Russian President Vladimir Putin late last week put his nation’s nuclear-equipped bombers back on regular combat patrols, something the country hasn’t done since the early 1990s. Various news reports indicated that the Bush Administration does not consider this move worrying, despite recent cooling of relations between Moscow and Washington. And, Putin in his announcement expects “understanding” from other countries. He noted, too, that Russia’s strategic crews had been grounded too long. The bombers, which may or may not fly with nuclear weapons, are expected to fly over Russian sea routes and economic zones.
The U.S. continued to move a significant amount of airpower toward the Middle East in recent days as talks to forge a nuclear deal with Iran hung in the balance. Flight tracking data indicate there was unusually heavy movement of dozens of fighter jets and other assets that might be…
