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What do you think the Russians were up to?
They were baiting the Americans. With any luck, the Americans will shoot a bomber down, and World War III can begin. 1 (25%)
They were testing the defenses above the contested Arctic territories. 3 (75%)
They got lost. 0 (0%)
Total Votes: 4
Russian Bombers Intercepted Over Canada
Topic Started: Feb 28 2009, 06:38 PM (377 Views)
Thyunda
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OTTAWA–Four Canadian and U.S. fighter jets were scrambled to meet a pair of Russian bomber planes found flying on the edge of Canada's Arctic airspace hours before President Barack Obama arrived in Ottawa for his first foreign visit, Canada's defence minister said.

Peter MacKay wouldn't say whether he thought the Feb. 18 flight of two TU-95 Bears, long-range Russian bombers, was designed to create mischief for a Canadian security system that was already stressed by the presidential visit. But he said the response of Canadian pilots operating under the command of NORAD sent a clear message to Moscow.

"I'm not going to stand here and accuse the Russians of deliberately doing this during the presidential visit, but it was a strong coincidence which we met with the presence ... of F-18 fighter planes and world-class pilots that know their business and send a strong signal that they should back off and stay out of our airspace," he told reporters.

MacKay initially said there was a single Russian bomber but a NORAD spokesman and the minister's officer later said there were two.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in Saskatoon that the incident was a real cause for concern that will not intimidate Canada.

"This government has responded every time the Russians have done that. We will continue to respond. We will defend our airspace."

The Russian planes broke no international laws when they encroached on the 200-mile Canadian perimeter, 190 kilometres northeast of Tuktoyaktuk, but experts say it was a clear attempt to test defence systems in the disputed Arctic territories.

"Russia has become more active than in the past," said Ray Henault, formerly Canada's chief of defence staff.

Henault, who served as chairman of NATO's military council until last year, said the bomber flights are a "legitimate activity" that have nonetheless complicated relations with other Arctic nations in recent years.

"To call it a threat is probably a little bit stronger than I would call it."

If the Arctic equation helps answer why Russia would be increasing its activity in the high North, the question of why Canada chose today to draw attention to a fairly common occurrence is less clear.

A senior government official said highlighting the mid-air meeting is a good way to show the worth and relevance of NORAD while its commander, U.S. Gen. Victor Renuart, visits Ottawa. It's also a good way to "get some ink" for Canada's contribution to continental security, the official said.

But it's also a diplomatic rebuff to Russian officials who have complained in the last week of nations that are "militarizing" the Arctic to bolster their claims to valuable energy and mineral resources locked beneath the thawing tundra and the seabed.

"We know that the waters are opening up, we know that other countries have expressed interest in the Arctic and that we intend to have a very real and current activity and presence in the Arctic," MacKay said yesterday.

MacKay has asked Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and Russia's ambassador to Canada to give Ottawa a "head's up" when such flights are planned.

"To date, we have not received this type of notice," he said.

Gen. Renuart, has also "reached out" to Moscow, requesting that they file formal international notice of the flights to no avail, said NORAD spokesman Michael Kucharek.

In Moscow, an unnamed government official called MacKay's statement a "farce" and said the Russian government was reacting to Canada's objections with "astonishment," news agency RIA-Novosti reported.

The agency also quoted Col. Alexander Drobyshevsky, a defence ministry spokesman, saying that neighbouring states had been previously notified of the bombers' flight.

"They would say that," countered Rob Huebert, associate director of the University of Calgary's Centre for Military and Strategic Studies.

The break-up of the Soviet Union in 1989 crippled Russia's economy and brought such long-range flights, a staple of the Cold War, to an end. That all changed in recent years as Russian overflights have resumed.

"They're doing them in the hundreds. It's not just the Arctic. They're overflying into the Pacific, they overflew an American carrier battle group. Everyone's saying, `What the hell's going on here?'" Huebert said.

NORAD's Kucharek said Canadian and U.S. fighter jets have been scrambled more than 20 times since early 2007 to perform visual identification of Russian bombers and to direct them away from North American airspace. Moscow began flying its old Cold War routes in late 2006, he said, but have always remained in international airspace.


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King Crimson
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Both of the first two are more likely, but I doubt they are actually trying to start a war, just seeing how strong defences are when pushed for future reference.
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Thyunda
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I dunno, if they were to start a war in that manner, America would come across as the villain, so even if Russia was to lose the war, which personally I don't think is very likely, America would be even more hated worldwide, so the chances of terrorist attacks and foreign invasion are pushed way up.

It's like a game of chess, you have these little plans that may well fail, but when they fail, it simply forms the bridge for the bigger plan.
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King Crimson
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Maybe, or perhaps they want to see how aggressive the Obama government actually is? Afterall, he said something about nuclear disarmament....
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Thyunda
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A theory that I just came up with is based on the idea that the bombers are retracing old Cold War flight paths. The Russians are not only sending planes over to Canada, it's submarines and small warships. It is possible that they aren't trying to provoke the American government in any way, and in fact, during the Cold War, they lost a transport, either a cargo plane or ship, and they're trying to find it again. Chances are, the bombers have been repurposed to carry sensory equipment, and the same with the old submarines and warships.
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Loz
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Well I doubt Russia's trying to start WW3 as it's not exactly a superpower any more. I doubt it would have the money/firearms to, especially against America.
Of course it could just be the media's making a huge fuss over this because it's Russia.
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Thyunda
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Loz
Mar 1 2009, 09:19 PM
Well I doubt Russia's trying to start WW3 as it's not exactly a superpower any more. I doubt it would have the money/firearms to, especially against America.
Of course it could just be the media's making a huge fuss over this because it's Russia.
Don't underestimate the Russians. There are many things we don't know about them.
I bet you didn't know about the V.L.A.D. It's a giant robot they have under Moscow. :)
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King Crimson
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Like I said earlier, I doubt they want war, but like any nation, they might want to know how the new govenment reacts in such situations. Agreed with Loz on the media front, though.

BTW, we have 4 voters. Assuming Con voted for the top one, me, Loz and whoever it is went for second. Is it Billy or Kez or what?
Edited by King Crimson, Mar 2 2009, 05:59 PM.
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Thyunda
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I'm going to assume it's Billy. Kez hasn't shown up around Iacon for a while.
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Loz
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Quote:
 
Don't underestimate the Russians. There are many things we don't know about them.

Don't forget the attack bears.
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King Crimson
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http://boldt.us/8081-2/killer_teddy_bear.jpg

Argggghh!
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Loz
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D:
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King Crimson
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Go ahead and laugh, you'll be sorry! Comrad Rupert, the gas works!

:o http://www.russiablog.org/RussianBearGasEU.jpg :o
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Loz
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Oh great, Russians have bears, what do we have? Attack BADGERS.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/3023369.stm
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King Crimson
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:D Zombie Jesus, thats amazing!

"My husband opened the door and the badger sat there and then, gradually, just slowly walked towards him and attacked him.


Angry badger, open door? What could happen? Two fucking skin grafts, thats what happened!
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