Russian Warships Sail to Venezuela

[Guest guest]

The US is weak and the world knows it. The Russians are moving in again and this time they aren't likely to be repulsed. Interestingly, it isn't the Commies this time, but the organized crime running Russia now with the power of Russia's nuclear arsenal behind it.

In a message dated 9/22/2008 5:35:23 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

Russian Warships Sail to VenezuelaLooking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators.

[Guest guest]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/world/europe/23ships.html?

ref=americas

Russian Warships Sail to Venezuela

By MICHAEL SCHWIRTZ

Published: September 22, 2008

MOSCOW — A squadron from the Russian Navy's North Sea Fleet sailed

for Venezuela on Monday, a Russian Navy spokesman said, in a bid by

Russia to bolster military links in Latin America as relations with

the United States continue to deteriorate.

The convoy — including the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser

the Great and the anti-submarine ship Admiral Chabanenko — left

the fleet's base in Severomorsk bound for the Venezuelan coast, where

the ships will take part in joint maneuvers with the Venezuelan Navy

sometime in November, said Igor Dygalo, a Russian Navy spokesman.

Stung by the West's strong condemnation of Russia's actions in last

month's war with Georgia, Moscow appears to have redoubled its

efforts to strengthen ties with Venezuela, Cuba and other Latin

American countries, in moves reminiscent of the Soviet Union's proxy

battles with the United States in the region during the Cold War.

Last week, two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers flew to Venezuela for

exercises over the Caribbean Sea, and a Russian delegation led by

Igor I. Sechin, a deputy prime minister and chairman of the Russian

oil company Rosneft, visited Caracas and Havana for talks on

expanding economic ties. It was Mr. Sechin's second visit to the

region in less than two months.

The decision to deploy Russian warships so close to the American

coastline could also be linked to the Kremlin's frustration over the

presence of NATO and American naval vessels in the Black Sea, a

region Moscow considers its sphere of influence. Earlier this month,

an American naval ship delivered humanitarian aid to Georgia in one

of the country's Black Sea ports.

Russia has denied that the war in Georgia had any connection to the

Russian navy's planned exercises with Venezuela. " These exercises

were planned long before the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, " Mr. Dygalo

said. " They are not linked to the conflict. "

Meanwhile, Hugo Chávez, Venezuela's president, plans to visit Russia

this week, his second visit in two months.

In an interview broadcast by Russia's Vesti 24 television on

Saturday, Mr. Chávez said Latin America was freeing itself from

the " imperial " influence from the United States and needed Russia's

friendship.

" Not only Venezuela, but all of Latin America needs friends like

Russia, " Mr. Chavez said. " For economic development, for the support

of all Latin America, for the lives of the people of our continent. "