Lula announces plan to turn Brazil into new military power

[NeverDie]

[September 08, 2007]
(EFE News Service Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced Thursday a new security and national defense strategy aimed at making Brazil a new military power of the 21st century.

In a special ceremony at Planalto palace in Brasilia, Lula signed an executive decree ordering the creation of a group to formulate national defense strategy and gave the relevant Cabinet ministers one year to produce a detailed plan.

The group will have the goal of "resuming the technological development of the armed forces" and charting new defense strategies, Lula said.

The president proposed creating a "program for the accelerated growth" of the military, similar to other previously announced economy-spurring public investment initiatives in the areas of infrastructure, energy, education, urban renewal and social programs.

"It's necessary to restore the power of the armed forces and the technological knowledge we had," Lula said in a speech before the army, navy and air force brass.

"It's time for us to (utilize) our military and civilian intelligence, to think about what we want to be as far as our armed forces, as far as a sovereign nation over the next 10 to 15 years," the president said.

"We can't be subordinate. We have to be bold," he added.

According to Lula, one of the main challenges of this plan will be to link the development of the armed forces with the country's economic and technological development and "have a strategic defense plan, that considers the most varied future scenarios."

"It's an obligation of every country that has responsibility for its own development and its sovereign insertion in the international arena," he said.

Lula said that in the past the armed forces produced technological innovations later used by civilian industry, including aeronautical technology and uranium-enrichment, the latter being the legacy of a nuclear-weapons program begun under the 1964-1985 military regime.

[signatory]

..well he is most welcome to Sweden on Tuesday :) I would like to see Brazil become a partner in the next generation Gripen fighter or other programs.


"Brazil and Sweden has extraordinary ties. I am personally in debt with gratitude to Sweden. What you did during the strikes in the 70's is something out of the ordinary." Lula Da Silva (http://sydsvenskan.se/varlden/article264793.ece)

[Ordie]

Brazil will always be the country of the future.

[Morgo]

Yes, the eternal emergent superpower.

[Russian_dude]

I think Brazil needs to start by reclaiming control over the favelas aka Tribal Territories first.

[krasnayaarmiya]

Brazil will always be the country of the future.


Ooh, I smell a roast


I think Brazil needs to start by reclaiming control over the favelas aka Tribal Territories first.



In all fairness, the same could be said for Russia and my country, the US, too. What "Tribal Territories" means, and how its "also known as" that sounds like some inside voice, though. There are large areas of incongruous poverty in all three countries, so aspertions need not be cast.
I would like to see their ground forces all issued camo flip-flops, though.

[Chwyatt]

Has Brazil go the resources to tackle urban poverty, environmental degradation, social programmes as well as an expanding military?

All for nations having a credible defence capability, but is Brazil facing a significant military threat to be a 'major power'?

[muck]

Has Brazil go the resources to tackle urban poverty, environmental degradation, social programmes as well as an expanding military?

All for nations having a credible defence capability, but is Brazil facing a significant military threat to be a 'major power'?

I was thinking the same when I read the article.

[ltrowley]

The next 50 years will be very interesting in terms of shifting global power imho.

[dangerclose]

Brazil will always be the country of the future.


They have a city shaped like an airplane.

[SuperBootie]

I think these are two of the most astute short sumarys I have ever read!


Ordie
Brazil will always be the country of the future.


morgo
Yes, the eternal emergent superpower.


I would have thought that Brazil has more internal challenges than external ones!

[Laworkerbee]

Brazil is ready to be self sufficient in power which gives it a nice leg up against every other nation in the world.

Now why in the world would they want to invest in military power and piss money away when they have no threats?

[GAFES]

I think Lula forgot to take his pills.

[Deurzakker]

Well they are pretty much on their own as they have no real ally so it would make sense to invest now that ie Venezuela is doing so.
Sure Venezuela is no mayor threat for now, but how many threats does Sweden really face? and they seem to have a thriving industry because of their defense spending.

[Ordie]

Now why in the world would they want to invest in military power and piss money away when they have no threats?

Geographically Brasil's major cities are buffered by thousands of miles of jungle and hinderlands in the west and water towards the east.


