Posted on 07/21/2008 3:41:21 PM PDT by nuconvert
Russian military "considering stationing bombers on Cuba"
Jul 21, 2008
Moscow - The Russian military is considering deploying long- range bombers to Cuba to counter the perceived threat of the US missile defence shield planned to be based in the Czech Republic and Poland, according to Russian media reports Monday.
'At the moment, there are just thoughts - but that doesn't mean there isn't something concrete behind it,' an unidentified officer was quoted Monday as telling Izvestiya newspaper.
He said the aircraft under consideration were Tu-160 and Tu-95 MC bombers. Russia gave up in 2001 a base in Lourdes, Cuba, which had been set up during the Soviet era.
The former commander of this base, Lieutenant-General Mikhail Oparin, was quoted as welcoming the idea. 'Russia's air fleet must work towards a presence in every corner of the world,' he told Interfax news agency. The US, after all, had bases worldwide.
'An extended radius of action for our air force could be a response to the one-sided action of the USA in setting up a strategic system on Russia's borders,' he added.
The newspaper said that from a technical point of view there would be no problem basing Russian bombers on Cuba for a limited period. However, Moscow's view on doing this was unclear.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, while he was still president, had threatened 'reprisal measures' if the US went ahead with basing its missile defence shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. He warned that Russia was able to target central Europe with its own missiles.
Russia views the planned deployment of ten US missiles in Poland and a radar facility the Czech Republic as a threat. However, the presence of Russian bombers on Cuba would provoke an international conflict, the Izvestiya report said.
Just 90 kilometres separated Cuba from the US coast, and the US had 'eyes and ears' on Cuba with its Guantanamo base.
In 1962 the Cuba crisis saw the US and Soviet Union in a dramatic face-off before Moscow abandoned plans to built missiles bases there.
"The Rus has always known a few approaches to its neighbors; rape, pillage, blackmail, among others." They have been invaded, raped and pillaged more than a few times themselves, haven't they? It is unfortunate that most Americans lack understanding of historical and cultural perspectives when it comes to interpreting signals from other nations.
Russia has had to deal with their own Islamic Terrorists and the killing of their citizens, let’s not forget that.
Welcome to the Carribean my Russian brothers!
Will you Russians join the Chinese in drilling for oil off the Florida coast???
Buahahahahahah!
Its a Chavez hook up. We will have Commies in the Carribean big time! A communist sphere of influence all the way from Venezuela to Havana.
How do the Dems like it NOW!
And we have Jimmuh Carter 2 in his messianic black socialist pimp version, weaker than a wet noodle, Obama, to defend the nation?
Poofter politics ! G_d help us.
They are flexing their muscles...right past the graveyard.
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The Democrats will love it. It will be a wet dream come true for them.
Monroe Doctrine ping
They need to be put on defense, otherwise they’ll be on offense.
When the oil bubble bursts, russia is going to go through a harsh withdrawl period.
Churchill may not have understood because he did not know Russian history well. Russis has been invaded many many times and their people slaughtered and oppressed.
But about this latest chess move: Unfortunately the US is moving away from “deterrence” posture and moving into a “compellence” posture. Not a good idea and stupid too.
“These European ABMs are an adjunct to the longstanding US policy of nuclear first strike against Russia, ...” (Professor Francis Boyle, Global Research, June 2007)
This is very dangerous thinking on the part of this administration.
We should be working more cloasely with the Russians not jousting with them. I do not think many Americans take seriously the menace from the islamic world...Russians do.
I swear those Russkies would launch all their missiles at the US even if the planet was invaded by hostile aliens, what a bunch of paranoid morons.
Oh, please. If Churchill didn't know it, it must have been because this cliche and excuse for murder and mayhem had not been invented yet, Captain Obvious. And just who it was that invaded "Russis" "many many times"? Have they been invaded more more times than the Hungarians? In fact, the "Russis" and the various ethnicities on the territory of present day Russia have been the invaders themselves. How do you figure Russia has acquired such vast territory? And, by the way, Churchill and his contemporaries were better educated than any of us here graduates of 20th century American universities, you can bet on that!
good thinking
The only one picking a fight is Russia. Putin and his KGB cronies need some distractions while they steal everything not tied down in Russia. Plus, their pride is hurt by the fact that they’re a dying country demographically with a useless military. In a few more years, even their ICBM’s will be worthless against our missile defenses.
Norway is a member of NATO also — so protecting them is rational. Also, such radars will help if Iran gets ICBM’s that can reach over the pole to the US. Knowing Putin, he’ll probably sell the technology to Iran.
Russian bombers — what a joke. The local Key West Model Rocket Club could probably shoot them down. Maybe Putin could put some cavalry across from Alaska waiting for a good freeze to launch a mighty Russian attack across the Bering Strait.
Thats interesting, I didn’t know McCain said that.
Bush had Putin to the ranch on multiple occasions, near the folks home in Kennebunkport, visited Putin in Moscow on multiple occasions. The guy conducted massive intelligence gathering on the U.S. government and then began backstabbing the West as a whole. Now I am not saying Russia doesn’t feel threatened by Nato/EU expansion but the targeted killings and backstabbings began first. Consider the tens of billions forked over to the Russians in 1999 when there economy collapsed. We acted benevolent to the Russians considering there 50 years of wasting trillions of dollars of our wealth and thousands of lives. The only good thing that came out of the Cold War was Lance Armstrongs little dance on the moon. Putin is not our friend nor has been, nor will be - get over it man.
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