I was happy to read that the five battalions of S-300PMU-1 air defense systems have found a new home in Venezuela. The Russian defense manufacturing industry will be very relieved that a new buyer has been found because losing $800 million in sales simply hurts business, makes it hard to pay employees, and further restricts future arms developments.

And with oil and natural gas fields to protect from the constant threat of enemy invasion, Venezuela will be able to put these five battalions of S-300PMU-1 air defense systems to good use immediately.

The United States may not be to happy about this purchase but I am pretty sure this will not bother Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at all.

A properly defended country is a happy country and now Venezuela will feel a little more secure.

The official visit with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez seems to be going very well with a lot of cross cultural trade being discussed from nuclear reactors to investments in banana fields.

Everything is important to keep trade going back and forth between Venezuela and Russia. Money in motion keeps people employed, industry running and new technology being developed.

The new nuclear reactor for Venezuela for electricity generation is extremely important as Venezuela has had a real problem with drought over the past two years limiting the amount of hydro power they can produce. A nuclear reactor power generation plant will really help to stabilize the power situation in Venezuela.

And investing in Venezuela's banana plantations is a wise way to recirculate some of the money received for the five new battalions of S-300PMU-1 air defense systems. Out of this deal Russians will get access to lots of bananas to sell in their grocery stores year round.

All in all I would say it has been a very productive two days of talks with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and cementing some critical deals of international trade and commerce.

Arnold Vinette