Do you have a link/source to where you got those figures to make the charts, including the pre Chavez spending and the Latin American countries one.
Thanks.
OW, this information illustrates quite well that the Venezuelan opposition have nothing to offer save for an arsenal of distortion and misinformation.
I swear, after eight years of continual lying, you'd think that they'd get tired of it and go nurse their sarrows in the bottom of a mojito glass in a dark, dank, sweaty bar on a side street off of Calle Ocho in Miami. You know the bar, the one with the pictures of Orlando Bosh, Posada Carilles, and Oliver North adorning the walls by the pool table.s
Really, these people are plumbing new depths.
koso, go to the end of the second paragraph where it says "on linehere" with the hyperlink. THat takes you to the page with the SIPRI database. Click "enter database" at the bottom. Then choose VEnezuela from the drop down menu and that will give you the chart with all the data I used for the charts.
Aha, thanks!
Good work. You had mentioned a couple of posts ago about a post you were going to make on PDVSA and some perculiar goins on....
ow,
great work as always. thank you. too bad niether rctv, nbc nor cnn hires journalists anymore. if they did you'd have a great job and everyone would be better off.
john smartt,
"Don't drink and log on", that is your bumper sticker.
"too bad niether rctv, nbc nor cnn hires journalists anymore."
Yup, the "free" media isn't all its cracked up to be. Look at the (non)coverage of Iraq compared to the coverage of the Vietnam war. The media definitely is subsuvervient in the U.S. these days.
"You had mentioned a couple of posts ago about a post you were going to make on PDVSA and some perculiar goins on...."
Have to get some numbers ironed out first. But I'll post it when I can.
OT,
for those following the saga of all the good videos uploaded on Aporrea and the Lubrio blog being wiped out by YouTube here is a discussion about it:
http://www.aporrea.org/actualida...dad/
n96546.html
Slave Revolt: a favorite trick of commies to justify their failures is to invent conspiracy theories where the world at large is trying to destroy their beautiful society in the making. Lets face it, Chavez is 52 year old and the students facing him are around 20-25. They represent the future, not him. His revolution is an old man's dream, nothing else. It will not survive the next generation. Socialism had its time. The younger generation is set to invent the new society. So much the better.
My goodness you delusional Capitalist idiot.
First of all, what's with the conspiracy theory nonsense that you are cooking up? The evidence is there when it comes to the military spending question and many of the other questions that you and your friends in the opposition have taken the time to distort, especially to Americans, unfortunately. >
Second of all, the students that are "facing" the Bolivarian government of Venezuela have proven themselves to the Venezuelan people that they have been manipulated and controlled by elements of the opposition. If they were genuine in their assertions, then why did they leave the National Assembly building before the Chavista students made their response? Why did it have to take a interview on Globovision for them to say what they wanted to say to the National Assembly? And also, if they were genuine in their opposition to the Bolivarian government, why did they attempt to cause civil disorder in the worst possible manner?
If you can not take these things into account, it is because you can't or you don't want to.
Third of all, The ideas of Socialism and Communism have been around (in their modern context) for over 159 years continuously. If Socialism and Communism belonged to the past, then why then are there a lot of young individuals, both inside of Venezuela and abroad, that have adopted these ideas? I am sure people said the same thing in the 1960's and look what happened. The very concept of both Socialism and Communism are ALWAYS going to have an appeal to the working class masses, both young and old, both in Venezuela and outside of Venezuela, because Socialism and Communism aims to end the status quo and institute real democracy and equality for all into place.
You have got stop living in this fantasy, this idea that people are going to accept the nonsense that you and your friends, associates and acquaintances are constantly pushing down their throats. If that were indeed the case, then there is no way in hell that the Caracazo would have happened.
"students facing him are around 20-25"
Ahh, what students????? They seem to have disappeared after they got exposed as having nothing to say before the National Assembly.
And that Hector Rodriguez mopped the floor with them in an open discussion of an hour and a half on Globovision sure didn't help either.
Chavez and the Bolivarian students have ideas, regardless of whether or not you agree with them. The other students got exposed as having none, except for their silly and stupid rants about "freedom of expression".
Ideas and beliefs will trump the emptiness of no ideas every time. That is what we have been seeing in Venezuela for years now.
Lets face it, Chavez is 52 year old and the students facing him are around 20-25
Well is pretty much the same middle class that always opposed the revolution. This time dressed as students. Nothing new and they fail as usual.
