Posted on 09/22/2008 9:44:48 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Russia flexed its muscles in Americas backyard yesterday as it sent one of its largest warships to join military exercises in the Caribbean. The nuclear-powered flagship Peter the Great set off for Venezuela with the submarine destroyer Admiral Chabanenko and two support vessels in the first Russian naval mission in Latin America since the end of the Cold War.
Peter the Great is armed with 20 nuclear cruise missiles and is one of the world's most
formidable warships
"The St Andrew flag, the flag of the Russian Navy, is confidently returning to the world oceans, Igor Dygalo, a spokesman for the Russian Navy, said. He declined to comment on Russian newspaper reports that nuclear submarines were also part of the expedition.
The voyage to join the Venezuelan Navy for manoeuvres came only days after Russian strategic nuclear bombers made their first visit to the country. Hugo Chávez, the President, said then that the arrival of the strike force was a warning to the US. The vehemently antiAmerican Venezuelan leader is due to visit Dmitri Medvedev, the Russian President, in Moscow this week as part of a tour that includes visits to Cuba and China.
Peter the Great is armed with 20 nuclear cruise missiles and up to 500 surface-to-air missiles, making it one of the most formidable warships in the world. The Kremlin has courted Venezuela and Cuba as tensions with the West soared over the proposed US missile shield in Eastern Europe and the Russian invasion of Georgia last month. Vladimir Putin, the Prime Minister, said recently that Russia should restore its position in Cuba the nation where deployment of Soviet nuclear missiles in 1962 brought Russia and the United States to the brink of nuclear war.
Igor Sechin, the Deputy Prime
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Strategic and tactical logic would dictate: Invade Cuba NOW! ... Whaddaya think?
"The US response to this Russian moves should be to sail next to their warships and hang up signs telling the crew to "jump overboard and defect now; before its too late". Or "to defect, follow me. You can sell your ship on ebay". This will totally embarass the Russians and they will go home."
yitbos
As a student of a Catholic high school, the Sisters of Loretta taught me, I am pleased to be at an institution of higher education with such strong and celebrated Catholic and Jesuit traditions . . . You see, I got my Master's Degree at Notre Dame. (Boos.) I acquired a passion for the fighting Irish . . . and my family has been college educated and Presbyterian ever since. (Laughter and applause.) . . . I wandered into a course on international politics taught by a Czech refugee who specialized in Soviet studies, a man who had a daughter by the name of Madeleine Albright. With that one class, I was hooked. I discovered that my passion was Russia and all things Russian.
That’s very amusing, but this is serious stuff. The wolves are prowling for us.
And this is supposed to be what?
"Invade Cuba NOW!"
yitbos
yeah,their intimidation factor is nill,they are doing this stunt to build up their image with their own people and what few lunatics around the world that are on their side,,the russians are not a world power,,just bullies with atomic weapons.
It's a clown car. Relax.
What do you think is happening? Where will it stop? Russia is on the verge of occupying the Caribbean, including Cuba.
I'm saying that the situation, from a strategical and tactical point of view, calls for us to occupy Cuba and draw a line, while the Russians are still in Venezuela. Obviously, it's POLITICALLY untenable, but Putin is operating without such restraints. Where does that leave us?
Relax folks - it’s called GUnboat dipolmacy - WE do it all the time.
THe support ships are in case the “Peter the (not so) Great” needs a tow - after breaks down or catchs fire - again.
As far as the
“Peter the Great is armed with 20 nuclear cruise missiles and up to 500 surface-to-air missiles, making it one of the most formidable warships in the world”
Do the math on say, the USS Reagan.
Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.) note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy of over seven decades of Soviet rule
Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%
Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)
Religions: Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%
At the same time, and unknown to the Israelis, the Soviet Union mounted a disinformation campaign pushing Egypt to join Syria against Israel. At that time, the Soviets were providing military and economic aid to both Syria and Egypt. On May 13, 1967 a Soviet parliamentary delegation visited Cairo and informed the Egyptian leaders that Israel had concentrated eleven to thirteen brigades along the Syrian border in preparation for an assault within a few days, with the intention of overthrowing the revolutionary Syrian Government. This was a complete fabrication designed by the Soviets to destabilize the Middle East. Similar false information may have been given to Egypt by the Soviets as early as May 2.
That red star on the bow is a nice touch.
And despite all of that, here are the wiki results:
Israel:
800 killed,
2,563 wounded,
15 prisoners,
46 aircraft lost
(official casualties)
Egypt- 11,500 killed and 20,000 wounded.
Jordan- 700 killed and 2,500 wounded.
Syria- 2,500 killed and 5,000 wounded.
Iraq- 10 killed and 30 wounded
Total number- 21,000 killed, 45,000 wounded,
6,000 prisoners
over 400 aircraft destroyed
(estimates)
So what happens if the ruskies sink one of their own ships while in the area?
Will they accuse us?
It is not unthinkable ya know. They have such a history.
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