US general warns Russia on nuclear bombers in Cuba

[jd in .hu]

US general warns Russia on nuclear bombers in Cuba

23 July 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g06R9TaaWdS1HHzHe1Jg53mfnpwg

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Russia would cross "a red line for the United
States of America" if it were to base nuclear capable bombers in Cuba,
a top US air force officer warned on Tuesday.
"If they did I think we should stand strong and indicate that is
something that crosses a threshold, crosses a red line for the United
States of America," said General Norton Schwartz, nominated to be the
air force's chief of staff.

He was referring to a report in the newspaper Izvestia that said the
Russian military is thinking of flying long-range bombers to Cuba on a
regular basis in response to US plans to install missile defenses in
eastern Europe.

Izvestia cited an unnamed senior Russian air force official as saying
such flights were under discussion. But it was unclear whether they
would involve permanent basing of nuclear bombers in Cuba, or just use
of the island as a refueling stop.

In his confirmation hearing to become the air force's chief of staff,
Schwartz was asked what he would recommend if Russia were to base
nuclear capable bombers in Cuba.

"I would certainly offer the best military advice that we engage the
Russians not to pursue that approach," he said, adding that Russia
would cross a "red line" if it did.

A White House spokeswoman declined to comment on the Izvestia report
because there had been no "official response from the Russian
government."

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman responded to the report by saying,
"That scenario is hypothetical and speculative at this point."

Conducting long-range bomber patrols to Cuba would signal a
reawakening of military cooperation by former Cold War allies Moscow
and Havana, and resurrects issues that first arose with the 1962 Cuban
missile crisis.

The crisis, which brought Washington and Moscow to the brink of
nuclear war, ended with an understanding that Moscow would remove its
intermediate range missiles from Cuba and not introduce strategic
systems in the island.

The Soviets tested the understanding in 1970 when the Soviets moved to
establish a base for nuclear submarines in Cienfuegos, Cuba.

Moscow backed away from that plan, but began occasional flights by
Tu-95 Bear reconnaissance aircraft from Murmansk to Cuba.

The United States never challenged the Bear flights because the
aircraft were not bombers, according to histories of the period.

Another mini crisis erupted in 1979 with the discovery of two MiG-23
fighter squadrons in Cuba. Then president Jimmy Carter decided not to
press the issue after concluding that the fighter-bombers were not
configured to carry nuclear weapons.
Over the past year, Russia has revived long-range strategic bomber
patrols in the Pacific and north Atlantic.

The Russian moves come amid rising tensions over the US missile
defense plans, and warnings by Moscow that it will be forced to
counter them militarily.
Until now, US officials have shrugged off the stepped up Russian
military activity, while insisting that a radar in the Czech Republic
and 10 missile interceptors it plans to install in Poland pose no
threat to Russia.

White House press secretary Dana Perino recalled assurances US
President George W. Bush offered Russian President Dmitry Medvedev two
weeks ago at a G8 summit.

"The president repeated that our missile defense system should not be
seen as a threat to Russia, we want to actually work with the Russians
to design a system that Russia, and Europe and the United States could
work on together as equal partners and we'll continue to do that," she
said.
"We seek strategic cooperation with the Russians. We want to work with
them on preventing missiles from rogue nations like Iran from
threatening our friends and allies," said Perino.
But Medvedev has warned that the missile defense project worsens
regional security and will force Moscow to consider counter-measures.