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> decide to take the world with them? Russia always threatens the nuclear option so while it shouldn't be ignored by defense agencies it also shouldn't be take

> decide to take the world with them? Russia always threatens the nuclear option so while it shouldn't be ignored by defense agencies it also shouldn't be taken __too__ seriously. In order for the nuclear option to be used over sanctions there would need to be suicidally homicidal people in place from the top to the people turning the keys in the Russian regime and I think that's pretty unlikely. The sanctions can be unwound and Russia can at least recover to the point of getting by if not better, individuals with means can emigrate with their family, all for the price of one humiliating military defeat that is vastly overshadowed by the economic devastation their actions have wrought. I find it hard to think that most Russians would rather blow up the world than take that option.

tragictrash 5y ago
Putin is unstable, and him losing power would make him fight like hell and potentially act exactly as you say, suicidal and homicidal. We have exactly that in power right now. Putin wasn't rational before, and now he's at risk of losing power. I think it's more grave than anyone wants to admit. He's an animal backed into a corner. It's not 'russians' calling the shots here, it's one Russian who is unstable and making very poor tactical decisions.
- ledauphin 5y ago
  the counterbalance to this is (as always) the members of the military. They, too, are human beings, and it takes more than one or two of them to cause actual nuclear weapons to actually launch. On many occasions in history, wars have stopped because too many people in the military decided that their political "masters" were too insane to be obeyed. We can hope that this pattern would repeat itself.
- nyokodo 5y ago
  > Putin is unstable, and him losing power would make him fight like hell If Putin can single-handedly cause the rockets to launch then your fear is possibly rational. However, if there are any other people in the loop at all then Putin is unlikely to convince everyone else to commit murder suicide on the entire planet.
  - tragictrash 5y ago
    Makes me feel a little more hopeful about the future, thanks for responding
imtringued 5y ago
Putin is an oligarch, he considers the war in Ukraine worth it because it benefits him personally. Another cold war isn't impossible but Putin isn't doing this to destroy the west. Who is he going to sell his oil to?

tragictrash 5y ago

Putin is unstable, and him losing power would make him fight like hell and potentially act exactly as you say, suicidal and homicidal. We have exactly that in power right now. Putin wasn't rational before, and now he's at risk of losing power. I think it's more grave than anyone wants to admit. He's an animal backed into a corner. It's not 'russians' calling the shots here, it's one Russian who is unstable and making very poor tactical decisions.

ledauphin 5y ago
the counterbalance to this is (as always) the members of the military. They, too, are human beings, and it takes more than one or two of them to cause actual nuclear weapons to actually launch. On many occasions in history, wars have stopped because too many people in the military decided that their political "masters" were too insane to be obeyed. We can hope that this pattern would repeat itself.
nyokodo 5y ago
> Putin is unstable, and him losing power would make him fight like hell If Putin can single-handedly cause the rockets to launch then your fear is possibly rational. However, if there are any other people in the loop at all then Putin is unlikely to convince everyone else to commit murder suicide on the entire planet.
- tragictrash 5y ago
  Makes me feel a little more hopeful about the future, thanks for responding

imtringued 5y ago

Putin is an oligarch, he considers the war in Ukraine worth it because it benefits him personally. Another cold war isn't impossible but Putin isn't doing this to destroy the west. Who is he going to sell his oil to?