Feinstein ‘Not Concerned’ About Russian Bombers in Venezuela

WHEN A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE ACTS AND SOUNDS AS THIS ONE DOES I BELEIVE IT IS TIME TO REPLACE HER ONCE IN FOR ALL. SHE IS A DETRIMENT TO SOCIETY AS WELL AS THE COUNTRY.

CNSNews.com
Feinstein ‘Not Concerned’ About Russian Bombers in Venezuela
Friday, September 12, 2008
By Josiah Ryan, Staff Writer




Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (AP Photo)(CNSNews.com) - Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), a senior member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, told CNSNews.com Thursday that she is not concerned about Russia’s announcement on Wednesday that it had moved two long-range bombers to a base in Venezuela, a South American country just over a thousand miles from Florida.

Other senators, however, both Republican and Democrat, were less optimistic about Russia’s action.

“No,” Feinstein replied when CNSNews.com asked if she was concerned by Russia’s move. “I don’t think Russia would launch attacks on the United States.”

“I think the relations are going through a very difficult period,” said Feinstein. “I think it’s very important to look very carefully at the Georgia-Russia situation and really remember that the best interest of the United States is to solve the issue without military action if we can.”

Russia’s defense ministry announced on Wednesday that two of its Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers, would be stationed temporarily at Libertador Airfield in Venezuela in order to participate in war games in conjunction with Hugo Chavez’s Venezuelan regime.

The Tupolev Tu-160, according to globalsecurity.com, is the most powerful combat aircraft in the Russian arsenal. It is capable of reaching speeds of up to 2,000 kilometers per hour and delivering nuclear weapons.

Given its speed, the Tu-160 would be capable of reaching Washington, D.C., or New York City from anywhere in Venezuela in less than two hours, and of reaching the Florida coastline in less than one hour.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), who serves with Feinstein on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said she believes the Russian action in Venezuela requires close scrutiny from the U.S.

“There is a continuing pattern over the last several months of Russian intimidation,” Mikulski told CNSNews.com. “Russia is trying to reclaim power in the world, and they are using the same old bullying intimidation tactics that go back to Brezhnev and Stalin.

“They tried to take down Estonia with a cyber attack. They moved tanks into Georgia, and now there are the fighter craft. If they want to show their world power, they should do it through diplomacy and not through intimidation,” she added.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) agreed that the relocation of the aircraft is a cause for concern and told CNSNews.com that Alaska, which is separated from Russia by the Bering Sea, has often encountered Russian military aircraft flying uncomfortably near U.S. airspace.

“What you are suggesting doesn’t surprise me, and yes it concerns me,” said Murkowski. “If it is clearly a flexing of muscle and effort to display force, it makes you wonder what the objective is and what the appropriate response should be.”







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pappy at 07:17 PM - September 12, 2008
one bomb, one plane. drop one around west virginia, and one at either fort knox or in the financial district, and that should cause enough damage to keep anyone scrambling to find a less laxidasical attitude.

mrdocuman at 05:46 PM - September 12, 2008
Feinstein doesn't THINK Russia would attack us???? Great. I really want to rely on that, don't you?

JulianH at 05:15 PM - September 12, 2008
Feinstein is at it again, and her ostrich syndrome strikes. This seems to be a major way of living for people like her. If you hide your head from reality, blame other for problems, through mountains of money towards it, or pass more useless laws the problem will cease to exist or go away. In this instance. The senator is hiding her head in the sand. What doesn't she get about what two long range bombers in our backyard. Especially when said bombers reside in a hostile country, and are owned by a former (current) adversary. Especially when said bombers can fly at supersonic speeds, and carry nuclear weapons. Sounds pretty fishy to this writer. One would like to know that the other ostrich liberals think. What of Obama, would he negotiate with Russia or Venezuela? Does he even have to capacity to negotiate from a place of power, or only from a cowards point of view. That of avoiding confrontation, and giving your enemy anything they want? It would be nice to know the answers.

Moshe at 01:28 PM - September 12, 2008
Keep on believing that "MS" Feinstein, you and your kind will destroy this country.