Moscow - Russian military experts are recommending
reactivating a radar facility on Cuba in response to US plans for a
missile defence shield based in the Czech Republic and Poland, it was
reported in Moscow Wednesday.
Alexander Pikayev of the Institute for World Economic Sciences was
quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency as saying a facility closed
down in 2001 in Lourdes, Cuba, could be put back into service.
The reported proposal follows a warning Tuesday by a top US Air
Force general that the deployment of Russian bombers to Cuba would
cross a 'red line' and the United States should urge its former Cold
War foe against taking the step.
Russian media had earlier reported the military was also weighing
whether to reinstate a Cold War practice of resuming bomber flights
to Cuba or deploying them there.
'We should engage the Russians not to pursue that approach. And if
they did, I think, we should stand strong and indicate that that is
something that crosses a threshold, crosses a red line for the United
States,' General Norton Scwhartz, nominated by Bush to become the top
Air Force officer, told a Senate committee.
'At the moment, there are just thoughts - but that doesn't mean
there isn't something concrete behind it,' an unnamed Russian officer
had told Izvestiya newspaper at the beginning of the week.
The White House refused to directly comment on the report because
the Russian government has not publicly stated its intentions. But
spokesman Dana Perino reiterated the view that the stationing of
missile defences in Poland and the Czech Republic does not threaten
Russia.
The United States is working on agreements with the two countries
to counter Iran's growing ballistic capability.
CarlosJul 23rd, 2008 - 15:06:20
The story doesn't make sense because that base was converted into a university (UCI) of 10,000 students 5 years ago. There's no radar facility left to restart, not to mention the fact that in the age of satellites a radar facility in Cuba isn't going to help the Russians much.
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