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Bastion 2009 Military Drills Begin Today in Cuba

CUBA, November 27, 2009.- The Bastion-2009 strategic military exercises begin on Thursday across Cuba with the objective of preparing the country´s defense.

During three days, the structures of command from the highest authorities will train their mechanisms to strengthen their preparation under the leadership of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC).

The Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) will carry out command and tactic exercises and maneuvers with troops in the theater of operations and this includes the movement of forces and equipment, artillery exercises, air force flights and other actions.

“The most important Cuban military drills in five years will take place with austerity but efficiently,” said recently the deputy Chief of Armed Forces´ General Staff, Div. Gen. Leonardo Andollo, who added that, due to the current financial and economic limitations, the exercise will not have a massive nature.

However, due to the military-political situation that characterizes the confrontation between Cuba and the US Government, Bastion-2009 is a basic necessity and it also aims at increasing the deterring capacity to frustrate any aggression against the island based on the principle that the best way to win a war is avoiding it.

After the exercise, the nation will celebrate the National Defense Day on Sunday with the participation of nearly four million people, who will take part in activities to protect the population and the economy and in the training of reserve units and the Territorial Militias, top military authorities announced.

Div. Gen. Jose Milian, Vice Minister of the Interior Ministry, announced that officials and troops from his ministry will also participate in the drills.

To believe that a military aggression against Cuba by the United States is possible is not ludicrous as the Caribbean nation remains in Washington’s list of “terrorist” countries and the US Government still regards Havana as “a threat” to its interests. (Cubaminrex-RHC)

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