Thread: Russian military considering stationing bombers on Cuba

U.S. general warns against Russian bombers in Cuba
Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:44pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top U.S. Air Force officer warned on Tuesday that Russia would be crossing "a red line" if it were to use Cuba as a refueling base for nuclear-capable bombers.

Gen. Norton Schwartz, whose nomination to become the Air Force's top military officer is being considered by the Senate, was asked at his confirmation hearing how he would advise U.S. policymakers if Russia were to proceed with such a plan.

Russia's Izvestia newspaper this week quoted a "highly placed source" as saying Russia could land Tu-160 supersonic bombers nicknamed "White Swans" in Cuba as a response to a planned U.S. missile defense shield in Europe, which Moscow opposes.

"I certainly would offer best military advice that we should engage the Russians not to pursue that approach," Schwartz told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"And if they did, I think we should stand strong and indicate that that is something that crosses a threshold, crosses a red line for the United States of America."

Russian Defense Ministry officials have tried to pour cold water on the report, saying the newspaper story was written under a false name and quoted a source at an organization that did not exist.

The suggestion of Russian nuclear weapons in Cuba is reminiscent of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis that followed the discovery of Soviet missile bases on the Caribbean island.

The two-week crisis appeared to draw the Cold War to the verge of World War III, as President John F. Kennedy responded to the threat by authorizing a naval blockade of Cuba.

In the end, the Soviets agreed to dismantle the missile sites in exchange for a U.S. non-invasion pledge and a secret deal to remove American missiles from Turkey.

http://www.reuters.com/article/politics ... liticsNews

Europe News
Russian military "considering stationing bombers on Cuba"

Jul 21, 2008, 16:58 GMT

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.

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/ ... on_Cuba%22

Europe News

Russian bomber deployment to Cuba would cross "red line"

Jul 22, 2008, 21:06 GMT

Washington - The deployment of Russian bombers to Cuba would cross a 'red line' and the United States should urge its former Cold War foe against taking the step, a top US Air Force general said Tuesday.

'We should engage the Russians not to pursue that approach. And if they did, I think, we should stand strong and indicate that that is something that crosses a threshold, crosses a red line for the United States,' General Norton Scwhartz, nominated by Bush to become the top Air Force officer, told a Senate committee.

Russian media reported Monday the military is weighing whether to reinstate a Cold War practice of resuming bomber flights to Cuba or deploying them there in response to US plans to base missile defence in Eastern Europe.

'At the moment, there are just thoughts - but that doesn't mean there isn't something concrete behind it,' an unnamed Russian officer told Izvestiya newspaper.

The White House refused to directly comment on the report because the Russian government has not publicly stated its intentions. But spokesman Dana Perino reiterated the view that the stationing of missile defences in Poland and the Czech Republic does not threaten Russia.

The United States is working on agreements with the two countries to counter Iran's growing ballistic capability.

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/ ... ed_line%22

Russia needs bombers in Cuba due to NATO expansion - ex-commander
14:53
21/ 07/ 2008

MOSCOW, July 21 (RIA Novosti) - The possible deployment of Russian strategic bombers in Cuba may be an effective response to the placement of NATO bases near Russia's borders, a former Air Force commander said on Monday.

Russian daily Izvestia earlier on Monday cited a senior Russian military source as saying that Russian strategic bombers could be stationed again in Cuba, only 90 miles from the U.S. coast, in response to the U.S. missile shield in Europe.

"If these plans are being considered, it would be a good response to the attempts to place NATO bases near the Russian borders," Gen. of the Army Pyotr Deinekin told RIA Novosti.

"I do not see anything wrong with it because nobody listens to our objections when they place airbases and electronic monitoring and surveillance stations near our borders," the general said.

However, Deinekin said the possibility of Russian bombers being stationed in Cuba is largely hypothetical, because Russia's Tu-160 Blackjack and Tu-95MS Bear strategic bombers are both capable of reaching the U.S. coast, patrolling the area for about 1.5 hours, and returning to airbases in Russia with mid-air refueling.

Russia resumed strategic bomber patrol flights over the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans last August, following an order signed by former president Vladimir Putin. Russian bombers have since carried out over 80 strategic patrol flights and have often been escorted by NATO planes.

Deinekin suggested that Cuba could be used as a refueling stopover for Russian aircraft rather than as a permanent base, because the Russian political and military leadership would be unlikely to take such a drastic step under current global political conditions.

In October 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis brought U.S. and the U.S.S.R. to the brink of nuclear war when Soviet missiles were stationed in Cuba.

The crisis was resolved after 12 days when the Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, backed down and ordered the missiles removed.

Moscow had a military presence on Cuba for almost four decades after that, maintaining an electronic listening post at Lourdes, about 20 km (12.5 miles) from Havana, to monitor U.S. military moves and communications.

Russia was paying $200 million a year to lease the base, which it closed down in January 2002.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080721/114527149.html

Sounds just like the Old Cold War . Dubya puts Anti-Missle sites in Poland near Russia's border . Next move . Russia wants Bombers in Cuban .
Checkmate , we lose

And what was that I read this moring about Russian-Americans still feeling loyal to their home country and culture

YA. SOUNDS LIKE THE COLD WAR TO ME TOO. DUCK AND COVER.

Sounds like history is repeating itself!

Its all because of Dubyas outdated policies. The Russians would not be doing this if our government were not acting like this is 1955.