Russia may answer Western pressure with bases in Cuba – analyst

RIA Novosti
Monday, August 4, 2008

MOSCOW, August 4 (RIA Novosti) – Russia may resume a military presence in Cuba in response to growing military-political pressure from the West, a Russian political analyst said on Monday.

Moscow has strongly opposed the possible deployment by the U.S. of 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and an accompanying tracking radar in the Czech Republic as a threat to its national security. Washington says the defenses are needed to deter a possible strike from Iran, or other “rogue” states.

Moscow has also expressed concern over NATO’s expansion to Russia’s borders and pledged to take “appropriate measures.”

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“It is not a secret that the West is creating a ‘buffer zone’ around Russia, involving in the process countries in central Europe, the Caucasus, the Baltic states and Ukraine,” said Leonid Ivashov, the former head of the Russian Defense Ministry’s department for international cooperation, and currently president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems.

“In response, we may expand our military presence abroad, including in Cuba,” Ivashov said, commenting on the recent visit of Russian Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin to Cuba on July 30-31.

He said during the visit Patrushev had most likely discussed the possibility of a renewed Russian military presence in Cuba with the Cuban defense and interior ministers.

“Cuba has convenient harbors which may host Russian reconnaissance and combat ships, and a network of forward landing airfields. With the Cuban leadership’s consent and our own political will we may also consider resuming the work of an electronic listening post in Lourdes,” the general said.

However, a high-ranking Cuban diplomat said on Saturday that the Cuban leadership had no intention of resuming military cooperation with Russia, especially after the surprise closure of the Lourde’s listening post.

The electronic monitoring and surveillance facility near Havana at Torrens, also known as the Lourdes facility, the largest Russian SIGINT site abroad, was shut down in October 2001 by then- president Vladimir Putin.

“We were not even notified about the decision [by the Russian leadership],” the diplomat said.

The Lourdes facility reportedly covered a 28 square-mile area, with 1,000-1,500 Russian engineers, technicians, and military personnel working at the base.

The complex was capable of monitoring a wide array of commercial and government communications throughout the southeastern United States, and between the United States and Europe.

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7 Responses to “Russia may answer Western pressure with bases in Cuba – analyst”

1. Alan Says:
   August 4th, 2008 at 1:04 pm

   I actually finished a very intresting read, it is a book called “The Road To Terror – Stalin and the Self-Destruction of the Bolsheviks, 1932-1939″ by J.Arch Getty and Oleg V. Naumov it is full of secretly now declassified documents surounding the parties involved at the time and the tyranny that ruled over the country, along with Stalin’s address’s and secret letters to his fellow leaders and party members. You will also draw comparisons with the the way Bush runs America with respect to the media, the elite, huge transnational corporations that also played a role in the functioning of the country and the split between the upper class and working class we now see today. It is almost a reminder or a vision for America and the future.

2. Elizabeth Says:
   August 5th, 2008 at 4:27 am

   It would appear that the last two, if not three, Presidents of the USA have had one thing on their collectively small minds.
   To humiliate and isolate Russia, steal the Caspian energy and destroy the Russian ally, Serbia – a christian sacrifice to the Wahhabis of Saudi Oil?.
   Well the birds are really coming home to roost.
   Forget the Caspian. The USA has been well and truly checkmated. Kosovo is not a done deal. Only 43 American poodles have recognised it and most of the world realizes that it is nothing but a US backed criminal jihadist state – running the drugs from Afghanistan to the west, not least for elements of the CIA, amongst much else.
   As for humiliating Russia, dream on. Russia is the future and, unlike the Soviet era, now has much of the planet’s support including, I would imagine, easily the majority in the so-called free world.
   America is seen as a terror state – the largest sponsor of terror the world has ever seen.
   Russia is growing in influence and wealth. The USA is broke, increasingly powerless and despised. Even now the ‘rats’ are starting to abandon its ’sinking’ ship.
   The Americans should do one thing to restore their good name and credibility. Hold to account the butchers and liars of both the Clinton administration and the Bush administration and hang the lot.
   If there is a new ‘cold’ war it will be the fault of the Americans and if there is a new ‘cold war’, this time, it is the Americans who will lose and lose big!
   Good people in America, and I know there are many millions – clean out that nest of vipers and rattle snakes.

3. rw3 Says:
   August 5th, 2008 at 6:46 am

   So on top of everything else were starting a new “Missle crisis” by reinserting missles and air defenses in the same regions that Khruschev negotiated away in ‘62. This is just trying to restart an old fight by creating a pretext for what, I don’t know. Our elected leaders are bent on creating our own destruction.

4. Mark Says:
   August 5th, 2008 at 3:30 pm

   Now that Astronauts Ed Mitchell and Gordon Cooper have confirmed that UFO’s are real, and also that the military has been covering it all up. Last week senior Nasa official, Clark McClelland, opened up a brand new can of beans!

   McClelland revealed on his website that he saw an 8 to 9 ft tall alien on his monitor that was in the shuttle cargo bay communicating to two astronauts. McClelland also said a UFO was locked in orbit with the shuttle while this event was taking place.

   This information confirms the astounding revelations of prophet Linda Newkirk regarding the extraordinary events of Revelation 12 that she has been going through, that are now about to come to a close.

   You can find the links at;

   http://www.hismailroom.com

5. Thomas Jefferson Says:
   August 5th, 2008 at 5:28 pm

   Mark, in addition to being an absolute moron, you also want to screw up the astronauts disclosure by mixing it with the pathetic(not prophetic) rantings of a lunatic(Linda Newkirk).
   What I really want to know is, how did you get your arms loose from those wrap around sleeves and do they allow all the “patients” internet access at the asylum?

6. j Says:
   August 5th, 2008 at 6:04 pm

   This article is simply not true. It’s pure propoganda and it’s easy to pick apart. Anyone who knows anything about polilics and the way politicians work cn figure this out.

   Let’s see, today is Wednesday August 6. On Monday August 4, a ‘former’ head of Russia’s defense ministry says that Russia may expand their military presense in Cuba The saturday before(August 2?) the UNOFFICIAL announcment, an UNNAMED “high-ranking” Cuban official goes on record as saying that Cuba has no intention of resuming military cooperation.

   So this reporter was able to get a representative of the Cuban government to make such a statement on such important geopolitical matters before some unofficial statement from Russia? Please, give me a break.

   Alex, I respect your websites but please stop insulting the intelligence of those of us who follow you. Don’t push the propoganda even if it is for the ‘other side’. Otherwise your sites will turn into the MSM you websites derride.

7. MagnusXO Says:
   August 5th, 2008 at 8:10 pm

   It may be propaganda, as the following article shows that the U.S. and Russia are currently cooperating on a tunnel project beneath the Bering Strait, linking the mainlands.

   http://new-gadget-world.blogsp.....nking.html