Lawrence Kadish: The Russians are Coming
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20711/the-russians-are-coming\
The Russians are coming. Again.
In a dramatic reminder that the Russians are seeking to intimidate the White House and launch a second chapter of the Cold War, a Russian nuclear-powered submarine, along with an accompanying flotilla of warships, recently spent five days visiting Cuba. In the event, the Oval Office missed the point; several of these vessels can deploy nuclear-tipped cruise missiles.
Published reports suggest the Biden Administration’s response is studied indifference, telling reporters that missile test firings off the Florida coast by the Russian vessels were routine.
Hardly.
Putin’s navy is reminding the United States that it has recaptured the Soviet Union’s ability to project naval power where and when it wants. And by extension, that if it wishes to send a potent reminder that it has the coordinates of America’s cities if it ever came to unleashing the unimaginable, it doesn’t need to base ballistic missiles in Cuba.
This display of military power by an adversary on the march is not something that has gone unnoticed by the American public. In a recent poll conducted by McLaughlin Associates, it becomes clear that our citizens are seeking strong, resolute, and unequivocal national leadership at a time of historic international tensions.
An overwhelming 88% of those surveyed said they were concerned about the prospect of a new Cold War, and more than half of the respondents feel that America’s national security has declined. In addition, Putin’s saber-rattling in Havana Harbor is a reminder that some 54% of Americans responding to the survey believe Putin is capable of using nuclear weapons against the United States.
The findings come at a time when Americans will be asked who will occupy the Oval Office for the next four years. It is a sobering reminder that at a time when we are witnessing political wrangling here at home, there are serious external threats that seek to challenge our nation’s future. It would be wise to appreciate that while Putin’s navy may have departed Havana Harbor, they left behind a message for every American.
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