The Green Screen

Posted on Sat, Mar. 14, 2009
Report: Cuba, Venezuela could host Russian bombers
By DAVID NOWAK
A Russian Air Force chief said Saturday that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has offered an island as a temporary base for strategic Russian bombers, the Interfax news agency reported.
The chief of staff of Russia's long range aviation, Maj. Gen. Anatoly Zhikharev, also said Cuba could be used to base the aircraft, Interfax reported.

The Kremlin, however, said the situation was hypothetical.

"The military is speaking about technical possibilities, that's all," Alexei Pavlov, a Kremlin official, told The Associated Press. "If there will be a development of the situation, then we can comment," he said.

Zhikharev said Chavez had offered "a whole island with an airdrome, which we can use as a temporary base for strategic bombers," the agency reported. "If there is a corresponding political decision, then the use of the island ... by the Russian Air Force is possible."

Interfax reported he said earlier that Cuba has air bases with four or five runways long enough for the huge bombers and could be used to host the long-range planes.

Two Russian bombers landed in Venezuela last year in what experts said was the first Western Hemisphere touchdown of Russian military craft since the end of the Cold War.

Cuba has never permanently hosted Russian or Soviet strategic aircraft. But Soviet short-range bombers often made stopovers there during the Cold War.

Russia resumed long-range bomber patrols in 2007 after a 15-year hiatus.

Independent military analyst Alexander Golts said from a strategic point of view there was nothing for Russia to gain from basing long-range craft within relatively short range of U.S. shores.

"It has no military sense. The bombers don't need any base. This is just a retaliatory gesture," Golts said, saying Russia wanted to hit back after U.S. ships patrolled Black Sea waters.

Moscow and the new U.S. administration of President Barack Obama have appeared to want to mend their relations, which reached a post-Cold War low last year when Russia's invasion of U.S. ally Georgia compounded disputes on security and democracy.

U.S. plans initiated under former President George W. Bush to position defense missiles in Poland and the Czech Republic had particularly irked Russia, which has welcomed his successor's apparently more cautious approach to the divisive issue.

Venezuela and Cuba, traditionally fierce U.S. foes, have close political and energy relations with Russia.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/AP...49550.html

Ahhhh....little grasshopper, you should always look before crossing....




You should always look before writing......





You should always look before posting.....

http://www.cubagreenscreen.com/forum/sho...p?tid=3081




Don't worry.....you will catch on....


AK

(Mar 14, 2009 11:23 AM)angelking Wrote: [ -> ]Ahhhh....little grasshopper, you should always look before crossing....




You should always look before writing......





You should always look before posting.....

http://www.cubagreenscreen.com/forum/sho...p?tid=3081




Don't worry.....you will catch on....


AK

Silly you...they were posted at the same time.

Besides, it is you who has difficulties with posting in the correct forum

(Mar 14, 2009 11:26 AM)Lillian Wrote: [ -> ]Silly you...they were posted at the same time.

Besides, it is you who has difficulties with posting in the correct forum

I beat ya by two minutes.........and I posted in a Cuba forum.......you know...."all things Cuban".

Like I said.....you'll learn




AK

These types of planes have been landing in Cuba throughout the existance of the former USSR.

Russia started to land these type of aircrafts in Venezuela in 2007

The Bush Administration did not do anything else than say that they were "unhappy" about them. Now, perhaps if they had done/said something with teeth in it..we would not be contemplating the possibility of "temporary bases"

"According to Drik, the bombers are carrying dummy missiles without warheads and their primary mission was to practice patrol sorties in a tropical climate.

Russia resumed strategic bomber patrol flights over the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans last August, following an order signed by then-president Vladimir Putin. Russian bombers have since carried out more than 90 strategic patrol flights and have often been escorted by NATO planes.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in mid-August that the Bush administration was unhappy with flights by Russian strategic bombers near U.S. borders and accused Moscow of playing a "dangerous game."

Russia has repeatedly stated, though, that all strategic patrol have been performed in strict accordance with international rules on the use of airspace over neutral waters, without violating the borders of other states. "

(Mar 14, 2009 11:31 AM)Lillian Wrote: [ -> ]The Bush Administration did not do anything else than say that they were "unhappy" about them. Now, perhaps if they had done/said something with teeth in it..we would not be contemplating the possibility of "temporary bases"

Now Lillian.....if you were president what would you have done in this case?......Oh wait.......I remember, I asked you about another situation and you had no ideas about what you would do, you only have criticize what the person in the hot seat does.........LMAO...typical liberals.


AK

(Mar 14, 2009 11:30 AM)angelking Wrote: [ -> ]

(Mar 14, 2009 11:26 AM)Lillian Wrote: [ -> ]Silly you...they were posted at the same time.

Besides, it is you who has difficulties with posting in the correct forum

I beat ya by two minutes.........and I posted in a Cuba forum.......you know...."all things Cuban".

Like I said.....you'll learn




AK

Are you 16 years old? Sometimes I wonder.

This has to do more with Venezuela and the US. As I said, this is nothing new in regards to Cuba.

And this, in my opinion, stems from the fact that the Bush Administration pretty much ignored the rest of the Americas thoughout their tenure.

I see this as a result of that lack of interest..more results/effects are in the works... coming in.

(Mar 14, 2009 11:53 AM)Lillian Wrote: [ -> ]Are you 16 years old? Sometimes I wonder.

This has to do more with Venezuela and the US. As I said, this is nothing new in regards to Cuba.

And this, in my opinion, stems from the fact that the Bush Administration pretty much ignored the rest of the Americas thoughout their tenure.

I see this as a result of that lack of interest..more results/effects are in the works... coming in.

That's what I thought, no idea how you would handle it. But lets do the old standby...........blame it on Bush.

I see this as a result of ...Russia testing Obama, the missile system proposed for Poland and but not least.........Russia testing Obama.


LMAO.......

(Mar 14, 2009 02:42 PM)angelking Wrote: [ -> ]

(Mar 14, 2009 11:53 AM)Lillian Wrote: [ -> ]Are you 16 years old? Sometimes I wonder.

This has to do more with Venezuela and the US. As I said, this is nothing new in regards to Cuba.

And this, in my opinion, stems from the fact that the Bush Administration pretty much ignored the rest of the Americas thoughout their tenure.

I see this as a result of that lack of interest..more results/effects are in the works... coming in.

That's what I thought, no idea how you would handle it. But lets do the old standby...........blame it on Bush.

I see this as a result of ...Russia testing Obama, the missile system proposed for Poland and but not least.........Russia testing Obama.


LMAO.......

The point is that Russia tested Bush back in 2007-2008.. you see...fact
and the Bush Administration reacted with a limp hand...fact

It is not a blame game...but stating what happened...or rather..did not happen.

No doubt that Russia is testing Obama..how he will handle it.. we will see.

Obama will be meeting with the LA countries soon..unlike the W

Things do not happen in a vacuum