It's what I've said repeatedly. Russia can proclaim a readiness to use nukes all they want, but they are not going to start WWIII over a handful of conventional missiles attacking inside Russia.
If Ukraine launched a hundred or a thousand missiles (which they don't have) into Moscow, that might be a different story. But even then, what's the point of attacking the US directly? The most expedient way of dealing with that problem is blowing the Kiev regime out of existence which Russia can easily do using conventional weapons by killing Ukraine's command HQ and the entire Ukrainian political top. Not to mention every NATO weapons source inside Ukraine or the near abroad. Not to mention blowing up the satellites and aircraft the US is using to gather intelligence to support those missile launches.
None of that requires starting WWIII.
As Andrei Martyanov said the other day, Russia has escalation dominance with conventional weapons. They don't need to use nukes.
Between Ritter and the rest of the Judge Nap crowd, hyperbole does nothing to aid the discussion.
None of the above is meant to suggest that it is in any way a smart idea to escalate against Russia one more time. At some point, as Peskov said, direct attacks against NATO might well be in the cards. Article 5 of the NATO Charter really isn't relevant as NATO is a paper tiger with almost no ability to strike back at Russia, absent the US. And the US Pentagon is in no hurry to attack Russia (Iran is a different story.) So Russia may be considering doing so as a deterrent to the apparent NATO wish for a war with Russia by demonstrating how weak the European contingent of NATO actually is.
It would be interesting if Russia decides that in the course of making such a demonstration the Aegis Ashore installations in Romania and newly opened in Poland would be "accidentally" destroyed much like the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade was hit "accidentally" during that conflict.
But as I've also been saying, Putin has many options to retaliate against the US globally, such as in Syria, Iran, supplying weapons to Hezbollah and Yemen, etc.
Interesting that I saw an article yesterday which claimed "Russian weapons" were found in Hezbollah caches. First, of course "Russian weapons" would be found there. AK's are used by half the world, more than the US AR platform rifle. Second, any more advanced non-small arms are obviously in use by Hezbollah - they have many Russian antitank weapons, for example. Third, the question is why would Israel make a big deal about "Russian weapons"? There are two answers to that: 1) Israel wants to drag the US in by counting on US antipathy to Russia, and 2) Israel didn't originate that report, but the US neocons did.
one of the illusive enemies in all this is the propaganda, thanks the western media, which has been flying in overdrive for many years.. that is a tough enemy to take down, but on the other hand, anyone with a modicum of curiousity knows just how vacuous it really is... it does lead people astray regularly though... nothing has really changed here as i see it... it might, but this isn't it - yet... we'll see how it develops over the interm prior to trumps inauguration...
"anyone with a modicum of curiosity knows just how vacuous it really is"
That's the problem: in this high-speed world where we are constantly bombarded with information, who has the curiosity and the time to question the news/propaganda!?
Yes, if you make even just a small effort and you have some basic critical thinking skills, you will manage to understand how vacuous the propaganda is; otherwise, if you take the news at face value, you are brainwashed.
I am not American and do not live in America either. However, I get your point and agree with you: protesting outside the MSM may help, but boycotting it would be also a good starting point!
i am not american or living in the usa either! you are pretty quick to go on the offensive.. where do you live, and please tell us how it is different.. thanks...
yeah - to hate on the population is really going in the wrong direction - in all of history the main population is guided and actually saved by the few.
The missile crap is a publicity stunt and a meaningless action rooted in selfishness and ego. Very American and I'm an American. At this point, all that matters is winning at the front. That's it. Pick up the pace a bit and absolutely crush them - no quarter. Also, go ahead and finish off the "ukrainian" energy grid. Completely finish them and don't hesitate.
That this "missile crap" is a PR stunt is obvious from the fact that they used the alleged presence of North Korean troops in Ukraine as an excuse instead of the recent Russian missile strikes against the Ukrainian energy grid (it would have made more sense, in my humble opinion).
In any case, Russia is going to crash Ukraine... and NATO with it, regardless of nuclear actions.
Personally, I see this as a provocation: they want to lure Russia into attack NATO facilities outside Ukraine, so that they can blame it on Russia and declare World War 3, but Putin is smart and he is not taking the bait!
Allegedly they have satellite images of hundreds or thousands of Koreans in Ukraine. LOL! That's bollocks! How can they distinguish Koreans from Russians (or Ukrainians or any other human being) from space?
"The missile attack to test Russian endurance is there, but in Russia it surprises no one, as the Bryansk region has long been under constant attack by other weapons systems (drones, missile artillery) and conceptually last night's attack changes little.
