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First, a geography lesson:
The Baltic Sea is a sea of
the Atlantic Ocean, enclosed by Scandinavia, Finland, the Baltic countries, and
the North European Plain.
Coastal basin countries include Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Remember Russia. Here
is a map, if it helps.
The distance from St. Petersburg, Russia (the major Russian
city on the Baltic) to New York City is almost 7,000
kilometers. The distance from St.
Petersburg to Russia is…zero kilometers.
With that out of the way….
Russian
attack jets flew “dangerously close” to a U.S. Navy destroyer numerous
times in the Baltic Sea this week….
“We have deep concerns about the
unsafe and unprofessional Russian flight maneuvers.”
Wouldn’t it make more sense to write “US Naval destroyer
sails dangerously close to the major Russian city of St. Petersburg”?
From US European Command officials (US European Command? Does that make any sense?):
“These actions have the potential
to unnecessarily escalate tensions between countries, and could result in a
miscalculation or accident that could cause serious injury or death.”
Does he mean the actions of US Naval destroyers sailing
dangerously close to St. Petersburg?
The destroyer in question is the USS Donald Cook:
The USS Donald Cook had recently
made a stop in the Polish port of Gdynia, according to a statement by the U.S.
Embassy in Poland. The ship is one of four that the Navy sent forward to Europe
from the United States to boost security in Europe, and carries an arsenal that
includes rocket launchers, anti-submarine missiles and Tomahawk cruise
missiles.
Let’s try it this way:
The Russian frigate Neustrashimyy had recently made a stop in the Venezuelan port of La Guaira, according to a statement by the Russian Embassy in the Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela. The ship is one of four that the Navy sent forward
to America from Russia to boost security in the
Caribbean, and carries an arsenal that includes rocket launchers,
anti-submarine missiles and “Sizzler”
cruise missiles.
I know; the comparisons are lost on most. But, in the words of Lyle Lovett,
you have to try:
But what would you be if you didn't even try
You have to try
So after a lot of thought
I'd like to reconsider
Please
If it's not too late
Make it a cheeseburger
Conclusion
Lyle Lovett. I bet
you didn’t see that coming.
The WaPo article states that a similar incident with the same ship occurred almost exactly two years ago in the Black Sea. Why does Russia insist on locating its country so close to where the USS Donald Cook sails? How dare they!
ReplyDeleteHA! Good one. And so true.
DeleteYES! Good one!
DeleteThe WaPo also didn't mention that they were less than 50 miles from a Russian naval base. Put a Russian destroyer 50 miles off Virginia Beach, with cruise missiles that can reach D.C. and you'll have to issue a change of underwear to everyone in the Pentagon.
DeleteI almost spit my coffee all over the screen reading that! Perfect!
DeleteThere is so much fruitless onanistic (and often outright destructive) power in America with its deathships and missiles, when it could be devoted to production for consumers' welfare and to "peace, commerce, and honest friendship."
ReplyDeleteBut that would mean lower profits for the cronies, and fewer reasons for our rulers to nag and pontificate.
DeleteIsn't that the same USS Donald Cook that was disabled by some sort of EMP simulated attack by Russian Jets a couple of years ago in the same waters?
ReplyDeleteYes, it is the one and the same ship. I like to think that Putin has marked the Donald Cook for mind games until the crew scuttles the ship.
DeleteThe ship was never disabled. That was propaganda.
DeleteIt was the USS Donald Cook. Interesting observation. Perhaps the Navy was attempting to provoke the Russians into trying whatever they did before once again in order to see if countermeasures that have been taken can protect the vessel from being disabled. That's just a guess.
ReplyDeleteDestroyers such as the USS Donald Cook carry cruise missiles that have a range of up to 2,500 kilometers, so pushing the envelope of Russia's tolerance regarding their territorial waters is extremely reckless, to say the least.
The original incident occurred on April 12th, 2014 -- almost exactly two years ago. Is this a coincidence or is someone trying to make a point? We will likely never know as the U.S. Navy is unlikely to put out a press release stating, "U.S. naval vessel successfully provokes Russians without being disabled this time."
What if a Russian destroyer were spotted in Chesapeake bay or New York Harbor? Guess the Russians have to keep their ships in port or they are being "provocative".
ReplyDeleteOh please can't we just rattle our sabers a little? Move along people, just a Greater Depression unfolding any moment now, nothing to see here...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2957777/Navy-frigate-intercepts-Russian-warship-Channel-HMS-Argyll-escorts-heavily-armed-vessel-heightened-tensions-UK-Russia-continue.html
ReplyDeleteThis American provocation into Russia's backyard inspired me to use Google Earth to do a bit of forensic geography for the purpose of a "what if" scenario.
ReplyDeleteWhat if the Canadian government became uppity and loosened its military ties to Washington while strengthening them with Moscow? What if Ottawa and Moscow enter into a defense pact which allows for joint exercises involving their military forces?
What if, in the spirit of these closer ties, a Russian warship paid friendly visits to Canadian ports? What if, sailing entirely in Canadian waters, this Russian warship cruised down the St. Lawrence Seaway past Montreal and into Lake Ontario to Toronto? A waterway entirely on Canadian soil connects Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. What if this Russian Warship sails on into Lake Erie to Windsor and then into Lake St. Clair, thru another waterway and into Lake Huron? Here the forensics become uncertain. It's not clear if our Russian warship can make its way into Lake Superior while sailing entirely on the Canadian side of narrow waterways shared with the U.S.
Nevertheless, one can only imagine the righteous panic and the call to arms from the Neocons and their controlled media evoked by a Russian warship traveling entirely in foreign waters just as the USS Donald Cook has been doing. Just think, a Russian warship sailing within hailing distance of Rochester, Buffalo, Cleveland, Toledo and Detroit. Why that's an act of war! Where are Obama's fabled drones?