Castro Won’t Deny Russia Is Sending Nuclear Bombers In Retaliation For Missile Shield
Okay, so now we’re leaving the 70’s and going back to the 60’s? Wake me up when I get to watch some slaughter in the Roman Colosseum.
HAVANA - Ailing Fidel Castro said Wednesday that Cuba’s president was right to adopt a “dignified silence” over a Moscow newspaper report that Russia may station nuclear bombers on the island, and said Cuba doesn’t owe any explanation to Washington about the story.
In a brief, cryptic essay posted on a government Web site Wednesday night, the 81-year-old former president neither confirmed nor denied the Monday report in Izvestia newspaper.
Moscow is angry about U.S. plans for missile-defense sites in eastern Europe and Izvestia cited a “highly placed” military aviation source as saying, “While they are deploying the anti-missile systems in Poland and the Czech Republic, our long-range strategic aircraft already will be landing in Cuba.” Izvestia said this apparently refers to long-range nuclear-capable bombers.
Izvestia points out that there would have to be a political decision on landing bombers in Cuba, and quoted the unnamed source as saying there have been such discussions.
While Fidel Castro said the president, his brother Raul Castro, was wise not to respond to the newspaper report, he did not make clear why he was commenting.
Fidel Castro also said Cuba is not obligated to offer the United States an explanation about the newspaper report, “nor ask for excuses or forgiveness.”
Despite Cuba’s one-time alliance with the former Soviet Union, it seems unlikely that Raul Castro would allow Russian bombers on the island and risk the ire of the U.S. government.
Raul Castro has been president only since February, securing a seamless transition from his brother, who ruled for nearly a half-century. He has repeatedly said he is willing to discuss the two countries’ differences in talks held on equal terms with America’s next president.
Soviet nuclear missiles stationed in Cuba during the height of the Cold War pushed the world to the brink of nuclear conflict on Oct. 22, 1962, after President John F. Kennedy announced their presence to the world. After a tense week of diplomacy, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev removed them.
(AP)
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I love how they keep saying, “a tense week of diplomacy” … in reality, Cuba was six minutes away from evaporation if the planes from the USS Enterprise was given the green light.
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:49 pmWillie Nelson is Fidel!? Fuckin a
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:49 pmWhen the Russians work up the balls and the logistical capability to ferry a Tu-95 to Cuba, that in and of itself would be a belligerent move. The only way to get to Cuba (or Venezuela) from Russia is parallel with the US Eastern Seaboard. They used to do it a lot. But not anymore. It would light up every AFB and Carrier off the Atlantic coast.
If the Russkies did decide to suddenly restart those flights, it would be a red line straddle - a big deal. They won’t do it prior to the election. It would strengthen McCain - the guy they DON’T want as POTUS. If Obama is elected, they’ll do it as soon as they can.
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:52 pmWhy is fidel still breathing? I mean fuck, why the hell have we not wacked him? Freaking LBJ couldn’t cause fidel got him the presidency, and carter wore panties. It was up to Nixon, until he got distracted.
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:07 pmIf Russia tried this shit with either Bush or McCain on watch it would be a giant mistake. conventionally the US is not afraid of Russia because we have seen them get their asses kicked before. Im sure they wouldnt be dumb enough to use nukes against us because of mutual annihilation. but we now have a missile shield (thanks President Reagan) so its not even mutual anymore.
July 23rd, 2008 at 8:19 pmAnd Steve,
great question. somewhere along the line we seemed to have just lost focus on this guy. at our own peril it seems, this guy has motivated Hugo Chavez and now this stuff with Russia. not to mention all the things in the past. him and his brother both need taken down
July 23rd, 2008 at 8:21 pm“We were sleeping under the fucking planes on the tarmac in our gear … We were going … We should have gone.” - Jack Parker 82AB (Maggie’s Uncle), remembering the Cuban Missile Crisis.
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:24 pmOh good, an opportunity to field test the F-35 and F22. What have the rooskies made lately? Oh right, planes two generations of tech behind.
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:38 pmThose bombers wouldn’t get a mile off the runway before they
July 24th, 2008 at 12:26 amwould be taken down. They belong to the last century.
OK, they may have some electronic counter-measures to confuse
missiles, but as far as I know no one has figured out how to
make a high energy laser beam bend away.
http://www.spacewar.com/Ray_Guns.html
is pretty decent for just keeping up to date with that kind of stuff.
And that’s not even taking Raptors and such into account.
What it is is an excellent reason to take over Cuba.
Is that a self portrait on the wall behind the pig who bays?
July 24th, 2008 at 7:43 amOne of my uncles was in a missile silo during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After it was over, his unit was polled. They all wanted to launch.
The reason for this was because our missiles could be fired immediately, while the Soviets had to be fueled with corrosive liquids before hand, which would eat through the tanks if they weren’t launched quickly. We could’ve caught them on the ground, and our air defenses could handle their bombers. We might have lost a few cities, but they would’ve lost their entire country.
And the Soviets knew this, which is why they backed down. Hell, the only reason they pushed us was because JFK made a horrible impression on Khrushchev in Vienna, doing exactly what Obama says he’ll do with Ahmadickwad. But somehow, I don’t think Obama would cowboy up later like JFK did.
You’d get, “This is not the President of Iran that I knew,” as a mushroom cloud rises over Tel Aviv.
July 24th, 2008 at 10:57 am“Is that a self portrait on the wall behind the pig who bays?”
That is Simon Bolivar. The supposed patrone of Fidel and Hugo. Bolivar’s inspiration was the American Revolution and not Communism however.
July 24th, 2008 at 11:28 amSully,
July 24th, 2008 at 2:54 pmSo it’s more like a distorted projection.
Thanks