How Russia arms America’s southern neighbors

[Bacchus4.0]

http://www.salon.com/2014/05/10/how_russia_arms_americas_southern_neighbors_partner/


RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Russia’s push into Ukraine has put many on edge. But less known is that Russia is also strengthening its military links south of the Rio Grande and re-establishing itself as a power in the region.

Vladimir Putin has been strengthening military links here, and Russia is now the largest arms dealer to governments in Latin America, surpassing the United States. Russia has even floated the possibility of building new military bases in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, and putting its warships permanently in the Caribbean.

In the midst of the Ukraine crisis, Russia’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov recently visited Cuba, Peru, Chile, and Nicaragua, where he announced that Russia would also pour money into the new Central American canal project.

Arms selling is a free market, and if Russian companies can offer cheaper and better guns than US or British ones, they have the competitive edge.

[Marksman_91]

1. Does anyone else think Putin wants to bring Russia back to its imperialist roots? N/t

[Paolo123]

2. In my opinion, no.

This is a defensive move. Since the fall of the soviet union the United States and it's Nato allies have utterly shredded international law and pushed NATO right up to Russia's borders. Then, the US supports a coup against a democratically elected government right in Russia's underbelly.

I think Russia would have been totally fine with a "you mind your business, and I will mind mine", but with what the US is doing Russia has no choice but to retaliate. Can you imagine if Russia supported a coup against a democratically elected government in Mexico? The US would have already gone to war.

[Bacchus4.0]

3. meh, probably just trying to make a buck n/t