Open Thread

For general discussion and debate. Possible talking point: South America on brink of war (paragraph break eliminated):

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.

How serious is this? Will America be forced to get involved at some point? Is there any upside to this, namely, the possibility that this could lead to a Chavez overthrow? Might this impact our elections if it escalates vis a vis hurt the inexperienced and dovish Obama?