What's More Important than The Economy?

This report comes from The Debka Review:

Russian live missile fire air exercise near Alaska
DEBKAfile Special Report
4 Oct.: Not since 1984, just before the fall of the Soviet Union, has Russia ventured to launch dozens of nuclear bombers for an exercise in which Tu-95 Bear bombers will fire live cruise missiles. Exercise Stability 2008 will take place Oct.-6-12 over sub-Arctic Russia, uncomfortably close to Alaska.

The exercise is part of a month-long war game described by Russian air force spokesman Col. Vladimir Drik as “practicing the strategic deployment of the armed forces including the nuclear triad.”

As part of the exercise, our sources reported exclusively on Oct. 1, that Russian ships armed with nuclear missiles will dock at Syrian ports Oct. 8, on the eve of Yom Kippur, before continuing to the Caribbean for joint maneuvers with Venezuela

Read the full story here.

If you didn't hear anything about this in the media, it's because the entire nation is distracted by the presidential campaign and the economic crisis.  The downplaying of the Russian threat within the dialogue of the election is actually prudent - public statements or shoe-pounding will set a Cold War into high gear and make it harder to pursue other foreign policy strategies.  The media's ignoring of these events, including:

• The Russian Navy's maneuvers in the Caribbean, also to include live fire missile drills
• Russian-Venezuelan military cooperation and sales of newest generation military tech to Syria, Iran and Venezuela, to name a few buying nations
• Russia's intentions to build a space complex in Cuba, a potential back door for military missile hardware and technology
• A large funding increase to allow Russia to complete the expansion and upgrades of GLONASS, their global satellite navigation system
• Suspected sales of S-300 anti-aircraft and anti-missile missile systems to Iran, to be used in defense of a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities

There are many reasons to suspect that Russia may have determined that their fastest route to economic strength and international relevance is to become a hegemonic power, in much the same that the United States did in the wake of the Spanish-American War and following World War II.

There will be more posts on this as additional events occur.

Cross-posted at Unequal Time.

Venezuela Agrees to Putin's Offer to Help Build Nuclear Reactor

In my opinion, the domino theory is still very much in effect, especially in South America.  Welcome to the multi-polar world.

The United States needs a dramatically reshaped doctrine to deal with the blossoming Russian problem.

Russian Federation and Venezuela Sign Energy Cooperation Agreements

Blackjack Bomber Visits Should Not be Removed from the Foreign Policy Assessment

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Russian Federation President Dmitry Medvedev today signed a pact to cooperate on energy issues, specifically to form a relationship between the RF's Gazprom and Venezuela's Petroleos de Venezuela.

In light of recent arms sales to Venezuela, the energy agreement further heightens the possibility the Russian intentions are to develop a long-term sphere of influence in our hemisphere, possibly to include military bases. 

A footnote to the Russian "training mission" involving the Tu-160 Blacjack bombers earlier this month was that they left behind the ground equipment and service personnel to allow the Tu-160s to use the Libertador airfield at any point in the future.

According to official reports, the training mission also Blackjack included the first ever mid-air refueling of a Russian strategic bomber, adding intercontinental operating range to the capabilities US planners must consider when assessing the nature of Russia's current foreign policy.

Joint Russian-Venezuelan Naval Exercise May Include Live Fire Missile Drills

As reported by ITAR-TASS, the Russian government wire service, a group of four Russian naval vessels left the port of Murmansk today en route to Venezuela to participate in joint exercises in the Carribean Sea. 

The detachment is comprised of a missile cruiser, a large antisubmarine ship and two auxiliary vessels, according to the Russian news agency.

The report also states that the naval group's mission is to carry out combat training exercises as well as missile and artillery firings.

Source: http://arms-tass.su/?page=article&aid=60343&cid=24

Russian Federation and Cuba Agree to Build Space Center on Cuban Soil

According to defense-related subdivision the Russian Federation government run news agency, Russia has agreed to "assist" Cuba in the creation of a space center in the Caribbean nation.

It was not clear in the report what the exact use of the center would be and there was no timeline for when the space center would be operational.

In the negotiations, Cuba guaranteed Russia navigation rights in its territory, in addition to securing use of the GLONASS navigation system.

Source: http://arms-tass.su/?page=article&aid=60150&cid=125

Russian Federation to Increase Satellite Program Funding by 67B rub.

Global GPS satellite network is stated goal of funding additions

Russia will be dramatically increasing its budget for the GLONASS satellite program.  The purpose of the funding increase - reported by Russian Federation news agency ITAR-TASS to be 67 billion rubles over an unspecified period of time - is to expand the coverage of the GLONASS network of satellites to cover the entire globe by 2012.

The GLONASS program was originated in the 1970s for use by the Soviet military for navigation and ballistic missile targeting, but has subsequently also been used as a global positioning system that is available to civilian users at no cost.

Upgrades and restoration of the system, which had decayed along with the USSR, have been taking place with cooperation from India since 2004.

It is unclear what the eventual purpose of a worldwide GPS system might be for the Russian Federation, particularly in light of the availability of GPS through the current network of satellites already in orbit.  It has been clear, however, that a crucial element of power projection has been the ability to give field and fleet commanders precise navigational and targeting information.

Source: http://arms-tass.su/?page=article&aid=59998&cid=125

Web Page Translation available through babelfish.yahoo.com.

Russians Make Upgrades to Syrian Port for Future Use

Syrian and Russian Naval Commanders Agree to Cooperation

The defense division of the Russian government-run news agency ITAR-TASS reported late last week that the crew of a Russian auxiliary vessel - the Kiel 158 - visited the Syrian port of Tarsus.  The crew performed work to allow the port to operate as a base of supply and repair to the port, which was originally created to service Soviet ships operating in the Mediterranean, will now again be operational in the service of the Russian fleet operating in the same region.

In the same report it was also confirmed that in meetings between Russian and Syrian naval commanders, an intention for future cooperation was agreed.  The form of cooperation was not made clear in the press release.

Source:  http://arms-tass.su/?page=article&aid=59920&cid=121

Web Page Translation available through babelfish.yahoo.com.