Article

2004-12-03 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Russia may launch bombing campaign against terrorists outside its borders

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Posted by Dan Darling 2004-12-03 12:53:00 PM|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Article: Russia may use its strategic bombers to unleash preventive strikes against terrorists outside its borders, the commander of Russiaâs air force said Friday.

Let me guess - a lot of these strikes are going to be in the former Soviet republics.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2004-12-03 2:21:02 PM|| [http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2004-12-03 2:21:02 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 too bad he doesn't mean Iran.

Posted by 2b 2004-12-03 2:25:36 PM|| 2004-12-03 2:25:36 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 I wouldn't assume he doesn't mean Iran.

Posted by phil_b 2004-12-03 3:23:10 PM|| 2004-12-03 3:23:10 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 Hot dawg! Go for it!
Send Tupolevs' finest!
Send in the Bears!

Or prehaps we get a peek at the BackFire in action?

Posted by Shipman 2004-12-03 3:26:04 PM|| 2004-12-03 3:26:04 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 It'll be interesting to see what % of planes that take off actually manage to carry out their mission without mechanical failure or other mishaps. I wonder if worries over this is why we haven't seen them do this before. These planes are part of their strategic deterrant, and if people see them crapping out, they aren't very scary anymore.

Posted by Laurence of the Rats 2004-12-03 3:38:41 PM|| [http://www.punictreachery.com/] 2004-12-03 3:38:41 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Of course, Putin's definition of a terrorist could be pesky demonstrators thwarting his dreams of Greater Russia in downtown Kiev....

Posted by Dreadnought 2004-12-03 3:53:03 PM|| 2004-12-03 3:53:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 This is nothing but bluster. Russia (Putin) has yet to respond to Beslan, and won't. The vuanted Russian Bear is a f**king pansy. The Bear will stab you in the back (Iran/Iraq), but hasn't the manhood to take on a problem straight forward and head long.

Posted by Mark Z. 2004-12-03 4:07:41 PM|| 2004-12-03 4:07:41 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Is it manhood, Mark Z., or unfed soldiers with nonworking equipment?

Posted by trailing wife 2004-12-03 4:56:51 PM|| 2004-12-03 4:56:51 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 There's also a rather serious public health issue in Russia - only 11% of conscripts are deemed fit enough for military service.

Posted by Elmoting Granter5118 2004-12-03 5:25:32 PM|| 2004-12-03 5:25:32 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 Mark Z. has it right. Nothing of any consequence has been done since Beslan. When you pull off a raid or attack, you don't put an ad out about it, you just plan it meticulously, rehearse it, and then you do it. Pooty poot has been consolidating his power to make Russia look more like the old USSR, but he has not been taking care of the real business. He had lots of support after Beslan, but he blew it by inaction and lack of decisiveness.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2004-12-03 5:26:11 PM|| 2004-12-03 5:26:11 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 Putin's Russia is a failing state with vague, incoherent superpower ambitions. Like an often- drunk Gerry Cooney way past his prime, they need to be handled very carefully: ignored frequently, flattered often, handled roughly when he gets his blood up.

Posted by lex 2004-12-03 5:33:09 PM|| 2004-12-03 5:33:09 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Putin has a nice "wag the dog" scenario in waiting whenever he deems it necessary to exploit it. Post-Beslan he'll be lionized at home for any action he deems to be directed against terrorists and internationally he's already been immunized from the worst criticisms by the US example in Afghanistan. He's just waiting for the right moment to maximize his personal political gain.

Posted by AzCat 2004-12-03 5:38:45 PM|| 2004-12-03 5:38:45 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 Russia - a riddle, inside a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, or words to that effect.

Posted by Liberalhawk 2004-12-03 5:42:11 PM|| 2004-12-03 5:42:11 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 There's also a rather serious public health issue in Russia - only 11% of conscripts are deemed fit enough for military service.

Almost every man I saw over there was in top condition. The only men I saw who weren't physically fit were either
1) drunk
2) drug addicts
3) disabled in some way.

