Mad Vlad Gets Nukes Ready

[Stickybottle]

https://news.sky.com/story/russia-vladimir-putin-orders-military-command-to-put-nuclear-deterrence-forces-on-high-alert-12553278

He is doing so because of aggressive statements by NATO

He has gone utterly mad

[naomi24]

I think the fact that it’s happening in the 21st century is exactly what makes it so shocking. We always think it can never happen and we’re always wrong.

[Stickybottle]

naomi24
I think the fact that it’s happening in the 21st century is exactly what makes it so shocking. We always think it can never happen and we’re always wrong.
———-
Exactly
Putin has turned the clock back to the Cuban missile crisis era

But far worse

[ichkeria]

It is worse because at least Krushchev headed a Soviet Union which had an ideology and an empire objectionable tho that was.
Putin is the capo of a nuke-toting gangster clique. The worry is if the world doesn’t let him play by his own appalling rules he’ll take his ball away and everything else with it.
As it stands that’s a sobering thought.
Ukraine has humiliated him and he’s not happy

[grumpy01]

I agree he needs “taking out” but how can it be done? Probably a drone on the Kremlin would be the only viable way other ways would cause unnecessary loss of very brave lives.Taking him out though would no doubt exacerbated the problem.

[gulliver1]

Putin needs Swift .....a Swift Bullet , very very Swiftly.

[Paul22118]

To bring this to an end quickly, it is in the hands of his army Generals. Should they choose to regain respect and stability of Russia in the world's eyes, he must be removed from office. They could do it but need to have the will. They know what is going on and they can see what we see - unlike the average Russian citizen.

[Khandro]

I'm completely mystified; the Donbass region I could just about understand, but this is total insanity. I think he has become unbalanced & dangerous. Of all the invective being rightfully poured on him, I wonder if there isn't an element of truth on the cardboard sign being held up by this Ukrainian guy at the top of of this morning's front page, :0)

https://ibb.co/c2chFsm

[davebro]

he probably just wants to out with a bang!

[tiggerblue10]

He is clever and calculating and knows what he is doing, which is more dangerous than simply just being mad. Hes a modern day Hitler who has no sense of humanity. Just pure evil.

[Old_Geezer]

It's likely sabre rattling. Should he give the order for first use the chances must be that he'd lose so much support that he'd get a refusal and be removed. Were he to opt to use one he could probably expect one back in return. Unsure how many are needed to cause a nuclear winter and destruction of most life on the planet. The Kremlin will know this though, which is why it's very unlikely to be followed through. An "unfortunate accident" would be more likely.

[jim360]

// He is clever and calculating and knows what he is doing, which is more dangerous than simply just being mad. //

We should be careful not to give Putin too much credit. It's transparently obvious that this has already gone far from how Putin had expected. If this was indeed calculated, then he's bad at maths.

[Stickybottle]

Old_Geezer
An "unfortunate accident" would be more likely.
———-
The possibility of accidentally releasing a nuclear missile in the 21st century is so remote it is deemed to be virtually impossible

The command and control procedures along with authentication protocols alone would deem it non-accidental

Atm the best we can hope for as I have already said is a military coup or Sadat style assassination

[Stickybottle]

jim360
// He is clever and calculating and knows what he is doing, which is more dangerous than simply just being mad. //

We should be careful not to give Putin too much credit. It's transparently obvious that this has already gone far from how Putin had expected. If this was indeed calculated, then he's bad at maths.
———
Absolutely
It is a vanity project
The last throw of the dice for a megalomaniac who is trying to ensure a legacy by returning the USSR to its former glory

It is destined to fail

Badly

[sevenOP]

Old_Geezer : "Should he give the order for first use"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_first_use#Countries_against_no-first-use_policy

[naomi24]

SevenOP, unsurprisingly I think you might find that Russia's word is not Putin's bond.

[Khandro]

Putin does not sit at his desk with his finger on an actual button, physical control of the unlock and launch authorisation codes resides with the military (the general staff has direct access to these codes), and can initiate a missile attack with or without the permission of Putin or political superiors.

Throughout the Cold War, nuclear conflict was prevented by “mutually assured destruction”, the principle that if one country fired a nuke and the other retaliated then both would be destroyed.

Most experts predict that nuclear war would never happen, due to the enormous potential cost of life & infrastructure.

[jim360]

Presumably, most experts agree on this on the principle that most leaders are rational, and wish their country to survive. But, supposing a State to be on the verge of collapse, it might not be that surprising if a megalomaniac leader decided to launch on the grounds that "if we go, they go down with us".

I don't *think* Putin's near this point yet. Presumably this War would have to escalate a long way to see such madness seriously contemplated. But it is at least clear that such leaders exist and have existed in the past. Luckily, none of them had access to such weapons.

[Ken4155]

May look like a child has scribbled over a map of the world, but it's actually quite scary.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/sciencetech/video-2007354/Video-Simulation-reveals-bleak-outcome-Russia-nuclear-war.html

[ToraToraTora]

Jim, yes but I think if the megalomaniac in question was about to start a Nuclear war that would get us all killed, those close to him would prevent it and probably overthrow the afore mentioned megalomaniac. I could understand them using nukes if they were under attack and their very existence threatened but in reality the Russian regime would not want Armageddon any more than the rest of us. It's also quite possible that those close to Putin may see this as a way to get rid of him and move towards a friendlier stance with the west, even perhaps in time becoming a democracy themselves. Let's hope there are some courageous people close to Putin.

[jim360]

// Jim, yes but I think if the megalomaniac in question was about to start a Nuclear war that would get us all killed, those close to him would prevent it and probably overthrow the afore mentioned megalomaniac.//

It depends on their loyalty. A megalomanic that has surrounded himself with yes-men would be harder to stop than one that hasn't yet cleared the room of sane people.

All of this is hypothetical. At the moment I think Putin is just posturing -- although to what end is anybody's guess, since things are rapidly getting away from him, thank goodness.

Also, to Ken's video: A strange game. The only winning move is not to play.