Translation: Russia is gong to carpet-bomb Chechnyan civilians because they
think they can get away with it now.
"TonyZ2001" <tonyz2001@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20041206095632.23235.00001710@mb-m03.aol.com...
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2004/12/06/020.html
Monday, December 6, 2004. Page 4.
Air Force Defends Preventive Strikes
The Associated Press Russia may use its strategic bombers to unleash
preventive
strikes against terrorists outside its borders, Itar-Tass quoted Air Force
commander General Vladimir Mikhailov as saying.
Mikhailov's comments to the news agency were the most direct yet in
Russia's
rising rhetoric on attacking terrorists abroad. Defense Minister Sergei
Ivanov
has said that preventive strikes against terrorists could involve all
means
except nuclear, but has not specifically suggested using strategic
bombers.
"If ordered, our missile-carrier aircraft will attack the terrorists with
long-range, highly precise cruise missiles and aerial bombs. We will make
use
of everything we have," Mikhailov was quoted as saying Friday.
Itar-Tass commented that Russia had initiated discussion of preventive
strikes
over a year ago "due to Washington's regular employment of this method in
international affairs."
Russia would be unlikely to send strategic bombers to attack neighboring
Georgia, independent defense analyst Pavel Felgenhauer said.
"They are saying: 'Yes we can do this, we have this capability, more or
less,
we can attack but we are not planning to,'" Felgenhauer said.
.
