November 26, 2008, 9:27 pm 9:27 pm
It’s called manners—don’t we still treat head’s of state with respect? –or do we act like reckless cowboys picking fights with everybody?
Posted by: tom | November 26, 2008, 9:29 pm 9:29 pm
John T totally agree–great comment
Posted by: tom | November 26, 2008, 9:31 pm 9:31 pm
Chavez threaten to bring in tanks to the streets if his side does not win KEY states in Sunday’s gubernatorial election. Venezuelan’s did defeat a referendum in which Chavez attempted to re-write their constitution to strengthen his authoritarian powers. Gov’t is using state funds for the Pro Chavez candidates. Candidates who are popular are declared ineligible to run. Gov’t has refused to release the voter rolls. Chavez has begun threatening to use the military if his gubernatorial candidates are defeated & withhold federal funding. 6 1/2 years later after the first attempt to overthrow Chavez, ALL economic, judicial electoral & congressional power in Venezuela are in the hands of Chavez. Cuban doctors & teachers blanket the country, indoctrinating the poor. Neighborhood gangs do the grass work of enforcment. Political prisoners are rotting in jail without trials. This is ALL from the Wall Street Journal…11/17/08 Yes, our Senator Dodd is a very strong supporter of CHAVEZ.
Posted by: 55Mariposa | November 26, 2008, 9:40 pm 9:40 pm
It’s over guys; the balance of power is shifting. Bullying tactics can only be employed for so long and then you starting getting your butt kicked. That’s what is happening to the U.S. all over the globe. Hopefully, the new administration can reverse our failed policies and gain respect of the countries we have alienated.
Posted by: bill bernhardt | November 26, 2008, 9:58 pm 9:58 pm
Medvedev and Chavez – a predictable duo. Each is a fanatic in their own way.
Medvedev is a Nikita Khrushchev wannabe, with designs on resurrecting the Soviet Union.
Chavez is a Fidel Castro hero worshipper, a bully who will oppress his “subjects” as has Fidel Castro’s regime.
The West clearly needs to watch these two very closely. Each is a blight on humanity – cancerous growths on civilization.
Posted by: saftgek | November 26, 2008, 10:05 pm 10:05 pm
Thanks to the wild bush encouragement of Georgian aggression, a mini ‘cold war’ is back.
This visit is payback for US and NATO forces incitement in the Black SEa.
Posted by: Patriot | November 26, 2008, 10:07 pm 10:07 pm
1. Russia has the Largest Arsenal of Strategia Nuclear Missiles on the Planet.
2. When the Georgia-S.Osettia and Russian Conflict Occured, Bush did not Aide Georgia, nor did he have U.S. Troops come on Georgian Soil either.
3. China & Russia have Nuclear and Military might and they are [Super Powers]…Period
4. Cuba, Russia, Venezuela & Cuba are jointly working on Oil Projects together as well as Military Aliances.
5. China is still Very [Comminist & Socialist] wiith capitalism thrown in for good measure….
But China is still a[Comminist-Socialist] Nation and that will not Change.
6. If we are so Independent as a Nation, why are we Borrowing 20 Billion $ per year with Interst, from the Chinese Nation…
Still very [Comminist-Socialist China]
George W. Bush Jr…..
“I looked into his [Vladamir Putin's Eyes] and saw that he was Good”
George did not set foot in Georgia or Russia, he sent Codoleeza Rice and she was accompanied by French President, Sarkozy, on a face to face with Putin, not George W. Bush Jr.
All this Tough Talk of us Dominating, the World is a Joke.
China and India both Nuclear Weapons, Military Might and Both have over a Billion People…
Within 20 Years, World Power will shift and shift Big…
WW-1-2 are Past, The Korean War & Viet Nam War are Easily put on the Back Burner of our Minds, but they were failures.
The New World is about NOW…
Not what you did THEN
Posted by: O. | November 26, 2008, 10:27 pm 10:27 pm
If by any measure Chavez were a “tyrant”, or there was an “undemocratic regime” in Venezuela, then first, we should talk about the “regime” rulling currently the US (hopefully Obama will change that somehow). I don’t have the time or energy to explain all this, but almost in every aspect we have a way better democracy in Venezuela; our polling system is physically and matematically absolutly tamper proof (can you say that of yours?)we all have access to free medical care and education ( would you get a heart catheterization a pacemaker or similar for free in the US?, college?), any citizen knows that has the right and possibility to change things around himself and the gouvmnt. will help if it’s organized, do you feel like that there in the US?
You are just starting to awake, to open you eyes, don’t blame us if we did it ten years ago. And by the way, what’s that will to bomb everyone who doesn’t behave like a robot of yours?? We can’t chose a different economic and social system, because then media lies start and then US army owners bomb our homes? We don’t mean you harm. We just aspire to be left alone; not get our progressive leaders killed by CIA sent people and things like those.
Posted by: FPG | November 26, 2008, 11:43 pm 11:43 pm
The Russia/Venezuela meetings and military exercises are planned before Obama gets into office to send him a message. They should flourish during his presidency. We now have to face 4 years of Carter II.
Posted by: Mihan | November 27, 2008, 2:22 am 2:22 am
chavez does not have the backing of the venesuala people and in time he will fall —-the guy is a total nut case.
this is why we need a very strong military—they woulkd think twice before starting any crap——but on the other hand countries like china are sucking the financial blood out of us,and the money going to iraq must stop.the free trade stuff is absolute crap as all it does is weaken us.
Posted by: rodney | November 27, 2008, 8:52 am 8:52 am
The Monroe doctrine is dead and South America is nobody’s backyard..get a life and take care of The USA, a country in decline socially, morally and economically.
Posted by: ac | November 28, 2008, 1:55 am 1:55 am
The MSM told us 20 years ago that Communism is dead. Geez, where have you people been?
Posted by: Grand Old Party | November 30, 2008, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm