Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

How World War III became possible
Vox (Vox.com) ^ | June 29, 2015 | Max Fisher

Posted on 07/01/2015 3:07:23 PM PDT by Navy Patriot

It was in August 2014 that the real danger began, and that we heard the first warnings of war. That month, unmarked Russian troops covertly invaded eastern Ukraine, where the separatist conflict had grown out of its control. The Russian air force began harassing the neighboring Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which are members of NATO. The US pledged that it would uphold its commitment to defend those countries as if they were American soil, and later staged military exercises a few hundred yards from Russia's border.

Both sides came to believe that the other had more drastic intentions. Moscow is convinced the West is bent on isolating, subjugating, or outright destroying Russia. One in three Russians now believe the US may invade. Western nations worry, with reason, that Russia could use the threat of war, or provoke an actual conflict, to fracture NATO and its commitment to defend Eastern Europe. This would break the status quo order that has peacefully unified Europe under Western leadership, and kept out Russian influence, for 25 years.

Fearing the worst of one another, the US and Russia have pledged to go to war, if necessary, to defend their interests in the Eastern European borderlands. They have positioned military forces and conducted chest-thumping exercises, hoping to scare one another down. Putin, warning repeatedly that he would use nuclear weapons in a conflict, began forward-deploying nuclear-capable missiles and bombers.

Europe today looks disturbingly similar to the Europe of just over 100 years ago, on the eve of World War I...

(Excerpt) Read more at vox.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 201408; crimea; donetsk; estonia; europeanunion; latvia; lithuania; nato; nuclearweapons; putinsbuttboys; russia; ukraine; vladtheimploder; war; world; worldwariii; worldwarthree; wwiii
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-70 next last
To: gingerbread

The UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Poland etc. ought to have enough vested interest, and military capability to fend off any Russian aggression.


21 posted on 07/01/2015 3:54:49 PM PDT by truth_seeker (come with the outlws.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Paladin2
If only Russia would go all in on repelling Islam globally, things would be fine.

The Russian Federation has a Muslim population around 20%. Anywhere else in the world 20% Muslim would control the host nation's policy totally. But it's not so in Russia, who has the additional knowledge gained from the most heinous Muslim atrocities perpetrated against a peaceful civilian population in modern history.

It is Putin, the bureaucrat, that defended and successfully responded to these, and is willing to respond to other threats (real or perceived) to Russia.

For Putin to be "all in" against Islam would be for Russia to carry the weight the United States should bear against Islam, while the US arms and supports Radical terrorist Islam in "Arab Spring" Middle East "rebel" insurrections and coups, and protects Muslim terrorist and criminals in Serbia and Kosovo.

It is unlikely that Russia can defeat Islam, all in or not, with the US supporting it anywhere it can.

It also puts Russia in a "use 'em or lose 'em" situation with it's strategic thermonuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, which Russia has just finished thoroughly modernizing.

A better option would be for the US to go "all in" against Islam.

22 posted on 07/01/2015 4:04:10 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (America, a Rule of Mob nation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Navy Patriot
How World War III became possible


23 posted on 07/01/2015 4:04:58 PM PDT by Rodamala
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ansel12
Russia isn’t anywhere close to being equal (in military strength) to the United States and the other 27 NATO countries and our non-NATO supportive allies.

That is true, however Russia is still capable of turning the United States and Western Europe in to a nuclear wasteland with less than half their arsenal.

24 posted on 07/01/2015 4:12:56 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (America, a Rule of Mob nation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: gingerbread
then he’ll attack these countries that used to never belonged to the USSR.
25 posted on 07/01/2015 4:14:41 PM PDT by FredZarguna (Let's call it what it is: Climate Immorality. Now say a Dozen Hail Marys and six Our Fathers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Norm Lenhart

IF Putin moves—it will be swiftly. Will NATO start WW III over some small baltic States? I don’t think so. they can’t afford to bail out Greece—why fight an expensive war with Russia?


