Russia begins to flex its muscles!
ENGELS AIR BASE, Russia - The Russian long-range bombers that have resumed missions into the Western Hemisphere nearly 20 years after the end of the Cold War are delivering a clear message: Russia wants to be seen as a global superpower once again.
Foreign reporters were afforded a rare look at the Engels base on the windswept shores of the Volga River in early August. They were able to speak to the pilots, who described a friendly rapport with the NATO aircraft that are scrambled to escort them when they skirt foreign shores.
The renewal of the long-range bomber flights in August 2007 has escalated tensions between the West and a Russia eager to reassert itself globally. This was highlighted by the arrival of two of Russia's top-of-the-line bombers in Venezuela on Wednesday, the first flights to come so close to American shores.
They landed there ahead of joint war games scheduled for November. Russia has said it will send a naval squadron and long-range patrol planes for the exercises, which appear to be a response to the relaunch of the US Fourth Fleet in the Caribbean. The fleet had been dissolved after World War II.
The Venezuela landing was the first in the Western Hemisphere by Russian military aircraft since the Cold War ended, and gave the West a close-up look at the world's largest supersonic bomber, known here as the White Swan.
When the reporters visited Engels, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Khaberov had just landed his White Swan after a 12-hour sortie over the North Atlantic, and was exhilarated to be back on patrol.
"The feeling when the order came in was unbelievable," he said, shouting over the plane's engine noise. "This place has more energy now. Before, there was a stagnation about the base."
Fresh-faced, immaculately uniformed with not a blond hair out of place, Khaberov looked the model pilot, showing no sign of fatigue after his long flight.
Lieutenant Colonel Gennady Stekachyov was similarly energized. "Pilots are made to fly. When someone needs you, it elevates you. People are configured that way. When no one needs you, all you want to do is sleep," said Stekachyov, who flies an older bomber known as the Bear.
The base is home to both of Russia's strategic bombers: the Tu-95, the Soviet answer to the American B-52 and known universally as the Bear; and the modern Tu-160, the White Swan, with its Concorde-style pointed nose, called the Blackjack in the West. Both bombers have conducted patrols over the Atlantic and Arctic.
"Of course, everyone was happy when the missions restarted. But the only real changes around here are that a few more flights are now planned," said Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Dyagov, a military spokesman.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
I can see this post have a lot of guys who knows what are you talking about and I really like it, but you forget about the trades that US and Russia make with the other nations, US will not sell any ammo or spare parts to Venezuela anymore as they consider Chavez a treat but instead Russia will welcome all Venezuelan material request for Planes, Boats, Missiles, Ammo, etc etc.
Not only with Venezuela, Everytime that US named a country as unfriendly someone else is providing the guns and guess who is??? Must of the guns comes from US-Israel and Russia. China, and North Korea still in the business but not as much as this two big boys. This will look like the movie Bay of Pigs If you guys remember was one long week for the US Goverment and the Russians. as MD called the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Looks what Cuba receive after their young days of Castro... Poverty for more than 30 years...
The Venezuelan Sensation!!!
All the "reasons" you gave, PM, obviously weren't enough to convince the German Parliament.
It would be far more interesting, brit, to see if another "Cuban Missile Crisis" could be solved again this time without the total destruction of this planet. There are just no more Kennedy and Khrushchev.
Yes, brit, that could be a dangerous situation, because the US still reserve the right to interfere in Latin America whenever they see their interests threatened. (It was somebody's doctrine and Guantanamo is one of these "interventions" of the US in Latin America.)
Someone needs to check US in its quest, as mentioned above by MD, it is does not always mean by occupying land but it is to occupy the mind and souls..
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HE WHO DARES WINS
My own personal opinion is that it was to do with oil and also to have a greater say in Middle Eastern politics.
Anyway, going back to the thread.. Russia is trying to make "inroads" into latin / soutern America.. This is a dangerous step, especially if McCain get s elected and the neocons continue to influence foreign policy..
Instead they found the black gold..
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HE WHO DARES WINS
I can't think of any reason why the US invaded Iraq, brit, to be honest.
Brit, China has ever since had a politics of isolation. They were convinced that they could make it with what they had inside their borders. They weren't even interested in trade relations with the British (The British forced them onto China, as you know). Now the development of Western technology requires some "Western" energy resources, but I think China will not invade Nigeria for oil. In that sense they are not a global superpower. Their interests in my view are still more domestic.
I hope you are not suggesting that teh Iraq escapade is over oil.:)
Don't want to get into that discussion do we/
Yeah, and Alexander the Great, and the Romans, and the Phoenicians, and the Muslims, and the Aryans who invaded India, and the Bantu who migrated all over Africa, and, and, and. And what were they all looking for? Resources. The Americans tend to hide their hunt for resources with "Implementing" their ideological system (Win the hearts and minds). Sounds better than "we want to exploit your energy resources", or "we need you for strategic reasons".
You have a point there. In the old days empires ruled their territories, now they are using "proxy" governments..
Does that mean that China cannot be regarded as a SuperPower now..
Now we have Russia and the USA
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HE WHO DARES WINS
"Empires" tried to control the resources of other countries. Isn't that what the USA is doing nowadays?
I agree with UKEng, Superpower is just another name for the same evil.
yes right...only the change in name...
it is that we now call it superpowers
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HE WHO DARES WINS
One can hope, but it will never happen again..The days of the "Empires" are long gone..
yes regardless who will be the superpowers in future but sure, presence of more than one powers will balance the world, then there will chance to have some checks on these... not like right now..
You're right. The last ten or so year have seen America lose its way, because there was no-one there to "oppose" it.
I believe the old days of the "military" super power have gone. However, Russia has an imperialist heritage and may want to exert its influence again..
"war will be over water resources, probably in Asia", and the Middle East and Africa!
You are right, but they are using differing approached. Russia and USA still use "force" , whether economic or military, whereas China is quietly using subtler methods.
I agree with you about water. Many have theorized that the next major war will be over water resources, probably in Asia.
brit expat, different culture , so it has to be differey hegemony i guess,they are different culture but at the end of the day they are looking to secure ressources, as conficious or not, they need oil,weat etc... the weight of china is already here to see in africa , south america.
the next wars will be ressources orientated and not anymore political i guess, even in the middle east i would be surprised to see a war for water in my life time !
Don't wait for the last judgment it takes place every day.
"Albert Camus "
You may be right..I personally think that in the long run, there will be four super powers.. USA, Russia, China and India. However, they will have influences in different spheres. China is beginning to arm its armed forces, but I don't believe that it has the same Hegoministic traits as Russia or USA.
xray, if you want a bi polar world, you nearly have it with the rise of china !
i believe russia will never get back to its pre soviet rank, its china and usa now and for a long time to come
Don't wait for the last judgment it takes place every day.
"Albert Camus "
a two polar world will be much safer than toady... so Russia wants to get back its supermacy, i will take it as a good sign...
Russia superpower ?????
the economic level of russia is the same than mexico with the demographic level of pakistan, and they are the only country with a decreasing rate of birth, at this rate in 50 years they will speak chinese
Don't wait for the last judgment it takes place every day.
"Albert Camus "
Its all about to change I think.
I think Chavez is perhaps getting too carried away and may dig a hole for himself , if he's not careful.
The Russians will try to get a foothold in Latin / Soth America. However, as we've seen in the past, allegiances change very quickly in that part of the world..
They have planned to do some military exercises around the Caribbean sea with the Venezuelan army. (Marine) but also we know that this is another chapter of Chavez trying to get the attention of the public.
The Venezuelan Sensation!!!