Btw: the "non-violent students" in action:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=6KkvwZQenTY
Never mind the military. What about the new bolivarian computers produced with chinese technology which are being distributed by state enterprise VIT.CA (VENINSTA) These will run the linux open system and will firstly be used inside the government missiones and state owned companies and institutions but are expected to be sold across venezuela and latin america. Another advance for Venezuela and a massive blow to the oligarchy and the imperialists. Can we have a blog on this please OW!!!
the students ...If they were genuine in their assertions, then why did they leave the National Assembly building before the Chavista students made their response?
This move was eerily reminiscent of Auntie Rice's hit and run a few days before. It seems as though is from some sort of playbook.
Which reminds me: OW/Flanker remember back in August 06 the AP published a spreadsheet, which hey got from a FOIA on VEN agencies that received funding from various US offices? Do you have a complete copy of that? It might be worth re-visiting.
Steve,
It is already covered here:
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/...php?
newsno=2326
Pulpo, I vaguely remember that but don't have a copy. If anyone could find it I'm sure that would be great.
WOW! Communism, socialism, capitalism! What a bunch of geriatric thinkers you are. While you spin these outdated concepts, the rest of the world moves on. BTW, claiming that these students are remote controlled by the CIA, the Imperium, the capitalists or whoever is just conspiracy theory.
Not only did the pro goverment students have better arguments, but are way better looking! Any one else think Libertad Velasco is HOT! hehehehe
Edmundo,
Read something about it. Read this http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/....php?
artno=2035
And then tell me which part of the evidence there is wrong.
Calling it a conspiracy theory before you even actually have seen the evidence presented, and understand the idea, is the epitome of blindness.
Here is a key paragraph for you Edmundo,
“Helvey, who has taught young activists in Myanmar and Serbian students who helped topple the former Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic in 2000, is giving courses on non-violent opposition tactics this week at an east Caracas university,” said the article. “Neither Helvey nor the organizers of the Caracas seminar would give details of exactly what opposition tactics were being taught. But in his work in Serbia before Milosevic’s fall, Helvey briefed students on ways to organize a strike and on how to undermine the authority of a dictatorial regime,” reported Reuters.[19]
The internet wars continue as the Lubrio blog has been taken over by opposition hackers:
http://www.aporrea.org/actualida...dad/
n96552.html
Apparently opposition supporters inside CANTV took over his CANTV e-mail account and were then able to take over his blogger and gmail accounts. Unreal.
Same kind of crap they did before in the 90s when the banks collapsed and people who had fled the countries were logging into the accounts in Venezuela to transfer money abroad. And the same kind of crap they did at PDVSA.
Sounds like some people at CANTV need to be fired.
From here it looks to me that Chavez's decision that gave Venezuela control over the majority of the telecommunications infrastructure was a shrewd, smart move.
Indeed, the company is in need of some house cleaning.
The mask is off: the empire and their capitalist allies have engaged in vociferous distortion with respect to the RCTV issue. These capitalists understand that their ability to control the world is tied to their continued ability to dominate the message.
"Indeed, the company is in need of some house cleaning."
Apparently.
I have to admit I was against the nationalization of CANTV. But given what is going on I may have to admit I was wrong.
Live and learn.
"Apparently.
I have to admit I was against the nationalization of CANTV. But given what is going on I may have to admit I was wrong.
Live and learn."
Remember OW the game is chess not checkers.I wonder how much resources the agencies of empire are being alotted to track us? I mean they(big money makers) can't have all this factual information distort their truth. Even if it doesn't really touch the brainwash box viewers places like these are a threat to the dictatorship of domination prevalent on this earth.
Lubrio blog and You tube account really started to have some viewership. But private money making institutions own that space and can do anything that endangers their system.The one that lets them make billions at the expense of billions(people that is).
So the question is how far will a class go to maintain their system?They control the media. Is it possible that people will fall for the excuses that are used to justify violent acts? Because lets be realistic through democracy the just can't justify their dictatorship. I;m afraid they can only answer with violence. I hope I am wrong. Any ideas?
Steve you fucking moron, those computers are produced using American technology. Get a life you fucking idiot. Who do you think produces the CPUs and specs the motherboards? Who the hell specs the architecture? The Big Bad U.S. companies that set the standard YOU FUCKING IDIOT
BTW, those computers will not see a single sale outside of Venezuela unless Chavez subsidizes the sale. There is a free market outside of Venezuela and they will have to compete against the grays and blacks. CAPITALISM YOU FUCKING MORONS
One more thing, that relationship has to have the approval of INTEL CORP. if the processors are to be sourced from INTEL. You cannot be a player sourcing open market. Intel rules: Chinese partner must be 51% plus and Intel decides where they can sell. BIG BAD INTEL CALL THE SHOTS
EAT SHIT AND DIE YOU FASCIST SOCIALIST COMMUNIST WANNABEES
Destroyer, what are you babbeling on about?.... 'the Chinese', computer chips,? Wtf, dude.
