"There will be an answer," Putin said. Asked to elaborate, he replied, "You'll see."

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-russia-latinamerica2_rodrigusep23,0,7936055.story

Moscow strengthens presence in U.S.' backyard

Answering eastward press by Washington, Russia flashes arms, chums up with Bush foes in Latin America

By Alex Rodriguez | Chicago Tribune correspondent
September 23, 2008

MOSCOW—When the Bush administration dispatched two U.S. warships to the Black Sea to deliver humanitarian aid to war-stricken Georgia, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin reacted with indignation and a warning.

"There will be an answer," Putin said during a visit to Uzbekistan. Asked to elaborate, he replied, "You'll see."

This month, the Kremlin has made it clear what Putin meant. It deployed two Russian strategic bombers to Venezuela to patrol Caribbean waters earlier this month, and on Monday it dispatched a navy squadron to Venezuela for military exercises.

The appearance of the Tu-160 bombers and the expected arrival of four Russian warships in a Latin American country run by one of the Bush administration's most outspoken foes, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, marks Moscow's clearest signal yet that it intends to ramp up its influence in Latin America if Washington persists in setting root in territory the Kremlin regards as its backyard.

[liberal N proud]

1. Republicans like to claim Reagan ended the cold war. bu$h just reignited it

[rateyes]

2. Bush is going to get us all killed. nt

[MaryEllen9399]

4. Bush is a dumbass

he's too stupid to realize putin does not play around.

[patrice]

3. That's called a "Sucker Punch".

[Rosa Luxemburg]

Russia really DOES have WMDs!

[bdamomma]

5. Putin is no someone not to fool around with.

ex KGB agent, maybe Putin is helping Chavez.

[kskiska]

6. And all these years of maintaining the Cuban embargo

will be coming home to roost.