Panama Canal opens for Russian warship

Panama Canal opens for Russian warship

www.austinnews.net

Russia has confirned it will send a warship through the Panama Canal for the first time since World War II.

The symbolic journey will see the Russian ship dock at a former US naval base.

In a humiliating gesture to the US, the Russian Navy announced it would visit the Rodman naval base; a name that Panama changed after it confiscated the base from the United States in 1999.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I wonder if this is something to keep an eye on or is it just an innocent message with nothing in it?

US officials have not expressed any concern over the visit, seeing it as payback for US involvement in Georgia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe.

The Georgia conflict may have settled somewhat, but it will never be forgotten and most definatetly not by Russia.

Calling it payback tells me it is more than nothing. What the Us did was send troops and engaged in conflicy with many lives lost. Dock a boat in a formerly US owned base is not payback unless something developes or is expected to develope.

www.austinnews.net
(visit the link for the full news article)

Originally posted by VIKINGANT
What the Us did was send troops and engaged in conflicy with many lives lost.

And what troops are you talking about? There were no US troops involved in that conflict. US troops were training their army prior to the war starting.

And last I checked, Panama owned the canal. Thanks, Jimmy Carter.

reply to post by jerico65


The US troops just 'happened' to be on a training excorsise around the time the conflict heated up. "Oh wow! I did not know that was going to happen...?!?!?"
And you are telling me the US military had NO involvement at all? Your kidding yourself.

And yes. The canal is now owned by Panama. and well it should be. which if you read is part of the point of the story. a Russian warship in a former US base.

Originally posted by VIKINGANT
The US troops just 'happened' to be on a training excorsise around the time the conflict heated up. "Oh wow! I did not know that was going to happen...?!?!?"
And you are telling me the US military had NO involvement at all? Your kidding yourself.

The Russian troops just "happened" to attack after they left? "Oh, wow! I didn't know they were there....?!?!?!!"

And you are telling me that the Russians didn't plan it that way? You're kidding yourself.

Originally posted by VIKINGANT
And yes. The canal is now owned by Panama. and well it should be. which if you read is part of the point of the story. a Russian warship in a former US base.

Yeah, I knew about that. Didn't have to read the story to find that little factoid out.

So Russia docking in this former US base means something like...

Russia is building up forces in the area for ???

Is that what you're thinking?

Help me here please.

The Russian troops just "happened" to attack after they left?

What? there was NO US representation at the height of it all? C'mon....

So apart from your "Poor USA, what did they ever do wrong?" stance, what is your take on this? an innocent berthing or an antagonistic move?

Originally posted by Rollinster
So Russia docking in this former US base means something like...

Russia is building up forces in the area for ???

Is that what you're thinking?

Help me here please.

That's my question. Is there something to read into it or do we just move on? There has been a bit of Russian activity around the area of late. Maybe it is just thier way of telling Obama not to follow in his predecessors footsteps. Maybe they are just stopping for supplies. Who knows?

The fact that it has happened and has been reported in the news, complete with an apparently dissmisive statement from US officials has me curious

[edit on 3/12/2008 by VIKINGANT]

reply to post by VIKINGANT


Right.

Well it's way too close for me, I'll tell you that.

Keep an eye on to see how long they stay...or what they leave.

Nice find.

Maybe a little slap to the US is all...maybe not.

Everything belongs to Panama, what's the big deal?

I am surprised they hadn't done it sooner.

Well regardless of what the media puts out...which 99% of the time is over inflated hype to what really goes on; the last time I checked Russia and the U.S. were still allies. If they want to stop at one of our old bases I don't see the problem nor does the U.S. military apparently. Sounds more like someone trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill. Russia is constantly saying they would like to continue to have good relations with the U.S. as well as the vise- a- versa. I see nothing wrong or humiliating with this at all and nothing to be concerned about. We are constantly stopping at allies bases with our warships.

[edit on 12/3/2008 by CaptGizmo]

[edit on 12/3/2008 by CaptGizmo]

Hey VIKINGANT, great catch.

I think that this is a slap in the face to the American Forces. The Russians are trying to do all that they can to pester us now and they will continue to pester the new, incoming president.
The Russians still have a navy, huh?? I hope that it's a new ship cause last time that I looked, most of their "fleet" was rusting or sinking along their docks.
Yes, I know that the Russians are getting rich again and they are building up the war machine again, but I think that they are jut trying to make the U.S. jumpy.

