Putin Reminded Of Cuban Missile Crisis

Russian Leader Compares U.S. Missile Plans In Europe To 1960s Missile Showdown

(CBS/AP)  Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that the dispute over proposed U.S. missile defense facilities in Eastern Europe has similarities to the Cuban missile crisis of the 1960s.

"Analogous actions by the Soviet Union, when it deployed missiles in Cuba, prompted the 'Caribbean crisis,' " Putin said at the conclusion of an European Union-Russian summit, using Russian terminology for the Cuban missile crisis.

"Such a threat is being set up on our borders," he said.

At the same time, Putin suggested the tension was much lower than during the Cuban missile crisis because Russian-U.S. relations have moved on since the Cold War. He said he feels the United States is listening to Moscow's concerns about its missile plans.

He said his relationship with President Bush, whom he called a friend, helps solve problems in ties with the U.S.

CBS News national security correspondent David Martin said he doesn't think Putin's talking about the threat of another nuclear confrontation.

"I think he's referring to the fact that after the Soviets were forced to back down, they embarked on a major buildup of nuclear arms that eventually brought them to parity with the U.S., which at the time of the missile crisis had vast nuclear superiority," Martin said.

Putin also said Friday that he would not assume presidential powers if he became prime minister after stepping down as Russian president.

"If someone thinks that I intend to move, let's say, into the government of the Russian Federation and transfer the fundamental powers there, that's not the case," he said. "There will be no infringement on the powers of the president of the Russian Federation, at least while it depends on me."

Putin suggested earlier this month that he could become prime minister after his second presidential term ends in May, leading some to speculate that the substantial powers now invested in the presidency might be transferred to the prime minister.

After repeating his insistence that he does not intend to change the constitution in order to run for a third consecutive term, Putin said Friday that he had not yet decided where and in what capacity he would work as former president. He is expected to remain an influential figure in Russia.

Russia holds parliamentary elections in December and a presidential vote three months later.

[usaprophet]

I want to report a major fire, friends. CBS isn''t reporting it. Our Constitution is on fire. And it''s currently being burned in Congress. See H.R. 1955, a.k.a., Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. I couldn''t believe it. Apparently, activists with Web sites are really begining to anger the elite insofar as they are publically holding officials accountable for their evil. The bill passed the house on Oct 23, in spite of Congressman, Ron Paul''s opposition. The right to free speech on the Internet is gone, my friends. Look it up for yourself, and weep for your country as I have that our rights have eroded this far. Here''s a short excerpt from the bill''s DEFINITIONS statement: "The development and implementation of methods and processes that can be utilized to prevent violent radicalization, homegrown terrorism, and ideologically based violence in the United States is critical to combating domestic terrorism." Here''s another excerpt from the bill''s FINDINGS statement: "The Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens." And guess who get''s to decide what is "terrorist-related propaganda?" You got it! The Department of Homeland Insecurity, an agency that''s answerable ONLY to The President. If Ron Paul isn''t elected, our country is doomed!

[toolmangler-2009]

sry about the typos

[toolmangler-2009]

We came very very close to WWIII. The current case almost exactly replicates the Cuban crisis.

Posted by ramos937 at 05:24 AM : Oct 27, 2007


I called in to my job the night before the deadline (Oct 25 1962) and told them I might not be in the next day do to my death and told them that if I was not there to start without me.

That was vastly different than today. The missles in Cuba were attack nukes only 90 miles from the US. The missles in question here are anti-missle missles (Non-Nuke)

[rerrorislam3]

two fascist nazi terrorislamistic countries down, iran next, then syria, then???

Bashar Assad and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad looking for spider holes hahaha

[ziparmux]

COME ON FOLKS!
BUSH IS ONLY TRYING TO PROTECT THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE, FROM IRAN, FROM A NUCLEAR MISSILE ATTACK. HMMMMMMMMMMMM.


