Bomber Buzz Is Russia Flexing Its Muscles

Analysts Think Moscow Is Reasserting Its Superpower Status By Flying Close To The U.S.

(CBS)  The pictures of Russian bombers off the coast of Alaska were not pulled from the archives of the Cold War. As CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports, they were taken this summer by American pilots who scrambled to intercept them.

"They've been flying periodically since then with a good bit of activity over the past few weeks," says Gene Renuart, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

The prospect of a Russian attack may seem far-fetched, but General Renuart, who is responsible for defending the U.S., says in a world where every airplane is a potential threat he has to scramble the jets - and all the airborne radar and refueling tankers it takes to support them.

"Any time you have an unidentified aircraft approaching sovereign air space of the country there's some concern about the intentions of the airplane," Renuart says.

No one thinks the bombers signal a resumption of the Cold War, but Russia feels it's being treated like a second rate power and relations are starting to get a little chilly.

"Russia is willing to assert itself and is looking for a whole variety of ways to show to the United States that Russia is back as a serious power," says Dimitri Simes of The Nixon Center.

Simes sees the bomber flights as the military equivalent of Russian President Vladimir Putin bearing his chest for the cameras. It's a pattern of posturing that includes Russia's claim that it has developed the most powerful non-nuclear bomb in the world. Never mind that U.S. intelligence says the bomb represents old technology and that the video of its testing was probably shot years ago.

"There is a perception in Moscow that Russia is being taken for granted," Simes says, "and they want to put an end to this."

President Bush has noticed, sending his two top cabinet officers to Moscow this week to address a growing list of disagreements.

As for those bombers, General Renuart asked the Russians if they could at least file a flight plan. So far there has been no response.

[tnt1954]

its never over. even after the fat lady sings. i don''t care what system they live under.
what does that have to do with anything?

[sevenveils]

This is a fine game. What we aren''t told and don''t know is:
Does the United states military aircraft approach Russian airspace and is escorted out as well?

At the same time it''s rather odd that this is the same Russia who have are working towards international commercial ties and have teamed to build the International Space Station are poking these same countries other with sticks.

Does Russia do this with China as well?

[mattcbsmatt]

They will do whatever it takes to aplease the Hineses, the Asians anal eye, love, adoration and appeasement of the Chinese Hineses
: )

[tbweb]

The U.S. should send a return message and start shooting these Russian planes down if they get too close! The Russians are not prepared for this, the Russians think the U.S. will always scramble and escort their planes out, the U.S. should start shooting them down and let the Russians know we will not be taken for granted either. I like the Russians better when they were broke, they were much nicer, this is a sneak preview of future relations of a Russia with money, a pain in the a.s.s.!!

[adasher1]

Well, it is another bit of fallout from bush''s cowboy tactics. Why were these bombers put to bed 10 years ago and only taken out now? It''s because, bush is an idiot and is turning everyone against us as a country. Does anyone NOT understand this?

[drinuk]

Not surprising Putin is P I S S E D off, with Rice in Moscow saying she will help dissidents to form an alliance to stand against Putin. If a Russian came here and started cozying up to Muslim extremists we would be P I S S E D off too.

[drinuk]

It''s all the fault of Dr Strangelove-Bush, the man is a meglomaniac, a complete and utter Nutter!

[ghostcommand]

Russia is a capitalist country. The USA is a capitalist country. Russia has a Military Industrial Complex. The USA has a Military Industrial Complex. Military Industrial Complexes fund Congressional members in the USA and in Russia. Cold War II would be economically beneficial to the Executive and Congress/Military Industrial Complex of both countries.

[pete_in_az]

Well, it is another bit of fallout from bush''''s cowboy tactics. Why were these bombers put to bed 10 years ago and only taken out now? It''''s because, bush is an idiot and is turning everyone against us as a country. Does anyone NOT understand this?

Posted by adasher1 at 08:26 PM : Oct 13, 2007

I understand. But what can you do about it?

[racam_us]

As of now Bush has us in Iraq and Afghanistan, has us ready to bomb Iran, has Turkey on the outs with us, and has us starting to go head to head with Russia. Has he been snorting coke and playing world domination games on the computer again? I just hope he realizes the facts about world domination and world destruction.

[tbweb]

We as Americans, are the most greedy and wasteful dickheads on the planet. I do believe we will get our ***** kicked in the near future.

Russia in bed with China... Watchout U.S. !!!

Posted by opqual at 09:32 PM : Oct 13, 2007,,,

The Russian relationship with China has been at odds for decades and now suddenly because they both think they share a common enemy with NATO but in particular with the U.S. they are the best of pals. The real driving force behind this new Russian Chinese link is China''s support for Russia against Chechnya and Russia''s support for China against Taiwan indicated on both nations official web sites! I predict this Russian Chinese link with ultimately blow up in Russia''s face since the Russian''s established this relationship out of an inferiority complex and desperation to counter balance the United States. China''s land grab push into the Russian Far East has upset many Russians who live there and complain about being Chinese slaves. Its just a matter of time before the technology transfer of advanced Russian technology to China done when Russia badly needed money comes back to haunt Moscow who has already put a stop to it with the advent of new income revenues! Russia and China are not fooling anyone, its an uneasy alliance at best and can come apart very easily if the right buttons are pressed.

[missingamerica]

Its just a matter of time before the technology transfer of advanced Russian technology to China done when Russia badly needed money comes back to haunt Moscow...

Posted by tbweb at 09:57 PM : Oct 13, 2007

China doesn''t need Russian technology anymore. We in the U.S. have pushed sufficient high-tech manufacturing capabilities that are dual use in nature into China to satisfy the military needs of any up and coming superpower that wishes to be globally dominant.

