Tanks are Rolling. Troops are Marching.

[snoopy369]

A spokesman for Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said that during the raid, troops had found documents that provided information that "[Ecuadorean President Correa] has a relationship and commitments with Farc",

Police commander Gen Oscar Naranjo said one document showed Reyes had met Ecuador's minister of internal security and that they discussed Mr Correa's "interest in making official relations with the Farc".

Colombia certainly thought otherwise...

[DanS]

I agree that it was completely possible that Ecuador knew nothing about it. That's why I thought Ecuador would give Colombia's action a pass. Indeed, before Chavez started running his mouth, Ecuador didn't make super-angry noises.

[Barnabas]

Ecuador and Venezuela have broken diplomatic relations with Colombia


BTW, the FARC leader who got killed was Sarkozy´s contact to achieve the liberation of Ingrid Betancourt

[Barnabas]

BTW, there wont be a war, at least not one started by Venezuela or Ecuador

- The colombian army is much much larger than the venezuelan one
-The colombian army is very experienced after decades of fighting FARC, it is also better trained, and has better weapons than the venezuelan one

-Chavez popularity has fallen the last year in Venezuela, he used to be loved by 65% of the population and hated by the rest, now it is 50%-50%

-Venezuela imports much food from Colombia

-Fighting Colombia would mean directly or indirectly fighting the USA too

-Venezuelans dont want a war against Colombia


It is all "show" by Chavez basically

[VetLegion]

Interesting.

[Dinner]

If there was a big war and Columbia won then they could recreate Gran Columbia. Well, minus Panama.

[DanS]

Originally posted by Barnabas
-Fighting Colombia would mean directly or indirectly fighting the USA too

Indeed it would. I have no idea what form the support would take, however. It could be token. It could mean US warplanes dropping JDAMs.

The funny thing about it is that throughout the war, Venezuela would continue to sell substantially all of its oil to the US.

[Dinner]

I believe Columbia is the South American country with the best relationship with the US. We certainly give them tons of money and military equipment under Plan Columbia.

[Barnabas]

Originally posted by DanS
I agree that it was completely possible that Ecuador knew nothing about it. That's why I thought Ecuador would give Colombia's action a pass. Indeed, before Chavez started running his mouth, Ecuador didn't make super-angry noises.

No country agrees with Colombia´s action, but no one wants a war or something crazy.

The president of Chile said Colombia owes an explanation, and that the president of Ecuador acted with prudence

The message is a conflict should be avoided

[Dinner]

CNN is reporting a claim by Columbia that Chavez gave $300 million to FARC.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/03/03/ecuador.colombia/index.html

[Dinner]

Chavez called the attack "a cowardly murder" and blamed the United States, a close ally of Colombia. He further called Uribe a criminal, liar and gangster.

"We don't want war, but we will not allow the North American empire -- which is the master -- and its sub-President Uribe and the Colombian oligarchy to divide, to weaken us," he said. "We will not allow it."

People in Venezuela find this sort of rambling nonsense to be compelling? Chavez is gibbering like a monkey.

[Barnabas]

Dude, dont act as if venezuelans were aliens. The evil empire or axis of evil speeches were compelling for many americans

[Dinner]

Unfortunately true. :\

[DanS]

Originally posted by Barnabas
Dude, dont act as if venezuelans were aliens.

They aren't?

[Lancer]

I hope they can hold off for a few weeks till we're home. This might knock the political machine talking heads off the news for a bit.