South America on brink of war

[phantom power]

SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia — South America was on the brink of war yesterday as Venezuela and Ecuador amassed troops on the Colombian border in response to the killing of a Marxist rebel leader.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez threatened to join the rebels in a war to overthrow hard-line Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, a key ally of the United States, deploying tanks, fighter jets and thousands of troops along the Colombian border.

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa also ordered troops to the border, expelled Colombia's ambassador and recalled its ambassador to Bogota, but left its embassy open. Venezuela closed its embassy in Colombia and ordered all diplomats home.

A weekend battle sparked the mobilization, in which Colombian forces killed a top leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), in a camp in Ecuador.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080303/FOREIGN/933500764/1001

[truedelphi]

1. Thank you for brining this to our attention. n/t

[dbonds]

2. Neocons still would like to invade Venezuela.

A war against one of their allies might give them the excuse they need.

[tom_paine]

5. Just what, exactly, would the Imperials invade WITH?

Did they perfect robo-soldiers, or are they going to send in the personnel clerks, x-ray technicians, and communicatioins techs, which is about all tat's left stateside these days (yes, I exaggerate, but not by much)?

Puh-leeze! Neocon chickenhawk would LOVE to spill more blood of our brave soldiers, because it makes those cowards feel a bravery they will never know personally, and it allows them to do it without risk to their own precious selves. But the sad truth is, they have just about run out of Amerikan Subjects they can order killed for their own amusement and enrichment.

Not without a draft.

[dbonds]

6. Oh you of little faith ;p

[Warpy]

3. As long as the troops don't cross the border

it looks like a reasonable precaution since the right wing Colombians don't seem to have any restraint when it comes to crossing borders to kill people who oppose them.

Until somebody crosses a border--and my guess is that it'll be the Colombians, again--this isn't a war.

[Hydra]

4. I knew this was going to happen

Damn. Neocons will claim Chavez attacked Columbia.

Like the world needs more war.