Posted on 11/13/2014 8:53:44 AM PST by UMCRevMom@aol.com
Russian President Vladimir Putin, fresh off a public relations win at an Asian summit, gave a double poke to the Obama administration, authorizing bomber flights in the Gulf of Mexico and launching a glitzy global radio and web broadcast network to spread the word of Moscow.
A senior U.S. military official said Russia has not previously flown actual bomber patrols over the Gulf of Mexico, including during the Cold War.
These developments underscore growing tensions between U.S. and Russia, even though Obama met briefly with Putin during the Asian summit this week in Beijing. According to the White House, hot topics: Iran, Ukraine and Syria were touched on.
On Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg this week decried a "significant military buildup" of Russian artillery, tanks and troops in Eastern Ukraine. Moscow denied it.
Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also said Russian long-range bombers will conduct flights along Russian borders and over the Arctic Ocean - as well as the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Shoigu would not say how frequent the patrol missions would be or offer any other specifics, but he noted that the increasing pace and duration of flights would require stronger maintenance efforts and that relevant directives have been issued to industries. It was not immediately known whether the flights would mean a greater Russian military presence in Cuba, where the U.S. has a massive installation at Guantanamo Bay.
Shoigu said the Russian air force's long-range planes also will conduct "reconnaissance missions to monitor foreign powers' military activities and maritime communications."
Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers were making regular patrols across the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans during Cold War times, reaching areas from which nuclear-tipped cruise missiles could be launched at the United States. But that stopped in the post-Soviet economic meltdown.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Unlike the rest of NE, Maine and NH are prepared to be free.
Never happen. Never.
I’m wondering when Putin will fly to Cuba and re-establish a Russian/Cuban alliance. It will make it easier to run 24/7 patrols over what used to be an American lake.
Putin;s action reminds me of Teddy Roosveldt ... carrying a "Big Stick."
Putin apologists on FR would be okay with him taking Alaska, since it was “historically” Russian so long ago
Maine and NH? Maybe a few decades ago, today they are like New York
We’ll see how much he’s strutting after a year of $85 a barrel oil.
Anymore on his health?
Maybe we could sell him back half of Alaska if he would take Obama and Biden?
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