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.
Is Cuba our front yard, or our sovereign neighbor?
Kruschev found JFK wanting.
Putin appears to perceive Obama wanting as well.
Cuban Missle Crisis Redux?
Putin appears to perceive Obama wanting as well.
Nail on head.
This empty suit Marxist is going to get a lot of people killed, if he wins
Every tin hat dictator will want to take a shot at us to see what the Obama messiah is made of.
Exactamungo!!
Quickly.
Someone needs to ask Obambi what he thinks of this.
This will not happen while Bush is POTUS, Putin isn't an idiot.
Your template of thinking is all wrong, with Obama as CIC there is no direct and hostile language employed, only appeasement and capitulation
Obama is setting himself up for some very serious problems being the anti war CIC.
Just how many potshots do the wanna be dictators of the world have to take at America before Obama throws his netroots base under the bus?
My guess is the bodies will be piled high and deep before that happens
Ask yourself how we would view a Russian implemented anti missile defense sight on our Canadian border, over the Mexican border or in Cuba.
Our sights in eastern Europe render the Russian nukes worthless, and make it more vulnerable to a first strike.
I can see Russia’s point. And then there’s the issue of the substitution of some of the defensive weapons with offensive ones.
I think Russia has a valid reason to be nervous.
I also realize with Iran getting the nuke, these defensive missiles are going to be needed.
The point is, stop Iran dead in it’s tracks and back off a little on the Russian border plan. This may be a bargaining chip. Who knows.
Cheers!
Exactly. Also, if the Russian’s were such buds with us then completely withdraw support for Iranian plutonium production and we withdraw the missle shield. Why the hell are we still buying Russian intelligence? Our government ever hear of a double agent? Geez.
Liberals and communists have a constant love fest, no doubt.
Paranoia is in the genes.
“The Russians have always been paranoid and think we are meddling in their sphere of influence. I just do not see why we must continually stir the hornet’s nest unless we have a good reason, and this one seems shaky at best”
True about Russian being paranoid. Stirring up hornets nest? We gave Russia a lot of trust but komrad Putin decided he still loves the KGB and targeted killings along with jailing dissadents. Putin is shrewd but he is no Kasparov. He is what he always was.
These sights with other sights make a considerable impact. This is a wide ranging plan that will eventually included these sights, space based systems, aircraft, and defensive sights on our soil.
To the original point, I don’t think we would like it either.
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