[FlameOn]

Cold war redux! Putin reached an agreement with Cuba to reopen the cold war era Lourdes Signals Intelligence base to "keep tabs on a potential enemy". What the heck is Putin thinking? In this sensitive time I really don't think he could do any worse than he is now. Was a small fire before and it just seems like now he's running around pouring gasoline on everything.

Russia has agreed to reopen a spy base in Cuba that provided critical intelligence on the US during the Cold War, according to reports published this week. Details of the purported agreement have not been disclosed, and it's not yet clear whether the move is strategic or symbolic. But experts say the apparent rekindling of Cold War-era alliances underscores Moscow's efforts to extend its sphere of influence at a time when US-Russia relations continue to deteriorate.

On Wednesday, Russian business newspaper Kommersant reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Cuban counterpart, Raúl Castro, have agreed to reopen the Lourdes surveillance post, located about 150 miles from Florida. Putin denied the report, telling Russian journalists that the country "can meet its defense needs without this component," though Reuters later corroborated Kommersant, citing a Russian security source.

The Lourdes base was closed in 2001, ostensibly as a cost-cutting measure. But Kommersant, citing unnamed Russian security sources, said the country's influx of oil and gas revenue has allowed it to restart operations. Chilled relations with the US reportedly spurred the decision as well, with the paper saying that officials see Lourdes as a way for Russia to keep tabs on a "potential enemy."

http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/18/59...y-base-in-cuba