Dude, put down that crack-pipe. Stay away from windows and sharp objects.
Hey Destroyer, just to make a point;
Fascism does not equal Communism nor Socialism.
*rolls eyes*
Stop thinking that the Soviet Union was either of those things. And yeah, stay off the drugs.
OW is a lying sack of shit:
http://www.kommersant.com/p77395...527/arms_trade/
I find it hard to believe that ow went through the pain of posting that bullshit. Ow is a flip-flopper. Chavez spent upwards of six billion on military in 2006 and much more to come.
OW, you are not a military analyist nor are you an economist, oil expert, politician, journalist, and even MD. Last but not least: YOU ARE NOT VENEZUELAN, BOLIVARIAN, OR CHAVISTA. YOU ARE PALE WHITE AMERICAN MEAT FROM NYC WHO HAS NEVER LIVED IN VENEZUELA. GOLINGER HAS MORE BALLS THAN YOU... AT LEAST SHE MOVED DOWN THERE AND MADE HER FIRST MILLION.
checkout www.venezuelatoday.net
or
http://www.fav-club.com/flash/
fc...vclubnews44.htm
"According to the Venezuelan Defense Ministry, the country spend $4.3 billion on arms purchases in 2005-2006."
Total BS. Go to the Ministry of Defense Memoria and Cuenta and show me where it says anything like that. Just more media non-sense - in fact it looks like it picked up its numbers from the IHT article I linked to.
"Chavez spent upwards of six billion on military in 2006 and much more to come"
Blah, blah, blah. Again read the reports. I know you can type whatever non-sense you want but remember, this is a fact based blog. So try to come up with some actual facts.
"OW, you are not a military analyist"
Its not that hard. If you can read, do simple arithmatic, and take the time to actually look up the information you are in business. In fact, the information in this post was from a reputable source which I then cross checked with a PRIMARY source - all linked to in the post.
Which is, of course, why you don't even try to rebut it 
Gringo in venezuela.
You got the wrong dude. I think you were addressing Escualido......
Sorry to go offthetopic. The blog you link here (Lubrio) has been hacked and four years of posts, deleted. He has lost control on his site, as his password was stolen. The day before that, his account on YouTube was suspended, all his 500 videos deleted, allegedly for copyright reasons (Antena3 from Spain filled a complaint against his channel -lbracci- because he recorded a VTV broadcast which included an ANTENA3 program). Coulb be interesting that you write something on this subject here (more info in spanish in aporrea and my blog).
¡Gracias!
Of course it is 6 billion... Financed over x number of years.
It is cool that we are upgrading our military, the country was not the only thing that the opposition nearly destroyed.
Yes, Okrim I saw that. A whole number of YouTube videos that I use in the blog have been eliminated.
It really is an outrage and hopefully the scumbags at CANTV that did this will be caught and fired.
"Of course it is 6 billion"
What is 6 billion ?
Just noticed that Okrim put a letter that people can send to YouTube regarding L Bracci's account being eliminated and 500 excellent videos deleted - among them great ones showing RCTV's participation in the 2002 coup.
http://okrimopina.blogspot.com/
I think people should write YouTube and complain as the VAST majority of his videos do not violate any Copyright policy. I for one will contact them and I URGE other to do the same. Luigino has done so much work, putting up videos, helping run the Aporrea web-site, writing an EXCELLENT blog that for us not to support him would not be right.
And you believe what Luigi stated? Luigi's account was closed for various reasons, most of which he will not say. The decision has been made based on the facts presented. Go ahead and write your letters... reminds me of OW's campaign when Gustavo Coronel went on CNN... any luck there? You crying little boy....
OW, I have no interest rebuking cooked and/or incomplete-erroneous data. I mean you are going to save Chavez after all. Maybe you should get a cookie.
I find it funny that the day after you poor hack job, the story on the subs leaks. If they buy all nine, that's a three billion dollar order.
What about the 600-800 infantry fighting vehicles? And the cargo aircraft, the jet trainers, the refuelling aircraft, the ECM aircraft, the turpobrop trainers, the amphibious assault vessels, the frigates, etc. etc... there's several more billion dollars worth of systems there alone.
wouldn't you rather have the CANTV "scumbags" incarcerated and tortured? How about killed? Oh yes you would... why are you so angry?
"I have no interest rebuking cooked and/or incomplete-erroneous data."
Of course not, it would mean rebuking the BS that comes from your heros.
"If they buy all nine"
If - that is the key word. "If" they bought all the crap the opposition and others go around saying they buy - but of course they haven't. Which is why the real numbers don't match your made up numbers.
