Russian Bombers Buzz the Nimitz

Cold War nostalgics and Putin paranoia mongers rejoice! From CNN:

American fighter jets intercepted two Russian bombers, one of which buzzed a U.S. aircraft carrier in the western Pacific on Saturday……

Russia's Defense Ministry said Tuesday that there was no violation of flight regulations during the incident. A ministry official said the flights are standard operating procedure for air force training.

One of them twice flew about 2,000 feet over the deck of the USS Nimitz Saturday……

The Russians and the U.S. carrier did not exchange verbal communications.

Four turboprop Tupolev-95 Bear bombers took off from Ukrainka Air Base, in Russia's Far East, in the middle of the night, Japanese officials told The Associated Press, adding that one of the planes violated Japanese airspace.

Russian bombers have been making flights over the western Pacific for several months

There have been eight incidents off Alaska since July. Among the latest, on September 5, six F-15s from Elmendorf Air Force Base, adjacent to Anchorage, Alaska, intercepted six Russian bombers about 50 miles from the northwest coast of Alaska.

Cathy Young on the complicated Vladimir Putin, back in January 2005 and subscribers should look for her latest feature reporting on Putin in a soon-forthcoming issue of reason.