Cuban Missile Crisis: Part deux

Well, old Pootey-Poot Putin is trying to draw attention to his anger at the U.S. plans for a missile shield in Europe. According to some news reports, he’s drumming up an accord with Castro to allow his nuclear-capable bombers refuel in the Caribbean nation. See this Reuters report.
     And a 5UTR reader writes that an article on Izvestia.ru says “that Russian planes (not bombers) have conducted reconnaissance missions in Cuba and that there are discussions about constructing Russian airbases for nuclear bombers in Cuba, Venezuela and Algiers. Hugo Chavez, who is currently visiting Russian heads of state, has expressed excitement about the prospect. The article also claims that the Russian Department of Defense openly acknowledges that these bases would be built as a direct response to the proposed American missile shields in Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as eastward NATO expansion.”
     Here’s a story that’s sure to get buried by Beijing Olympics coverage…