What else could the 11% mean?

Posted by Jules 187 2004-12-03 5:46:10 PM|| 2004-12-03 5:46:10 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 Before launching bombing campaigns outside it's borders will Russia first get permission from the UNSC? YEAH, right.

Posted by GK 2004-12-03 5:56:26 PM|| 2004-12-03 5:56:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#16 a riddle, inside a mystery, wrapped in an enigma,

Ooo, lemme finish:

a riddle, inside a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, wrapped in a soft flour tortilla with cheese and sour cream...

Posted by badanov 2004-12-03 6:55:03 PM|| [http://www.rkka.org/title-boris.gif] 2004-12-03 6:55:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#17 A SPAM burrito?

My guess the Panski Gorge which certain people refuse to deal with in a meaningful way.

Posted by Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-12-03 7:30:23 PM|| [http://www.slhess.com] 2004-12-03 7:30:23 PM|| Front Page Top

#18 Well given the swell levels of readiness and general high quality maintenance the Russky strategic bomber group has received, I would say that for a while at least, the folks living just off the end of the runway are in more danger than the turban heads in Iran, Syria and Saudia Arabia.

Speaking of Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia, isn't that who Vlad ole buddy pal of George W is talking about? Maybe France? Nope, obviously one of the Middle Eastern Big Three.

I think if they can get all of the deferred maintenance done on thier Bisons, Backfires and MIG's, the mullahs would be wise to write their wills, the Russians can be pretty heavy handed when riled. Just ask Berlin.

I think we should secretly give Russia some target lists and some spare parts.

Posted by SOG475 2004-12-03 7:40:21 PM|| 2004-12-03 7:40:21 PM|| Front Page Top

#19 There is nothing ailing the Russian draftee pool that a doctor's bribe can't find. As a general rule, the kids don't have nearly the muscle mass of American 18 year olds and you rarely see fat 18 yr old boys.

If Putin attacks anywhere, I expect Georgia. He's trying to put together as much of the old Soviet Union as possible and an attack of Georgia will put the fright into the other former republics.

Posted by ed 2004-12-03 9:25:13 PM|| 2004-12-03 9:25:13 PM|| Front Page Top

#20 an attack of Georgia will put the fright into the other former republics.

Sorta depends on how the Georgia attack turns out. Most of the Soviet/Russian military triumphs since 1945 consist of tanks facing down civilians successfully. If they run into armed resistance in Georgia, it could prove embarrassing. In that case, he could be looking like just another third world thug. After all, they use Russian weapons.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2004-12-03 9:53:17 PM|| 2004-12-03 9:53:17 PM|| Front Page Top

#21 Forget it. Russia's military is a complete disaster: drunk, disorganized, demoralized, throughly corrupt, in a word, incompetent. They can't even put down a third-rate insurrection within their own borders.

Mark my words: Russia is a failed state. Pakistan North. They need urgent attention and a very tight embrace of the hug-your-enemies-closer variety. Not so different from what we apply to Musharraf. Ukraine and Georgia are not the endgame here; Iran is. Wean them off the Iranian tit-- bribe their nuclear industry, pay whatever it takes, but get Russia out of the nuclear business. A failing state with unguarded nukes and mafia-ridden security services is a catastrophe in the making.

Posted by lex 2004-12-03 11:02:35 PM|| 2004-12-03 11:02:35 PM|| Front Page Top

01:43 mojo
01:43 mojo
01:42 mojo
01:42 mojo
00:06 Sobiesky
00:01 mojo
23:56 Alaska Paul
23:45 Alaska Paul
23:42 Mike Kozlowski
23:35 Fred
23:29 Zenster
23:27 Zhang Fei
23:24 Zhang Fei
23:21 Sock Puppet of Doom
23:19 Matt
23:14 Robin Burk
23:13 Mark Espinola
23:11 Capt America
23:10 lex
23:06 Robin Burk
23:02 lex
22:47 mojo
22:41 JP
22:38 Zenster