Posted by crater7 at 06:31 AM : Oct 27, 2007

Pointed out a day or two ago, one of the proposed sites is in Poland ! Look at a map of the world, Iran is no where near Poland ! It''s laughable but not funny at the same time. Missiles/Defence !! in Poland would be the most provactive thing to do, Poland and Russia hate each other, and POland would love the US to come in spend big bucks there just to pi$$ off the Russians, and like what''s the point of putting it there anyway as it''s already been stated by some interesting comments here.

[thgdriver]

Who the hel! is he trying to fool? The missiles the Russians were putting in Cuba were offensive nuclear tipped ballistic missiles capable of striking all the East and southern USA.

We are talking defensive rockets only to defend against rouge nations.

Nothing new here, keep moving, this way, nothing but Bull Sheit here.

[tbweb]

I do not agree with Russian President Vladimir Putin that the current U.S. Missile Defense System debate is the same as the Caribbean crisis or Cuban missile crisis from a U.S. perspective. There is a distinct difference, the Soviet Missiles in Cuba were offensive missiles and deployed to attack the U.S., the U.S. Missile Defense System planned for facilities in Eastern Europe are defensive missiles, deployed to defeat offensive missiles aimed at the U.S.! The main Russian complaint is not even over the defensive missiles at all, the Russians know they have the technology to defeat the U.S. Missile Defense System and the Russians also know this system is aimed primarily at Iran. What the Russians fear about the U.S. Missile Defense System is its monitoring and spying capability with its sophisticated electronics. The Russians argue the system can monitor their entire military industrial complex and thats the real issue, the real complaint and fear!

[crater7]

COME ON FOLKS!
BUSH IS ONLY TRYING TO PROTECT THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE, FROM IRAN, FROM A NUCLEAR MISSILE ATTACK. HMMMMMMMMMMMM.

BUSH HAS SAID THAT THE U S, WOULD NOT ALLOW IRAN TO HAVE NUCLEAR MISSILES. WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE SO CALLED MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM, IF IRAN DOES NOT HAVE THE MISSILES THAT THE SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED TO PROTECT FROM?

MR. BUSH HAS LOOKED MR. PUTIN IN THE EYES, AND HE SHOULD KNOW THAT MR. PUTIN WILL RESPOND BY INSTALLING A MISSILE SYSTEM IN CUBA, TO PROTECT THE U S A, FROM MAYBEEEEEE, CHAVEZ?

MAYBE THESE FEARLESS LEADERS SHOULD JUST PROTECT THEIR OWN COUNTRY, AND THERE WILL BE NO NEED FOR PLACING MISSILES ON THE DOORSTEP OF OTHER COUNTRIES.

STAY THE COURSE...............

[ziparmux]

I was a young man during the Cuban crisis. In that case, we had missiles in a country adjacent to the Soviet Union. In return, Krushev (?) installed missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from the USA mainland. President Kennedy in a short time negotiated the withdrawal of the Cuban missiles and the ones Russia was afraid of. We came very very close to WWIII. The current case almost exactly replicates the Cuban crisis.

Posted by ramos937 at 05:24 AM : Oct 27, 2007

I''ve been bashing at this exact same point, for some weeks now, CBS got there in the end, (I''m sure they do read all these comments and gauge public opinion and produce articles to order). Yes this is not cool, luckily I live here in western Europe, consequently well positioned to oppose any move by the US to site these so called ''missile defence systems'' in my backyard. This is provacative towards Russia, very dangerous for the whole of western Europe, and I for one will not let it happen. We Europeans can be very proactive when we need to be.

[ramos937]

I was a young man during the Cuban crisis. In that case, we had missiles in a country adjacent to the Soviet Union. In return, Krushev (?) installed missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from the USA mainland. President Kennedy in a short time negotiated the withdrawal of the Cuban missiles and the ones Russia was afraid of. We came very very close to WWIII. The current case almost exactly replicates the Cuban crisis.