[...]If Moscow shows zero tolerance for these provocations and responds in kind [...] If not, the missile attacks will continue, and no longer only in the border regions, but throughout European Russia all the way to Moscow."
So, the argument is:
- The last missile attack conceptually changes little [I would say nothing at all]
- If Russia responds with an escalation to an attack that changed little [or nothing], then NATO won't escalate further
- If Russia doesn't respond with an escalation to an attack that changed little [or nothing], then NATO will escalate to a degree that is GUARANTEED to provoke a Russian escalatory response
How does it follow that "the missile attacks will continue all the way to Moscow?" Really, this argument makes no sense. Clearly, this recent pathetically weak joke of an attack was nowhere near crossing a Russian red line. Clearly, a missile strike on Moscow would be crossing a Russian red line. So, how do you test a Russian red line with an attack so weak that no reasonable person could see it as crossing a Russian red line? And why would a lack of the Russian response to such a pathetic nothing burger attack that can't be taken seriously as crossing a red line increase the likelihood of NATO doing something that is certain to result in an escalation? This way of reasoning reminds me of Vietnam war logic, if we don't defeat the Commies in Vietnam, next thing you know the Commies will be invading US mainland. If Russia doesn't respond to this nothing burger, next thing you know the USA will be striking the Kremlin with missiles, even though that is understood by everyone as something that is almost guaranteed to escalate to mutually assured destruction. Great reasoning...
It's what I've said repeatedly. Russia can proclaim a readiness to use nukes all they want, but they are not going to start WWIII over a handful of conventional missiles attacking inside Russia.
If Ukraine launched a hundred or a thousand missiles (which they don't have) into Moscow, that might be a different story. But even then, what's the point of attacking the US directly? The most expedient way of dealing with that problem is blowing the Kiev regime out of existence which Russia can easily do using conventional weapons by killing Ukraine's command HQ and the entire Ukrainian political top. Not to mention every NATO weapons source inside Ukraine or the near abroad. Not to mention blowing up the satellites and aircraft the US is using to gather intelligence to support those missile launches.
None of that requires starting WWIII.
As Andrei Martyanov said the other day, Russia has escalation dominance with conventional weapons. They don't need to use nukes.
Between Ritter and the rest of the Judge Nap crowd, hyperbole does nothing to aid the discussion.
None of the above is meant to suggest that it is in any way a smart idea to escalate against Russia one more time. At some point, as Peskov said, direct attacks against NATO might well be in the cards. Article 5 of the NATO Charter really isn't relevant as NATO is a paper tiger with almost no ability to strike back at Russia, absent the US. And the US Pentagon is in no hurry to attack Russia (Iran is a different story.) So Russia may be considering doing so as a deterrent to the apparent NATO wish for a war with Russia by demonstrating how weak the European contingent of NATO actually is.
It would be interesting if Russia decides that in the course of making such a demonstration the Aegis Ashore installations in Romania and newly opened in Poland would be "accidentally" destroyed much like the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade was hit "accidentally" during that conflict.
But as I've also been saying, Putin has many options to retaliate against the US globally, such as in Syria, Iran, supplying weapons to Hezbollah and Yemen, etc.
Interesting that I saw an article yesterday which claimed "Russian weapons" were found in Hezbollah caches. First, of course "Russian weapons" would be found there. AK's are used by half the world, more than the US AR platform rifle. Second, any more advanced non-small arms are obviously in use by Hezbollah - they have many Russian antitank weapons, for example. Third, the question is why would Israel make a big deal about "Russian weapons"? There are two answers to that: 1) Israel wants to drag the US in by counting on US antipathy to Russia, and 2) Israel didn't originate that report, but the US neocons did.
one of the illusive enemies in all this is the propaganda, thanks the western media, which has been flying in overdrive for many years.. that is a tough enemy to take down, but on the other hand, anyone with a modicum of curiousity knows just how vacuous it really is... it does lead people astray regularly though... nothing has really changed here as i see it... it might, but this isn't it - yet... we'll see how it develops over the interm prior to trumps inauguration...
"anyone with a modicum of curiosity knows just how vacuous it really is"
That's the problem: in this high-speed world where we are constantly bombarded with information, who has the curiosity and the time to question the news/propaganda!?
Yes, if you make even just a small effort and you have some basic critical thinking skills, you will manage to understand how vacuous the propaganda is; otherwise, if you take the news at face value, you are brainwashed.
I reiterate to you here again and again.
