Still working on an Russia is sending a navy squadron into the US"s backyard pool.
The nuclear Kirov class cruiser "Peter the Great" with associated escort vessels.
They will conduct naval exercises with Venezuela.
Kirov class cruiser Pyotr Velikiy
Partly in response to the USS Mount Whitney's little visit to the Black Sea, and partly in response to the re-activation of the Fourth Fleet with some amphibious assault ships, and, I infer, maybe the aircraft carrier USS George Bush attached to it.
I suspect a not very subtle message is being sent.
I infer recent admin official trips to EurAsia did not go over so well.
Especially if the Russians actually send a Bear squadron into South America - this makes sense of previous reports that Russia was considering refueling bases in Cuba for its recon and bombers.
This is a pacific fleet squadron, wonder if they will transit the Panama canal or take the northwest passage and come down the US atlantic coast.
The latter would be very, very interesting and would make a somewhat bigger point.
Maybe they will also stop by Cuba, could use some assistance there I suspect in the coming weeks.
h/t kos
Politics
Comments
Worse yet, many people in many countries will welcome the Russians as the world's new heroes, standing up against America the Bully.
Bush started it. He also started the militarization of space.
Posted by: CRM-114 | September 8, 2008 1:02 PM
Palin will never forgive Bush if he starts Armageddon instead of waiting for her to.
Besides, everyone knows that Ronald Reagan make the Russian threat disappear so the whole thing is probably a hallucination.
Posted by: Rob Jase | September 8, 2008 1:25 PM
Pissin' contest time!
Posted by: Willy | September 8, 2008 1:41 PM
Putin is the arch capitalist oligarch while bush just collectivised the mortgage industry. Teh irony - it hurts!
Posted by: eddie | September 8, 2008 3:35 PM
"Worse yet, many people in many countries will welcome the Russians as the world's new heroes, standing up against America the Bully."
This has already happened...but not necessarily as the Russians being the world's new 'heroes', but as a necessary check against unchecked american foreign policy. Not necessarily a bad thing per se. Read foreign paper editorials.
Nice observation eddie!
Posted by: changcho | September 8, 2008 3:57 PM
CRM-114 - For once, there is a problem which the Shrub did not start.
The militarization of space goes back a long ways, but the major impetus came from the Reagan maladministration.
Posted by: Pierce R. Butler | September 8, 2008 4:02 PM
Kirov's are very 'nice' ships - about as close to a modern battleship as you are likely to find. Be great if it stopped in NYC.
@eddie, I keep my irony meter firmly in the off position nowadays.
Posted by: NoAstronomer | September 8, 2008 4:22 PM
I don't see what y'all are fussin' about. The US and Russia together have only 9600 deliverable nuclear weapons.
Posted by: llewelly | September 15, 2008 2:08 AM