Just as an example, consider the number of manufactures of GPS phones now in China (see, for instance, http://www.chinasuppliers.globalsources.com/china-suppliers/GPS-Phone.htm)

Although it would only be good for one strike, the guts of a GPS phone make a fine accessory to a missile guidance system.

[tbweb]

Posted by ibsteve2u at 12:13 AM : Oct 14, 2007,,,

Agreed. But China''s main weakness is software, not hardware! China has the nuts and bolts but remains far behind the United States, Russia and even Israel in making that hardware perform in a competitive way against its competition. I believe this is China''s main motive to acquire Taiwan which also is very advanced enabling hardware with advanced software. Advanced hardware is nothing without advanced software to power it, this is why China is always spying, stealing and spending to acquire it! China''s Achilles Heel is software!

[alphaa10-2009]

Go ahead Russia. Fly BOTH your jets at the same time. The Cold War is over and if you missed the memo, WE WON.















vbnvbnvbn said, "Go ahead Russia. Fly BOTH your jets at the same time. The Cold War is over and if you missed the memo, WE WON."
---
Won what? What was the door prize? Tell me how the world suddenly reverted to pastoral scenes from horizon to horizon...

Bush misses the Cold War-- he would be glad to have another. Only perpetual war makes an insecure wannabe like Bush feel safe, as strange as that seems.

[lewiston14]

That was a very bad idea. Shooting down planes over international air space. When one should enter covered air space that is a different story but mistakes do happen (pilot error) So you guide them back to the open areas. If a whole fleet made a wrong turn then it''s time to react. These old battle wagons of the air by todays standards are easy targets. Where is an old turbo prop going aganst even 1 jet aircraft. Answer nowhere. To start shooting and ask no question is a very bad idea.

[boogieman716]

if for some reason a news arms race starts. it wont be the russians who started it. i will president bush . when he intasled those missels in europe and pointed them at russia. and then gave a lame reason for doing at saying they where aimed at iran to proctect eurpop from an attack from iran . the question is what missels in iran . what missels in iran . do they even have any ? & what whould we do if say russian set up missels in cuba ,

[lewiston14]

And they are not jets they are turboprops. Did you miss the props in front of the engines or something. Go look at the picture again. DUH

[lewiston14]

That missile defense plan wont get off the ground before bush is gone. I think everybody knows that. He has to little time to do anything espically when so many of his own group have turned away from him. Actually I think Rice is a bigger danger with her quick big mouth that Putin gave her a good B____ slap. I think he as well as many others are tired of having her around running her big mouth.

[prairiefox1]

IF YOU HAD A HEAD CASE LIKE BUSH LIVING ON YOUR STREET WOULDN''T YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS DRAG HIS FAT BOTTOM OUT AND PUT A STOP TO HIM?

[johnny_chaos]

go suck a bone ya bud light swilling homos.

[prairiefox1]

go suck a bone ya bud light swilling homos.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by johnny_chaos at 12:56 PM : Oct 14, 2007

THERE IS A PLACE FOR ALL GODS CHILDREN ON THIS PLANET!
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED SPACE EXPLORATION?

[middleman8]

If bush starts up the cold war again and it gets out of control, I hope if any tarkets are burned out, it will be washington d c, new york and los angles(hollywood).they seem to be the worst instigators. it,s time those that cause all the trouble were the ones who paid.

[prairiefox1]

middleman8

YOU LEFT OUT SAN FRANCISCO !

[hypnotoad72]

''Red scare''? Please. Thanks to our economic policies of the last few decades, Russia, China, and every other red commie state have become our close friends. We wouldn''t trade with enemies, right?

[lewiston14]

Hey leave San Francisco out of it I like fisherman%u2019s warf. Star? What message would you send? That he has a bigger cache of weapons then we do that just need a little dusting off. Im sure they have more then two Bear Fox trots. Of course you%u2019re so up on the subject you know what im talking about. Old bombs work just as good as new ones. What are you going to win? A hole in the ground you cant even go near.

Bud light that is almost as bad as coors YEK

[johnny_chaos]

competent leadership in the US would really help. we have a bunch of privacy adverse idiots crowing to the moral minority and *** us up here and across the world. bush & co have done more to tarnish americas image than is even imaginable. from torture, unilateral and mismanaged war, to economic policys leaving us with the chinise controlling the future of the dollar. then you have all the regean youth raised on television and rambo, without a clue as to how the world works thinking life is like 24 and wondering why the rest of the world views us like were a bunch of nuts. i mean were borrowing from our enemys, (china) to pay to keep playing in iraq. can we win? not likly, were just not playing the right cards. politics, you got to be smarter then the enemy, and our current leaders arent that at all. how many guns have we supplied to the enemy in the middle east? how can anyone look at the aftermath of the american invasion and call the top leaderships decisions qualified? disbanding the military (iraq) was a huge mistake. also against international law. left a bunch of angry unemployeed people running around being treated like criminals by heavy handed american troops. again, funny, if you treat a person like a criminal, they become a criminal. Putin, bush looked into his eyes and saw a kinderd spirit. only real difference is putin is a soldier and bush is a frat boy.

[johnny_chaos]

bud light, the beer of patriots. like thought, beer need to be watered down.

[savdavid]

Hmmmm.....our guys have to check out bombers buzzing off the coast of Alaska because that is their job. Well, where the hell were you on 9-11?

[lewiston14]

savdavid: In 500 words or less please tell us in your own words what was different between 9/11 and the Alaska fly by. I think the answers are very clear. If yuou need some help ill be glad to.