The threat on Russian People

@what_game_is_this said in #7:
> The nukes now are not nearly as strong as they were.
I don't know what you have smoked, but I want some too.
@NaturalBornTraveller said in #10:
> Nonsense... If we nuke them first, they don't have a chance to retaliate.
I seriously hope this post is sarcastic... Otherwise I would feel compelled to ask which part of "mutually assured destruction" does not imply that the destruction would be mutual.

They could retaliate as soon as they detect missiles going their way, before even being hit. And they could still retaliate after being hit, because it is unlikely you would destroy every nuclear base of them at once.

@thenceforth there is no serious threat of a nuclear war at this stage.
No one would want that, no one would profit from that.

@NaturalBornTraveller why are you replying to something entirely different from what I said?

I wasn't discussing the likelihood of a nuclear war. I was simply refuting your initial claim that "If we nuke them first, they don't have a chance to retaliate."

This is an hypothetical statement "if A then B". The validity (or lack thereof) of such an hypothetical statement does not depend on how likely A is to happen.

@NaturalBornTraveller said in #12:
> @thenceforth there is no serious threat of a nuclear war at this stage.
> No one would want that, no one would profit from that.

Russia has a nuclear doctrine that allows their use if the territorial integrity of Russia is threatened. Russia has made repeatedly clear that this includes the territory that has been annexed from Ukraine and officially incorporated into the Russian Federation.
Theoretically they could start with a small tactical nuke in Ukraine. This would not be an attack on any NATO nation and would therefore not necessitate a response from NATO. However, that *would* put the ball in NATO's court. Knowing how generals act, they would pressure Biden to have some kind of vigorous response "to not show weakness". Ukraine will always take the position that Russia is bluffing - but Ukraine is facing an existential threat and therefore thinks that they have nothing to lose.

@thenceforth said in #13:
> I wasn't discussing the likelihood of a nuclear war. I was simply refuting your initial claim that "If we nuke them first, they don't have a chance to retaliate."

In that case... Then I wasn't being satirical, on the contrary, I would love and welcome the bomb.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=mzddAYYDZkk

@Gitananda said in #14:
> Russia has a nuclear doctrine that allows their use if the territorial integrity of Russia is threatened.

I feel very confident, that if wanting to, Putin would use a nuclear weapon, irregardless of whatever any Russian constitutional doctrine says.

> Russia has made repeatedly clear that this includes the territory that has been annexed from Ukraine and officially incorporated into the Russian Federation.
Clear no. Vaguely hinting at it, yes.

> Theoretically they could start with a small tactical nuke in Ukraine. This would not be an attack on any NATO nation and would therefore not necessitate a response from NATO.
Yeah... That would not sit well with China, India or any other countries for that matter.
If Russia drops a nuke, they would lose all favor from whatever countries still haven't sanctioned them yet.

> However, that *would* put the ball in NATO's court.
No that would make Russia everyone's enemy.

> Knowing how generals act, they would pressure Biden to have some kind of vigorous response "to not show weakness".
Have you meet many generals in your life?

> Ukraine will always take the position that Russia is bluffing - but Ukraine is facing an existential threat and therefore thinks that they have nothing to lose.
When it comes to nuclear war, we all have something to loose.

@NaturalBornTraveller

Do you believe that Russia views Crimea and other territories annexed from Ukraine as integral to Russia as Moscow is?

@Gitananda said in #17:
> @NaturalBornTraveller
>
> Do you believe that Russia views Crimea and other territories annexed from Ukraine as integral to Russia as Moscow is?

I think ( and he has publicly stated ) that Putin dreams of reconquering all the former nations that the Soviet Union held under their iron fist.

@Mopman said in #2:
> Then we must hope that their current dictator Putin does not act like previous dictators and want to destroy everything rather than risk losing his power.
Dictators are dictators but Putin is not one. No I don't support the war but Putin is a really good leader. Who said that leaders should not start wars. Leaders like Biden , Macron and Netanyahu are the real war Criminals.

@Mopman said in #18:
> I think ( and he has publicly stated ) that Putin dreams of reconquering all the former nations that the Soviet Union held under their iron fist.
Lenin was the person who rebuilt Russia. Did you know that in the Great Depression while alk the other countries were declining the soviet union grew. Remember , A bad leader doesn't mean a bad nation. Every country has a bad one.