Has Brazil go the resources to tackle urban poverty, environmental degradation, social programmes as well as an expanding military?

In fairness, Brazil has been tackling urban issues at the city level. Curitiba comes to mind as an example of sustainible development.

But Sao Paulo is so bad with traffic, that commuters have taken an example from "George Jetson" an opted to fly in by helicopters.

I visited a town outside Sao Luis in the northeast. It seemed like it belonged in the 19th century with dirt roads, chickens, delapated school, thatched roof homes etc...

5 Kilometers away from this town was the launching and testing facilities for the FAB's Brasilian rocket program.

Can't fault the Brazilians for not having a vision.

[RICHICOQUI]

i think brazil is getting a little sick of hugo chavez and may just want to beef up thier military just in case they have to kick crap out the castro mini-me!! i know that very simplistic but chavez have been making a lot of noise about one large south american army i'll see if can find what he said!!

[Benny]

I believe that, besides the US, Brazil is the biggest power in the American continent. Mexico, Canada and Argentina are regional powers, but not on the continental level.

And, quite honestly, I'm sorry to say that, presently, the US (and not Venezuela) is the biggest threat to Brazil security.

I welcome Brazil as a emerging superpower, and one of the biggest democracies in the whole world, just like India.

Benny


PS: Abraços do país irmão!

[VansRV]

And, quite honestly, I'm sorry to say that, presently, the US (and not Venezuela) is the biggest threat to Brazil security.


Uh, would you care to elaborate on this, as the belligerent "loony tune" Dictator from Venezuela threatens the Falklands, Colombia etc.

[Benny]

Here's why: Between Venezuela and the US, there's only one belligerent loony president with the capability to fulfill its threats.

Let's not forget that if the US threatens Venezuela (who is an oil producing country), Brazil will be forced to intervene, one way or the other.

Benny

[VansRV]

Here's why: Between Venezuela and the US, there's only one belligerent loony president with the capability to fulfill its threats.


But shortly the loony president will be gone, through the democratic process, but the loony dictator will remain.

[Benny]

You're right, I'm guessing he'll stay for many years after Bush is long gone, just like the bastard Castro.

However, I'm not referring to the legitimacy to stay in power (or to invade a foreign country) but to the difference in the level of threat to the region.

Presently, the venezuelan dictator doesn't pose a significant military or economic threat to Brazilian interests. Much the opposite, Lula and Chavez have something in common, such as their humble origins and leftist political tendences.

Lula is, by my standards, a peacefull and decent person, much more than many other North and South presidents. Anyway, perhaps things will be seen in a different light after Bush and Lula are gone.

Benny

[Andre Andrade Pinto]

i think brazil is getting a little sick of hugo chavez and may just want to beef up thier military just in case they have to kick crap out the castro mini-me!! i know that very simplistic but chavez have been making a lot of noise about one large south american army i'll see if can find what he said!!


HERE, OFICIALY HE IS NOT A REAL MENACE, BUT, HUGO CHAVES IT´S A MANACE UNOFICIALY FOR US ARMED FORCES AND FOR PRESS.
p.s.: sory about my bad inglish

[Ordie]

HERE, OFICIALY HE IS NOT A REAL MENACE, BUT, HUGO CHAVES IT´S A MANACE UNOFICIALY FOR US ARMED FORCES AND FOR PRESS.
p.s.: sory about my bad inglish

There's a lot of jungle, deserts, and mountians between Sao Paulo and Caracas. Brazilian cities are some of the most isolated cities on the global scale.

Overall, Spanish speaking Latin America generally respects Brazil and Brazilians. Brazil is viewed as a pragmatic broker who does not interfere with the internal affairs of its neighbors nor are they alarmed of any rhetoric directed at them. (Pedro Rafael may have a different opinion)

Much of it Brazilian society and norms differs from its neighbor. The historical Portugese colonization policy was more about commerce and less on conquest. As a result Brazil does better in international commerce and trade.

The rest of Latin America paradigim stems from the Spanish historical policy of conquest, control and authority. This is why the rest of Latin America have a tendency of corportist economic policies.

Chavez (Venezuela) and Morales (Bolivia) nationalization of private industries is an example of this policy.