On 10 Sep, 22:27, AirRaid wrote:
Two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers land in Venezuela, nuclear battle
cruiser on way

September 10, 2008, 9:57 PM (GMT+02:00)

The Russian defense ministry said the Tu-160 nuclear-capable, multi-
mission bombers (NATO-coded Blackjack) arrived Wednesday Sept. 10 at a
Venezuelan air base to take part in joint military exercises along
with a Russian flotilla.

DEBKAfile’s military sources first disclosed on Sept. 9, that the
nuclear maritime reconnaissance/anti-submarine warfare turboprop
TU-142 (NATO coded Bear F, or Bear J), which can fly 6,500 km, i.e.
from Venezuela to the US coast, will also be based at a Venezuelan
military airfield.

Caracas announced that four Russian ships with almost 1,000 sailors
aboard would join its navy for maneuvers on November 10-14.

Like the Russian air contingent, the Russian flotilla is also bigger
and more formidable than Russian and Venezuelan spokesmen have
indicated.

According to DEBKAfile’s military sources, it consists of six to eight
vessels, led by the Kirov Class (Type 1144.2) Peter the Great nuclear-
powered heavy missile cruiser, one of the largest warships in the
world, which is designed to guard the rest of the group against
submarine and air attack.

It is armed with the Granit (NATO designated SS-N-19 Shipwreck) long
range, anti-ship missile system, consisting of 20 missiles. If the
lead missile is intercepted, one of the others moves into the lead
role.

Peter the Great is also equipped with 40 S-300F air defense missiles.

Other ships in the Russian flotilla are the Admiral Chabanenko , the
Russian navy’s most advanced guided missile anti-submarine battleship,
and the guided nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy . They are
escorted by five smaller warships and a fuel vessel.

DEBKAfile’s military experts deduce from the makeup of the Russian
group that, while it is being presented as primarily defensive, in
fact it is the core infrastructure of an important Russian air and
fleet presence for shielding a potential assault deployment in the
event of a Kremlin decision to base one in Venezuela.

http://debka.com/headline.php?hid=5570

I'd like to see the U.S. send a full sized battle group to the
region, *base 2 to 4 B-1B Lancer strategic bombers in a friendly South
American country and have a B-2 from Whiteman AFB fly over both the
base where the TU-160s are and the Russian ships.

Russians need to be kept in check without escalating things too far.
Ronald Reagan would not have tolerated this behavior from the Soviets
during the 80s, without an American response. * The people in charge
of George W. Bush need to show some balls and confront the Russians
anytime, anywhere. On land, at sea, in the air.

Huh? They are flying in international airspace and operating in
international waters. It isn't illegal. The Soviets used to deploy and
operate out of Cuba in the 70s and 80s. Where was the U.S. response to
that?

It is no different to the U.S. deploying heavy strategic bombers to
Europe. Only a few weeks ago there was routine B-2 and B-52
deployments to the UK.

TJ