" wouldn't you rather have the CANTV "scumbags" incarcerated and tortured?"
No, having them fired will do.
Ay Destroyer...I think OW is up there in Ottawa trying to convince everyone that the Ottawa Senaters wear red because they are Socialist like he claims to be... easy to sit up there in Canada and judge ain't it OW?
Here in the real world Chavez has been having Miltary parades (yep you guessed it in Cadena)showing off what he has bought so far and training PDVSA employees to shoot and kill....sorry OW just using my eyes and ears as my sources again.
How's PM Harper by the way? You falling for his crap too?
"I think OW is up there in Ottawa trying to convince everyone that the Ottawa Senaters "
Ouch, this hurts - given that I'm a big Sabres fan. How the team that won the Presidents trophy loses to such a bunch of sucky and dirty players is beyond me.
"Here in the real world Chavez has been having Miltary parades "
yeah, we had one here where I live too. When a country spends half a trillion dollars on its military people should get to see what some of it goes for. And even if that military is getting its ass kicked by a bunch of rag tag insurgents its good to see they can still organize a parade properly.
So this poor Lubrio pirates some copyright material and, as a result, Utube sends him down the tube. The poor sod goes crying to Venezolana de Television where he is joined by no other than Aristobulo (ex education minister) and they start complaining together on the lack of democratic credential and free speech of imperialists, capitalists, facists and whoever. A few days before, TVES had to take off the air a program they pirated. What a pathetic bunch of buffoons, first discard international laws then go crying on how life is unfair when they are caught pants down.
If that was all there was to it you would have a point. However, there is lot of other clearly ripped off political content on YouTube that doesn't seem to result in account cancellation.
Further more, I have noticed for some time that videos of insurgent attacks against U.S. soldiers seem to be immediately taken down. So it looks to me like YouTube has some political bias in this. Of course, that is there right, but then Luigino is right to say that alternatives to YouTube need to be set up.
Further, his CANTV account was broken into and with resulting information improperly obtained so were other accounts of his including his blog which was erased. That is certainly illegal and if the parties who did that can be located and they work for CANTV (considered likely) they should be fired.
Should this young man and TVES be prosecuted for piracy?
I don't think posting a video on YouTube from which you make no money, and you don't necessarily know is copyrighted given that hundreds of other of its videos are on YouTube, consitutes piracy.
From what I understand of the TVES situation that didn't sound like TVES did anything wrong at all. They got the show from a distributor and the producers of that show claimed that distributor didn't have rights to it. So the dispute was really between the distributor and producer, not TVES and anyone. Further, as soon as they were notified of the problem TVES pulled the program.
All of that is hardly equivalent to logging into someone elses accounts and destroying their information.
Why not setup a Bolivarian alternative to YouTube full of revolutionary virtue? I can't wait to have a good laught. I bet you that the fellows setting it up would, in a first phase pirate YouTube, time to learn the tricks of the trade, same as TVES.
"Why not setup a Bolivarian alternative to YouTube full of revolutionary virtue? "
That has already been brought up, by Luigino. Now that they have the resources of a significant telecom company they may just do that.
No need to "pirate" YouTube. They don't have exclusive rights to video sharing as can be seen by the number of other companies now engaged in it.
Wow, Escualido, your getting your ass kicked.
This is painful to read.
I stand corrected!
yeah, we had one here where I live too...but we know that Canada (if that is where you live) is working on Peace Keeping Missions whereas Venezuela, besides protecting its borders, does nothing...so tell me why is the revolution in dire need of weapons?
It's definitly not fair that anyone should be forced to shut up in a democracy. You Tube is full of pirated videos! Why should one user get shut out just because he spoke out or showed a video that the others didnt like...basically watch what you can tolerate and don't watch the rest...Isn?t that the fundamentals of freedom in general???
make sure your emails and calls are not being intercepted
"but we know that Canada (if that is where you live)"
Nope, don't live in Canada.
"working on Peace Keeping Missions"
I see, making sure Afghans stay in line is "peacekeeping". I suppose in a way it is.
"whereas Venezuela, besides protecting its borders, does nothing"
Yeah, what is up with Venezuela? They haven't invaded another country in more than a century.
"so tell me why is the revolution in dire need of weapons?"
Well, when you live around as thugish a country as the U.S. having some weapons handy is probably always a good idea. Iraq having stockpiled lots of weapons is sure turning out to have been a very wise decision, don't you think?
But the truth is Venezuela doesn't need all that many expensive weapons systems. That is probably why Chavez has reduced military expenditures compared to his predecessors.
the phone is easy... anything not normal
filter you logs for .gov and .mil
what do you see?
