The USA is at war with Russia.
No one in DC dares to admit it. Both sides still hide behind jargon, but its a fact. And Russia is going to be the first to recognize it outright.
That’s a quite a leap in the progression.
Small arms—->. Artillery —->. MLRS—->. NUKES!!!!!
I think you might be jumping a few steps.
As with former Russian rulers, Putin will do whatever he thinks he can get away with, regardless of what any other nation does. And that does not include launching nukes.
So comforting to know we have a senile old goat in the White House that couldn’t tell you what state he’s in if you gave him three guesses but has his finger on the nuclear trigger. Thanks, Dems. This nuclear war will ALL be on your bloody hands.
Of course, some people agree with the presidents of South Africa and Russia on the matter.
This article, links to this article here, and eventual links this transcript, of Dr. Colin Kahl, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy press briefing on June 1.
He made it clear then that the US is not sending ATACMs would not be given to Ukraine. This position has been repeated since then, including on August 25 (link) a week before the Kherson and Kharkiv counter offensives began.
Russia's statement of Moscow reserving its right to defend its territory has nothing to do with ATACMS. Ukraine just gave Russia the biggest upset since World War II. Putin has made no clear statement about using nuclear weapons or viewing ATACMS as a unacceptable escalation.
It gets hits and ad revenue, that's what counts.