by Free » Wed 16 Feb 2005, 00:27:29
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('threadbear', 'T')he US is playing a very touchy international game if they move on Venezuela. They best think long and hard before they do anything of the sort. The best they can do is use Colombia as a proxy to try to achieve their goals. It could backfire on them. They might end up strengthening Chavez more in any attempt to destabilize that country. I note that Condalizard has been sprung from her terrarium and is actually sounding much more conciliatory with Korea. Is it any wonder countries want nukes for defensive purposes?
Yes, actually nukes are the ONLY insurance against US-"liberation". Any responsible leader of a country which has interesting ressources and wants to defend the souvereignity of the state has to consider getting nukes as fast as possible, but also as quietly as possible.
Probably the best Iran can do is try to gain time for their nuke-program, (or to buy the bomb from somewhere fast), as long as the US are bogged down in Iraq. In fact that's what they are doing, playing for time. As long as direct attacks on nuclear sites are not viable US/Israel can do nothing, sanctions would take too long to weaken the country considerably, and wouldnt stop the nuclear build-up. And the risk of a defeat is just too big to risk an attack now. Iran has the better cards at the moment, regarding the nukes, and they know it. And once they have nukes, the world community has to acknowledge the fact, as it did with Pakistan and will do with North-Korea. Once you are in the club, you are safe.
Regarding Venezuela I still think they are the weakest link. Everything fits in there, the US has even strong oppositional forces within the country on whom they can rely, plus colombia, plus it's in the backyard, plus the country is not backed by anyone really. Thats why I think that Venezuela will be next, and Syria.