The Dogs of War Are Not Barking Very Loudly

Posted Mar 4, 2008 by mlh in Politics | 64 views

In recent days, we have seen and heard of the military actions of Columbia against FARC and the possible incursion into Ecuador to complete the mission. We have also heard that Ecuador and Venezuela have sent troops to their borders.

Hugo Chavez had threatened Columbia with war if Columbia tried to do the same across the Venezuelan border which prompted, some would say ordered by Chavez, to respond in like kind. No matter the reasoning, the Dogs Of War could be heard but not too loudly. It seems as though the move was mere distraction due to the failing economy of Venezuela.

With the people of Venezuela having difficulties coming by with a mere commodity such as milk and Chavez spending billions on old Soviet weapons, the prospect of actually following through with the threats directed at Columbia seems highly unlikely. It is time to leash the hounds.

[...] Ecuador's President Rafael Correa called Colombia's "a foul and lying government that doesn't want peace." And even the ailing Fidel Castro weighed in, writing that "The trumpets of war are being heard in our continent's south as a result of the genocidal plans of the Yankee empire."

But there is little appetite for armed conflict in the region, despite Chavez's recent purchases of $3 billion in Russian arms, including 53 military helicopters, 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles and 24 SU-30 Sukhoi fighter jets.

The economic costs, to begin with, are far too high.

Too many people depend on cross-border trade worth $5 billion a year, most of it Colombian exports sorely needed by Venezuelans already suffering milk and meat shortages. Ecuador depends on some $1.8 billion in trade with Colombia. [...]

It is highly doubtful that all of the saber rattling will amount to anything substantial. Political pundits and citizens of Venezueal seem to think as follows:

[...] "I hope Chavez isn't thinking about the madness of sending our sons to die in an absurd war with Colombia," said Carmen Arellano, a 41-year-old homemaker. "Chavez wants to fight a war to conceal the social and economic crisis in this country."

Venezuelan political analyst Teodoro Petkoff said he doesn't believe war is imminent, despite Chavez's rhetoric: "For me he's a barking dog that doesn't bite." [...]

Let us hope so but the silence from the Dogs of War is a wanted occurrence.

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