Caracas, Moscow Play Cold War Games with Washington AS/COA Online 09/11/08
At a time of strained relations between Washington and Moscow, Venezuela and Russia could cause further irritation by stepping up their military ties. On September 10, two nuclear-capable, long-range Russian bombers arrived in Venezuela on a training mission. This came within days of an announcement from Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez confirming joint military exercises with the Russian Navy in the Caribbean by early December.
Some speculate that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Chávez hope to play a geopolitical game in response to the U.S. backing of Georgia, Washington’s missile defense shield plans for eastern Europe, the reactivation of the U.S. Fourth Fleet in Caribbean waters, and NATO’s temporary deployment of its Maritime Group One in the Black Sea. Media outlets speculate that Russia’s moves to step up its presence in the Western Hemisphere raises Cold War specters.
But the reaction to joint naval operations from the United States has, thus far, been muted. As the Economist notes, “The public response from Washington has been a barely-stifled yawn.” In a September 8 press briefing, U.S. Department of State Spokesman Sean McCormark responded to a question about the planned naval operations by saying, “I suppose if it is, in fact, true, then they found a few ships that can make it that far.” A Navy Times article writes of similar indifference from the U.S. Department of Defense. Indeed, most of the Russian vessels date back to the Soviet era and some are riddled with mechanical problems. “Russia’s military must leap huge hurdles—financial, industrial, technical and professional—before it will ever be more than a regional, mostly defensive force,” reports Wired’s “Danger Room” blog in its coverage of Moscow’s plans to send a Cold War-era ship called Peter the Great to Venezuela.
Despite a seeming lack of concern emanating from Washington, the announcement about joint naval operations coincided with other signs of U.S.-Russo fractures. On September 8, U.S. President George W. Bush announced intentions to rescind the 123 Agreement (approved in May) with Russia on peaceful nuclear cooperation. “Unfortunately, given the current environment, the time is not right for this agreement,” said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in a statement. And the arrival of bombers may have caused more raised eyebrows, with the State Department saying it plans to closely monitor the warplanes’ activities.
The Russo-Venezuelan military connection predates the joint exercises announced in the last few days. In 2006, Chávez made a $3 billion weapons purchase from Moscow followed by another deal a year later involving five submarines. More recently, Chávez visited Russia in July, when leaders strengthened ties in areas ranging from energy to technology sharing and Venezuela purchased more than 50 helicopters and 24 fighter planes.
The joint operations provided Chávez with another opportunity to rail against Washington. “What’s coming is a multipolar world in which Venezuela is a free country, that’s what’s coming,” said the Venezuelan leader following the planes’ arrival. Furthermore, a Venezuelan television show played tapes of Venezuelan military officers allegedly plotting against the president, prompting Chávez to call the program live, order an investigation, and rant against his foes. On Thursday, Chávez expelled the U.S. ambassador to show support for Bolivia, which expelled an ambassador a day earlier and saw the Bush administration reciprocate.
Read AS/COA’s coverage of the recent warming of Russo-Cuban relations.
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Reheating Russo-Cuban Relations AS/COA Online 07/08/08
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Fourth Fleet Sets Sail AS/COA Online 07/15/08
The U.S. Navy officially reactivated its Fourth Fleet in Latin American and Caribbean waters on July 12, nearly six decades after it was disbanded. While the fleet’s goal involves humanitarian assistance and support for counternarcotics operations, its reactivation drew concern from some Latin American governments. With the goal of taming fears of U.S. military intervention in the region, the U.S. Navy reiterated their commitment on building regional relationships and what Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead described as the “interoperability” with partner navies and coast guard services.
The Fourth Fleet was first established in 1943 to protect the South Atlantic Ocean from raids during World War II, then deactivated it in 1950. The new fleet, based at Navy Station Mayport in Florida, will not have permanent vessels assigned to it. Instead, it will plan, coordinate, and deploy all missions within its designated area of operations. “Reestablishing Fourth Fleet allows us to more effectively employ naval forces to build confidence and trust among nations through collective maritime security efforts,” said Roughead at the inaugural and change-of-command ceremony.
But not everyone is thrilled by the fleet’s reactivation at a time when alliances such as the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and the Brazilian-backed Council on Military Defense are gaining support to safeguard the region’s population, biodiversity, and energy reserves. Some Latin American leaders voiced their concerns over the new military initiative; Bolivian President Evo Morales and Cuba’s former President Fidel Castro speculated that the real intentions behind the fleet’s reestablishment involved exercising greater control over Latin America’s vast energy resources.
The United States responded with quick moves to quell such fears. After the administration of Argentine President Cristina Kirchner raised questions about the purpose of the fleet’s reactivation, U.S. Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere Thomas Shannon traveled to Buenos Aires. During a joint press conference with Kirchner, he said that U.S. will inform Latin American countries on the fleet’s naval activities in a timely fashion, reports Mercopress.
During a speech at AS/COA’s Latin American Cities Conference in São Paulo last week, U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Clifford Sobel raised the fact that some had suggested the fleet could have more agressive purposes. “Let me be very clear. Let me use this forum to say it is not true,” asserted Sobel, saying the fleet will have no offensive capabilities.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez was among those who cataloged the Fourth Fleet’s activity in southern waters as a threat and ratified his support for the Council of Military Defense. However, his comments come as Venezuela appears prepared to step up its own weapons purchases. Chávez bought 24 Sukhoi air-fighters, an air defense missile system, and multiple attack and transport helicopters from Russia since 2005. He plans to visit Russia on July 22 to further bolster Venezuela’s military arsenal as well as to improve energy and economical bilateral cooperation. In the last decade, Venezuela’s military expenditure has increased fivefold, pushing the country into the list of the top 25 arms importers in the world, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
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