|
|
|
|
|
|
Resources |
|
|
|
Nuclear-Free Pacific's Hidden Price Tag
| Article
# : |
10039 |
|
|
Section : |
CURRENT ISSUES
|
| Issue
Date : |
4 / 1986 |
2,852 Words |
| Author
: |
Laura Reynolds
Laura Reynolds is an analyst for the Maldon Institute,
Washington, D.C. |
Proponents of neutrality in Oceania and the island nations of the Pacific are driving U.S. ships and submarines from their ports in efforts to safeguard their vicinity from the possibility of nuclear destruction. But investigation into the real motives behind these calls for peace reveals strong evidence that rather than a nuclear-free Pacific, the result may be a democracy-free Pacific.
Soviet presence
Moscow's escalating drive to become a world power in the Pacific Ocean commenced as soon as General Giap's tanks rolled into Saigon in May 1975.
The Soviets immediately moved to take over the former U.S. base at Danang and to obtain exclusive rights to the deep-water harbor at Cam Ranh Bay. For the past four years, the Soviet Union has had a major military presence centered there including communications and intelligence collection facilities.
The Cam Ranh harbor supports more than 25 ships of the Soviet Navy on permanent duty in the South China Sea. Soviet Tu-95 BEAR D long-range reconnaissance and BEAR F antisubmarine warfare aircraft are deployed there, monitoring U.S. naval activities in the region, including the U.S. base at Subic Bay in the Philippines. Three years ago, the Soviets began to expand at Cam Ranh, adding about a dozen medium-range Tu-16 BADGERs in their strike, tanker, and electronic combat variants.
The Soviet military buildup at Vladivostok continues apace. In addition to its ballistic missile submarines, and now a carrier
... (1994 of 17969 Characters)
Read Full Article
|
|
