Venezuela: Russian Bombers OK, But No Base

(AP)  President Hugo Chavez said Sunday that Russian bombers would be welcome in Venezuela but the socialist leader denied that his country would offer Moscow its territory for a military base.

Chavez - a fierce critic of Washington with close ties to Russia and Cuba - said his government did not raise the possibility, as Russian media had reported.

"It's not like that," the president said, responding to a report by Interfax news agency quoting the chief of staff of Russia's long range aviation, Maj. Gen. Anatoly Zhikharev, as saying some strategic bombers could be based on an island offered by Venezuela.

Zhikharev reportedly said Saturday that Chavez had offered "a whole island with an airdrome, which we can use as a temporary base for strategic bombers."

Speaking during his weekly television and radio program, Chavez said he told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that his nation's bombers would be allowed to land in Venezuela if necessary, but no such plans have been made.

Venezuela hosted two Russian Tu-160 bombers in September for training flights and joined Russian warships two months later for naval exercises in the Caribbean.

"I told President Medvedev that any time Russia's strategic aviation needs to make a stop in Venezuela as part of its strategic plans, Venezuela is available," he said.

Interfax also reported that Zhikharev said Russian bombers could be based in communist-led Cuba, but a Kremlin official said Zhikharev had been speaking hypothetically.

Kremlin official Alexei Pavlov responded to the report on Saturday, saying that "the military is speaking about technical possibilities, that's all."

"If there will be a development of the situation, then we can comment," Pavlov said.

Venezuela and Cuba have close political and energy relations with Russia, which has been working to reassert itself as a military force.

Russia resumed long-range bomber patrols in 2007 after a 15-year hiatus.

During Sunday's program, Chavez said his government may expand a military base on the Caribbean island of La Orchila, approximately 110 miles (180 kilometers) off the South American country's central coast.

"It's a strategic point, but not just for a naval base. It's also an economic zone," he said, noting that installations for fishermen could be constructed.

La Orchila is already home to a small military base, including helicopter landing pads and docks, as well as a presidential residence.

[rave_on3]

We have our bombers over there, next to Russia. A bomber without fighter escort or missile defense capabilities is basically a large transport.
Posted by bajajohn1 at 12:14 PM : Mar 16, 2009

Not true. Our B-2's didn't need fighter escorts when we bombed Iraq. Heck, they flew their missions directly from Whiteman (talk about global reach). Of course, Iraq had nothing in the way of air defense and the threat from their fighter aircraft were destroyed or marginalized.

[toolmangler-2009]

neocons start claiming that Obama is a whimp and Georgie was the savior.
Posted by expatriate2 at 12:39 PM : Mar 16, 2009



I thought most people learned to never listen to Neocons. They are Repugs that need 'oral enemas' because of all the crap they talk,

[wdh3007]

Perhaps this was a test to see how Obama would react would he be content or would he stomp his feet and complain about the bombers being to close as Bush would have. If he stays cool about them then he would have one the issue but Chavez can't have his bombers without base support for them because they have to land somewhere just not in his back yard.

[bobford5]

Russian bombers in Cuba and Venezuela. Sounds like '62 all over again. We had a democrat in office then too.

[antoniof123]

Who cares I know I don't we have enough problems here in the US without adding more.

Leave it alone neocons I have had enough of your madness.

[bajajohn1]

We have our bombers over there, next to Russia. A bomber without fighter escort or missile defense capabilities is basically a large transport.

[colt8881]

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez

NEEDS a MAKE OVER,

GURL IS UGLY !

[greatgrandpaw]

Isn't it wonderful to live in the United States of America? One may be antagonistic toward everyone who doesn't believe in the same way as that one. One may be heaping praise on those who believe in the same way(s) as that one. One may say almost anything and not be censored for what he/she says. Wouldn't it be good to hear something good about someone more often? But that's not the way the too many of those who live here are. If something good can't be said about someone don't say anything. Saying something bad about someone or something usually sets someone else off and here we go again. In most of the news programs on TV or Online we hear the bad news. Seldom do we hear the good things. Come on, Americans, lets start feeling good about ourselves and others even if we disagree with each other.

[stillwaters6]

Time to Go Yul Brenner and Debra Kerr of the King and I.

What Siam is to America is what America is to the world.
Welcome to the 21st century of world globalization America.

SHALL WE ALL DANCE?

[Laz99]

Hugo Chavez was democratically elected by the people of Venezuela. The only dictators in Venezuela are those who are waiting on further instructions from the United States in regards to another illegal coup