This is one area I'm not going to get too much worked up over. As a general rule, both when the US and now Panama controled the zone, it was amazing how easy it was for any nation we were not at war with, the use of the Panama canal. Usually required you just pay a fee. Actually, I would find it quite usefull to have Russian warships go through the canal. It would be a perfect way to get considerable technical data without locking horns.

Originally posted by VIKINGANT
So apart from your "Poor USA, what did they ever do wrong?" stance, what is your take on this? an innocent berthing or an antagonistic move?

Uh, really? Is that what you got from my posts? Sorry to hear that. Try giving them a re-read. And maybe do some research on what happened. Other than training their troops in a scheduled training rotation, that's all those guys were doing.

And since the Canal is owned by Panama, they can do whatever they want. Someone posted here that they are surprised that the Russians hadn't come thru the Canal before now. I have to agree with that.

Originally posted by jerico65

Originally posted by VIKINGANT
The US troops just 'happened' to be on a training excorsise around the time the conflict heated up. "Oh wow! I did not know that was going to happen...?!?!?"
And you are telling me the US military had NO involvement at all? Your kidding yourself.

The Russian troops just "happened" to attack after they left? "Oh, wow! I didn't know they were there....?!?!?!!"

And you are telling me that the Russians didn't plan it that way? You're kidding yourself.

Originally posted by VIKINGANT
And yes. The canal is now owned by Panama. and well it should be. which if you read is part of the point of the story. a Russian warship in a former US base.

Yeah, I knew about that. Didn't have to read the story to find that little factoid out.

what a ridiculas response, The georgians attacked south ossetia after being trained and equipped by the US who coincidently ended manovoers with the georgians on the border of south ossetia just days before, the Russians just responded to protecet their people (90% russian in south ossetia)
"And you are telling me that the Russians didn't plan it that way? You're kidding yourself."
yeah i must be if you say so.

The US could swat Russia and a bunch of other nations like a bug if necessary. We want them spending resources they don't have trying to catch up and show how tough they are. The economic recession in the US is an inconvenience to correct the markets. The US could be on a major war footing in months if it had to be. If the silly Russians do something to the Panama Canal a sea level canal could probably be built in a year be ignoring several treaties that would even accommodate supertankers.

I'm not sure I understand how this is a slap to the face of the US...I mean, maybe if they docked a ship at a base in Mexico or Canada, but Panama?

"Oooh look we have a ship at a base you owned decades ago and don't use any more neener neener neener"

or maybe,

"Oooh look we can disrupt a vital shipping route if we want, further spiraling the global economy into a depression, which will actually hurt us too but neener neener neener anyway"

It's funny they chose Panama though. They know what happens when they try to flex muscle farther north. *Cough* Cuban Missile Crisis *Cough*

Im not too concerned about this Russian ship going through the canal or Russia training with other foreign nations..We have joint training missions all the time with foreign nations and If I may add my two cents about U.S troops training Georgia forces..It is true, We had a small handful of advisors that were training the Georgians, Simple fact was that Georgia wanted to join NATO and sought out the U.S to help better train their army, Im going to say that either 5th or 10th SFG was responsible for the proper training and Im pretty sure about that and I also seem to think that those soldiers were there training them before the Russians entered Georgia and it really was a coincidence, I can further say that there was no U.S involvement during that siege,Their role was to train Georgian forces and to be seen as guests of that country.....

Originally posted by jerico65
Other than training their troops in a scheduled training rotation, that's all those guys were doing.

Is that all?

In response, Mr. Bush sent American troops to Georgia to oversee a "vigorous and ongoing" humanitarian mission, in a direct challenge to Russia's display of military dominance over the region. Mr. Bush demanded that Russia abide by the cease-fire and withdraw its forces or risk its place in "the diplomatic, political, economic and security structures of the 21st century." It was his strongest warning yet of potential retaliation against Russia over the conflict.

source
A 'humanitarian mission' accompanied by threats of pull out or else...?

Again, I mention the US have claimed that this is 'payback' for Georgia. Payback for what? If the US did nothing, why the payback?

Good find on that last article to Jericho Viking...I never heard that before but then gain so many of us were blinded by good old GWB and his bullstuff......