Blackjacks

This is coolbert:

From the Chicago Tribune:

"Russian warplanes visit Venezuela"

"Foray further clouds U.S.-Moscow relations"

"CARACAS, Venezuela - - Two Russian strategic bombers landed in Venezuela on Wednesday as apart of military maneuvers, President Hugo Chavez said, welcoming the unprecedented deployment at a time of increasing tensions between Moscow and the U.S."

"The Venezuelan leaders said the two Russian Tu-160 bombers ["Blackjack"] will conduct maneuvers and that he hopes to ‘fly one of those things’ himself."

"NATO fighters escorted the Russian bombers n their 13-hour trip to Venezuela, the Defense Ministry said."

"This is a redux of Cold War games, and a dangerous thing to do." Said Moscow-based military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer. It will only strengthen the hand of those in the United States who want to punish Russia for its action in Georgia."

"Earlier this week, Russia said it will send a naval squadron and long-range patrol planes [Tu-95?] to Venezuela in November for a joint military exercise in the Caribbean."

Some comments of my own here:

ONLY SIXTEEN OF THOSE "BLACKJACK" WERE EVER MADE? And of that number, only maybe a dozen are capable of being flown on a mission? These would be standoff delivery systems! Launching cruise missiles from a distance at targets!

And, as for:

"‘fly one of those things’"! Meaning Hugo Chavez wants to take over the controls of a Tu-160 while in-flight! Whoa boy!! For experts only.

However, we cannot overstate the danger of Venezuela going further into the anti-American hate the gringo camp! Venezuela contributes a very significant portion of imported oil coming into the U.S. [Venezuelan oil for the most part can ONLY be refined at U.S. refineries? Chemical content of Venezuela oil is such that refineries in the U.S. ONLY can process the crude.] Venezuela too has enormous and untapped reservoirs of tar sands!!

CHAVEZ SEES VENEZUELA AS BEING A MAJOR PLAYER ON THE WORLD STAGE! And the scene for the U.S. is NOT favorable!

coolbert.