All Posts Tagged With: "Izvestia"

Izvestia Report Could Be Ploy

A report in the newspaper Izvestia is being denied by Russian news agencies saying the Defense Ministry is denying a report that Russia was considering basing nuclear-capable bombers in Cuba. Izvestia cited an anonymous top air force official as saying the bombers could be based in Cuba as a response to U.S. plans to place elements of a missile-defense system in Eastern European countries.

Since Izvestia does nothing without Kremlin OK some think it is a ploy to test the resolve of the U. S., and specifically Obama’s mettle since there is little doubt how McCain would react, and perhaps even force a backup on the European U. S. missile shield placement that Russia strongly opposes. A Russian Cuban presence in Cuba would plug China’s ambitions while sticking a finger in the U.S. eye and take advantage of a weak President.

On October 15, 1962, United States reconnaissance photographs taken by an American U-2 spy plane revealed missile bases being built in Cuba. President Kennedy reacted strongly and the world tettered on the brink for two weeks until the Soviets backed down.