"I see, making sure Afghans stay in line is "peacekeeping". I suppose in a way it is. " Well as a Canadian I am against the Afgan mission and I am really proud that they didn't go into Iraq blindly following Capt. Bush at the helm... Sorry not much of a replublican I'm afraid!!!
Dan...since CANTV was nationalized we have had to "rest" the IP adress on our router at least 6 times. Not saying that we never did it before. But 6 times? OK maybe there is a better explaination than Big brother is watching but it is rather odd just the same no?
ooops reset NOT rest...damn typos 
Jen, they are on to you...don't use the internet. Chavista bastards ;(
Canadian OW is putting up a front--luring unsuspecting oppos into a trap, so that they (Boivarian pigs) can find out who you are, and deny you legal papers, tap your phone, etc.
Suggestion: leave, and don't hang around with pro-US coupsters.
Just a thought.
It is outrageous, but not unexpected, what has happened to Luigino. Fortunately, Aporrea has put up some of his videos.
Aporrea is probably the best organised and designed news site in the Americas (I rely on it for news about Colombia as the media here has very limited 'editorial pluralism' to say the least)
I wouldn't be surprised if Aporrea is attacked next, but meantime I'll post on Colombia's indymedia to get the word out on Bracci.
Paul, Luigino is the person who put up most of the YouTube videos that Aporrea referenced. ANd he was an administrator of their forumn which after raiding his peronal account they were able to hack. Last I checked it is still down.
SR...by doing what you suggest would make me super paranoid. I don't think I am being spied on! I do think 2 things about the CANTV issue...1. they are still ironing out the bugs because many are new employees, 2 they are more paranoid than me.
ow...I don't support the Canadian mission in Afganastan and I am very pleased they didn't follow the USA into Iraq. I was just referring to the other Peace Kepping missions that Canada has led and supported.
The UN Peace Keeping Corp was the brainchild of Lester B Pearson a fromer Canadian PM by the way. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for this. I'd like to see Venezuela give a rats ass about Peace Keeping.
"I'd like to see Venezuela give a rats ass about Peace Keeping."
I think Venezuela is wise not to get involved. "Peacekeeping" is often a euphamism for other things. Venezuela respects that others should work out their own differences and it keeps its armed forces where they belong - in Venezuela
Chavez repeatedly insights violence by asking people to defend the revolution and giving employees guns...he is a violent man.
BTW, not to burst our opposition friends bubbles but it turns out that the supposed purchase of Russian submarines is just so much non-sense. From Ultimas Noticias:
ARMAMENTO EL MINISTRO DE LA DEFENSA DESCARTÓ LA COMPRA DE NUEVE NAVES AL GOBIERNO DE MOSCÚ
Submarinos rusos no van
El general Baduel dijo que las nuevas adquisiciones tienen fines defensivos
NOTICIAS
Caracas. El ministro del Poder Popular para la Defensa, general Raúl Isaías Baduel, descartó la compra de submarinos rusos y subrayó que las nuevas adquisiciones en armamento tiene fines defensivos, informó anoche la agencia ABN.
Estas declaraciones las ofreció el titular de la Defensa durante el bautizo del libro "Hugo Chávez y el socialismo del siglo XXI", de Heinz Dieterich en el Teatro Teresa Carreño.
Sobre la compra de submarinos rusos Baduel expresó: "No lo estoy confirmando, lo que estoy señalando que es con la metodología de trabajo que se emplea en nuestra institución, debemos hacer una permanente valoración de las amenazas que pueden provenir sobre los supremos intereses, y no se ha planteado en este momento la adquisición de esos sistemas".
Dijo que las adquisiciones de los sistemas defensivos que se han planteado en el país son las correspondientes a los aviones caza Sukkoi, helicópteros de la clase Mi (Proyecto Pemón), fusiles de asalto AK-103, y la fábrica de fusiles y municiones.
Great they don't need those submarines anyway...good decision on the part of the Government.
Jen, OW was a bit too polite with you. Canada's role in 'peace-keeping' is pretty dismal. Look no further than Canada's role in over throwing democracy in Haiti, and the useful role that Canada played in the service of the empire in that little squalid affair.
I can just imagine the Mercal salad vendors running a submarine. That should be another laugh next to the YouTube Bolivarian alternative.
Slave Revolt: Canada is light years ahead of the remainder of the Americas, including the U.S. of A.
What a WASTE of money...
http://www.robedwards.com/2007/
0...cing_tride.html
And people here in the UK can`t afford to buy a home, can`t afford to live on the minimum wage...
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/...fm?
id=411402007
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