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US warplanes intercept Russian bombers over Pacific
Feb 11, 2008, 23:46 GMT
Washington - US fighter jets intercepted two Russian bombers that approached an aircraft carrier on the weekend over the western Pacific Ocean, a US Navy spokesman said Monday.
Four F/A-18s took off from the USS Nimitz as the Tupolev 95s neared the carrier. One of the Tupolevs flew over the Nimitz at an altitude of about 600 metres, said Mark Matsunaga, a spokesman for the US Pacific Fleet in Honolulu.
The bombers were each trailed by two F/A-18s, which picked up the course of the Russian planes as they neared the carrier fleet early Saturday, Matsunaga said.
Such encounters have been rare since the end of the Cold War, but tension between Washington and Moscow has peaked recently amid US plans to base a missile-defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic.
The Saturday encounter ended without incident, and there was never verbal communication between the US and Russian pilots, Matsunaga said.
Russia began stepping up Pacific bomber flights last year while Washington and Moscow engaged in verbal sparring over the missile- defence plans. Russia has strongly objected to the placement of 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar site in the Czech Republic.
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Older Talkback
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We are being tested. Be on the look-out for increased spying activity. Be prepared.
Time to invite Putin over for another Texas style barbecue!
I remember back in 1968 when N Korea took the USS Pueblo. I was aboard the USS Ranger CVA-61 when Russian bombers came close to the ship. We scrambled 2 F-4's to intercept. One of our F-4's flew underneath the bomber just in case the Russians had any ideas. Has this Navy gone soft? Lets Iran gun boats get close and now this. It's time the USA gets some backbone and takes some action.
Except for the defense of the Chinese Government of Taiwan there is no reason for the U.S. Fleet to be in that area, so the is the CIA and the Defense department who are at the bottom of this, not an ignorant or scared president. A real president would have greatly reduced the size of the CIA and would also have restricted its power to act on its own like it has after Eisenhower left office. Kennedy tried to but you saw what they did to him.
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NoharnessFeb 12th, 2008 - 02:55:54
This, I'm sorry to say, is being provoked by George Bush.
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