Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is saying that he plans to buy 5,000 Dragunov sniper rifles from Russia to protect the oil-rich nation from a U.S. invasion.  He is an open critic of Washington DC who has bolstered the OPEC nation’s weaponry by buying planes, helicopters and assault rifles from Russia to prepare for a guerrilla-style resistance to a U.S. invasion.  "I’m going to buy 5,000 Dragunov rifles from Russia . . . with telescopic sight, the best in the world, with infrared night view," Chavez said during his weekly broadcast held on a beach along Venezuela’s eastern coast. "We will knock out any imperialist that approaches."  The U.S. has cut arms sales to Venezuela and blocked several attempts by Chavez to acquire military aircraft technology on the grounds that Venezuela has not adequately explained why it needs the equipment.  U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Hemispheric Affairs Stephen Johnson said during a recent visit to Colombia that countries in the region should be concerned about Venezuela’s multibillion-dollar weapons purchases.  Venezuela has purchased 24 Sukhoi fighters jets and 100,000 Kalashnikov AK-103 assault rifles from Russia, and is currently negotiating the purchase of submarines.
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