Protest outside the MSM (mainstream media).
BUT do you Americans do anything?
I am not American and do not live in America either. However, I get your point and agree with you: protesting outside the MSM may help, but boycotting it would be also a good starting point!
I am not American either. I have lived in 4 different countries during my life.
I float around distressed by each countries politics.
There are so many stupid people in each country they will still read Mainstream media and still watch their TV's.
MY point is: Make these so-called Journalists uncomfortable going to work.
Make placards: YOU are responsible for GENOCIDE.
i am not american or living in the usa either! you are pretty quick to go on the offensive.. where do you live, and please tell us how it is different.. thanks...
yeah - to hate on the population is really going in the wrong direction - in all of history the main population is guided and actually saved by the few.
I'm beginning to smell hatred of Americans here.... regardless of who we are, what we've done or think. I might ignore this place in the future.
Ann.
Your population took no notice of the hundreds of coup d'etats....overthrowing Sovereign nations and fomenting wars.
Keep on shopping.
Not much different here in France. We are puppets of the USA.
I am not from France/lived in the US/UK and born in Sri Lanka..
I don't want a passport...it would be nice to have an international one.
The missile crap is a publicity stunt and a meaningless action rooted in selfishness and ego. Very American and I'm an American. At this point, all that matters is winning at the front. That's it. Pick up the pace a bit and absolutely crush them - no quarter. Also, go ahead and finish off the "ukrainian" energy grid. Completely finish them and don't hesitate.
That this "missile crap" is a PR stunt is obvious from the fact that they used the alleged presence of North Korean troops in Ukraine as an excuse instead of the recent Russian missile strikes against the Ukrainian energy grid (it would have made more sense, in my humble opinion).
In any case, Russia is going to crash Ukraine... and NATO with it, regardless of nuclear actions.
Personally, I see this as a provocation: they want to lure Russia into attack NATO facilities outside Ukraine, so that they can blame it on Russia and declare World War 3, but Putin is smart and he is not taking the bait!
Correct Ismaele.
Everyone now takes images............where are the Koreans in Russia?
Propaganda machine in full flow.
I KEEP saying.
IF you US people can get off you FAT backsides and protest outside Mainstream Media it would help.
NO you sit there every fucking day and ignore reality.
Allegedly they have satellite images of hundreds or thousands of Koreans in Ukraine. LOL! That's bollocks! How can they distinguish Koreans from Russians (or Ukrainians or any other human being) from space?
Ha.
Thank fuck for that!
This is some rather strange reasoning.
"The missile attack to test Russian endurance is there, but in Russia it surprises no one, as the Bryansk region has long been under constant attack by other weapons systems (drones, missile artillery) and conceptually last night's attack changes little.
[...]If Moscow shows zero tolerance for these provocations and responds in kind [...] If not, the missile attacks will continue, and no longer only in the border regions, but throughout European Russia all the way to Moscow."
So, the argument is:
- The last missile attack conceptually changes little [I would say nothing at all]
- If Russia responds with an escalation to an attack that changed little [or nothing], then NATO won't escalate further
- If Russia doesn't respond with an escalation to an attack that changed little [or nothing], then NATO will escalate to a degree that is GUARANTEED to provoke a Russian escalatory response
How does it follow that "the missile attacks will continue all the way to Moscow?" Really, this argument makes no sense. Clearly, this recent pathetically weak joke of an attack was nowhere near crossing a Russian red line. Clearly, a missile strike on Moscow would be crossing a Russian red line. So, how do you test a Russian red line with an attack so weak that no reasonable person could see it as crossing a Russian red line? And why would a lack of the Russian response to such a pathetic nothing burger attack that can't be taken seriously as crossing a red line increase the likelihood of NATO doing something that is certain to result in an escalation? This way of reasoning reminds me of Vietnam war logic, if we don't defeat the Commies in Vietnam, next thing you know the Commies will be invading US mainland. If Russia doesn't respond to this nothing burger, next thing you know the USA will be striking the Kremlin with missiles, even though that is understood by everyone as something that is almost guaranteed to escalate to mutually assured destruction. Great reasoning...
IT WON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE TO THE WAR ON THE FRONT LINES, WHICH RUSSIA IS CLEARLY WINING. Now shut the fuck up and stop wetting your pants.
Can you please moderate your language and avoid shouting (ALL CAPS)?
I do not have the time to moderate my posts, so, please consider it as a first and final warning. Next time you will be banned. Thank you.
Gosh, I see a capitalized word in the post to which I'm responding.