Ivan the Terrible

Bring the Tomcats back!!!

Dear President Putin,

What security threats? Afraid the Swedes are going to attack again?

Makes you wonder what they know that we don't?

Iran... N.Korea... U.S. still on the war path, and not slacking off (which I'm okay with)...

If I was Putin, I'd be nervous as heck.

Or I'd be seeing it as an opportunity (if I were Putin). With us tied down in Iraq and Afghanistan (and pretty much in no position to respond anywhere else), it's time for a return to the "glory years".

WTF is Putin thinking?? Is he gonna do a Hugo and appoint himself President for life next??

The Canadians can take em. F-18's are newly upgraded, just fine for chasing after bears and badgers.

Old Tanker,
Putin does not have to do it himself, he has several parlamentary committees and 'people's committees' already working on abolishing the term limits... "people" want Putin to stay, and like one of the historic Russian characters, he is too waiting for the people to come and beg him to stay longer, their only savior...
Even with all the other stuff in the Soviet Military in disarray, I am worried...

Putin is pissed about our moves in Eastern Europe and wants to play up to Iran, while, at the same time, reminding all of Europe that The Bear is still there and is still a major player. He is also pandering to his military who have never accepted their demotion to second class status.

It is hard to see these moves as a serious regeneration of cold war tensions, and even more, to see this as a very credible threat.

On the other hand, a week or so ago there was a story on the news about a fellow who killed a rattlesnake by beheading it with a shovel. He then picked up the head to throw it in the trash, and the head bit him. It was serious enough to send him to the hospital.

Lesson from that is that even a clearly beheaded rattlesnake can be dangerous if you aren't very, very careful.

I've never looked a rattler in his eyes and seen his soul. I choose to distrust every fricken one of them and stand ready to kill'em at the first threatening move.

Marine6 Sends

I think Joel's got it about right. Distraction and perceived weakness provide opportunities for adversaries to exploit. Having elements of our own political leadership harping on and on about being "stretched thin" and "breaking the force" doesn't help matters.

I don't think there's a serious return to the cold war or anything, but Putin bears watching. I heard somewhere that when you look into his eyes it's like he pulls the thoughts right out of your head, lays them out on the table, rearranges them, and puts them back in.

From that list, Oregon is getting BRAC'd in the next two years, Montana lost their F-16's and is waiting on F-15's as replacements, and Michigan was forced to swap their vipers for the BRAC'd Battle Creek A-10's. Fresno, CA has also not been assigned aircraft to replace their expiring F-16 airframes.

Oh yeah, and Canada seems to think that two squadrons of Bugs are sufficient to defend their borders and support their allies.

Meanwhile Russia and China are once again building up their forces of over 6000 Migs, Sukhois, Chengdus, and Xians. And selling them to anybody who has the cash - And this is just the fighter aircraft situation.

And they tell us that us Americans must be crazy for spending so "extravagantly" on our military. Riiiight.

No one has yet commented on Russia`s flight this week over Guam by long-range bombers, and then calling it `routine`.

As for Canada, a few squadrons of F-18`s aren`t much help when the majority are currently busy elsewhere. Were it not for NORAD, Elmendorff Air Base, and the other bases previously mentioned this country would be in seriously trouble.

Plus, it`s this civilian`s opinion that Russia has simply bided its` time and struck while our attention is elsewhere. With China as Russia`s closest ally, we are facing a threat like never before and now is not the time for either of our countries to be thinking of downsizing the Military. An increased reliance on technology isn`t going to do very much against opponents who have millions of troops.

It would have been far better if PM Harper had announced that there was going to be a joint American-Canadian base at Resolute Bay, instead of thinking this country is capable of facing the threat alone. That expanded base won`t be fully operational for years, In the meantime, there will be another federal election and if a Liberal government is elected, which I very much hope won`t happen, then America will have to face a virulent anti-American, `there is no War on Terror`, pro-illegal alien, anti-every-security-measure Prime Minister.

My fear is that this is going to be more than a threatened land-grab by Russia. The bear appears to be awakening from hibernation. We must put make certain it stays in its` den.

Veritas et Fidelis Semper

Montana is transitioning to the F-15. I don't know which C or E. I grew up in Havre:115 miles NE and Malta: about 200 miles NE. I remember whe they were F-89's! Not bad for a Navy Airplane Mechanic, eh?
The Montana Air Guard was the last reserve/guard unit to fly the F-106. And this was into the 80's, OK.
Oh yeah, they win at the meets. Montana boys know how to shoot from an early age. I got my first .22 when I was 7. In the early 60's it was still the wild west. Nuff said!

Mass air guard at Otis AB Cape Cod has F15. Florida ANG at Jacksonville has F16's