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Nuking Japan was done to warn the Russians that we would really use them if necessary. Japan was just a convenient and justifiable target.
Correct, the Russians broke the treaty they had with Japan and started invading the northern islands of Japan. US wanted to end the war immediately to hold the Russians at bay (and of course, to save American soldiers from dying in ground invasion).
So he did nuke it. You said that could never happen.
Russua and the US are fully capable and willing to use nukes.
Times are different. Back then there wasn't a concept of Mutually Assured Destruction, because only the US had nuke.
No one has used a nuclear weapon in the last 70 years. 70 years! Because of MAD, using nuclear weapon can mean the end of your own nation, and it has deterred the leaders of every nation (even crazy ones).
So, while it is correct to say that US and Russia are willing and capable of using a nuke, they would do absolutely everything to avoid it. It's really scary when you consider radar and communication equipment malfunction possibilities, like the time when the Russians thought (incorrectly) that the US launched rockets.
Times are different. Back then there wasn't a concept of Mutually Assured Destruction, because only the US had nuke.
No one has used a nuclear weapon in the last 70 years. 70 years! Because of MAD, using nuclear weapon can mean the end of your own nation, and it has deterred the leaders of every nation (even crazy ones).
So, while it is correct to say that US and Russia are willing and capable of using a nuke, they would do absolutely everything to avoid it. It's really scary when you consider radar and communication equipment malfunction possibilities, like the time when the Russians thought (incorrectly) that the US launched rockets.
Mick
There was still a living memory of it during the Cold War.
I don't see any evidence that Obama is rational or even in the viciniy of reality regarding Russia and nuclear war.
WW3 would be a war between 2 nuclear powers. It won't involve ground troops, tanks, drones or airplanes. You likely wouldn't hear any public sabre rattling. There would be no warning. There would be a massive nuclear strike by both sides. Then it would be over.
I think any war would start out conventionally, the problem would be when one side starts losing.
If there is ever World War III between Russia vs. the West, my prediction is that you will see the GOP tea party base align themselves with their hero Adolf Putin....
....all because they saw him naked riding a horse.
Go figure.
No US involvement in WW3. The EU and their neighbor's have an issue with US intervention so you'll have to make cuts in the socialist system and direct more mobney for defense. Maybe you will realize that the only way to address your enemy is to join the independant EU countries into the united states of europe. That of course would be hard to swallow and no longer could a 2 week meeting be scheduled for next winter in Bruge or Brussels to issue a nebulous rhetoric directive hinting at condemnation of Russia annexing Sweeden.
Sweeden vs Russia will be over in a heartbeat. The US will be the first to protest at the UN in the best EU traditon. Germany would balk because its oil comes form Russia. Obama aligned with Putin when he said, he would have more latitude after the election. Gave Russia the rest button. Bowed to putin's threats and reneged on missiles promised to Poland. Allowed Putin to take over crimea and shoot down a passenger plane. Obama unfroze over 100 billion $$$ to Iran terrorists. Backed off on his 'Assayd must go" statement. Had no issue with the empire state building celbrate the 60th anniversary of communist china.
It is clear who would align with Putin and its not the repubs.
Since Putin never rode a horse naked, that is a personal fantasy you're projecting on repubs.
Picture yourself as the president of the Russian Federation and along your entire western and southern borders are these nations which have joined a military alliance formed for only one purpose, to defend each other against you. What would you be doing or saying?
Now I think that Vladimir Putin is a kleptocrat and an xenophobic nationalist of the highest order but I can't see how any Russian leader would find the enlargement of NATO as a threat.
On edit: I forgot to add "paranoid."
Pretty much the entirety of Latin America is aligned against us and we pretty much accept it. You don't see us invading Cuba or Venezuela because they have Russian bases. You don't see us invade Mexico because it's right next to us. You don't see us invade the Philippines because it used to be our colony 100 years ago. You don't see us invade the Panama Canal because we're butthurt we had to give it back.
Russia IS Mexico with nukes; crooked and so on. The big difference is that Russia's population is dropping every year because of a very low birthrate AND their men dying too young.
One more thing to add. Russia has a higher murder rate than the USA.
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