26 posted on 07/01/2015 4:15:51 PM PDT by Forward the Light Brigade (Into the Jaws of H*ll Onward! Ride to the sound of the guns!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Navy Patriot

And would have discovered it was of the same Russian quality as ever.


27 posted on 07/01/2015 4:16:38 PM PDT by FredZarguna (Let's call it what it is: Climate Immorality. Now say a Dozen Hail Marys and six Our Fathers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Forward the Light Brigade
Can't afford to bail out Greece?

Surely you're joking.

They are refusing to bail out Greece because they can't afford to bail out Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Ireland. Greece is insignificant. They're sending a message to the rest.

28 posted on 07/01/2015 4:18:39 PM PDT by FredZarguna (Let's call it what it is: Climate Immorality. Now say a Dozen Hail Marys and six Our Fathers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Forward the Light Brigade

Barry will never lift a finger. He will posture. He will station a ton of American soldiers and let them serve as artillery targets while the GOP goes on Levin to disavow the action.

Mark will say he’s a half inch now from leaving the GOP and CAIR will demand no muslim soldiers be targeted, then sue the generals for inaction.

Barry will then imprison the last remaining conservatives in the military for war crimes after they protect themselves and send 20 trillion to rebuild Russia’s nuke program.


29 posted on 07/01/2015 4:20:33 PM PDT by Norm Lenhart
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Navy Patriot

But the US would send in its gay legions with rainbow banners held high. That would terrorize the Russians into ... There is a real question of if Obama or most Western leaders would fight a major war where there is any chance they would be incinerated as part of it.


30 posted on 07/01/2015 4:23:08 PM PDT by Truth29
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Navy Patriot

So what?

The ability/option to go go nuclear has been there for both sides, for 60 years, the difference now, is that Russia doesn’t have the ability to conquer Europe and defeat us on the battlefield.

Does that make you want to grovel to Putin and surrender to him with showing resistance, because you think that he is insane and will choose to destroy himself and Russia if you don’t pee your pants when he says boo to us, and the United States Navy?

Is that what you learned in the military?


31 posted on 07/01/2015 4:30:16 PM PDT by ansel12 (libertarians have always been for gay marriage and polygamy, gay Scout leaders, gay military.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: taxcontrol
I am of the opinion that we (human race “we”) have tried to take the horror out of warfare. In the Roman times, if you went to war and lost, you lost everything. You were most likely killed and your wife and children were beaten, raped possibly maimed and sold off into slavery. Consequently, you went to war only when you had no other choice.

Now, there are all kinds of “little” wars. Civilized wars where one side gets hit hard and all of a sudden it’s oops, we didn’t mean that. Lets walk away friends. And a generation later it’s the same causes, the same conflicts, being fought by the same sides.

You raise an excellent point.

Additionally, these modern whiners are anxious to go to war with somebody Else's body and family left to grieve, when their preferred Ruling Elite crony capitalist (read: Fascist) has his hedge fund or currency speculation threatened.

32 posted on 07/01/2015 4:30:36 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (America, a Rule of Mob nation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Truth29
But the US would send in its gay legions with rainbow banners held high.

I'll put our military up against Putin's poorly trained, poorly armed, 1 year draftees, with no real Air Force capabilities and no Navy, and no capability to conduct and supply large scale, and long term invasions against the NATO nations.

33 posted on 07/01/2015 4:34:06 PM PDT by ansel12 (libertarians have always been for gay marriage and polygamy, gay Scout leaders, gay military.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Forward the Light Brigade
Will NATO start WW III over some small baltic States?

Wow, "Retreat the Light Brigade", you mean a war with Russia would start if Russia invades us? Well....yeah.

34 posted on 07/01/2015 4:36:46 PM PDT by ansel12 (libertarians have always been for gay marriage and polygamy, gay Scout leaders, gay military.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: ansel12
I would too, but only if they are allowed to fight. Obama will always take the course of action that if worse for the US and the West. Obama would likely issue orders that would be disastrous to everyone but the Russians.
35 posted on 07/01/2015 4:40:17 PM PDT by Truth29
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Truth29

We get it, Obama is president for another 18.5 months.

NATO and the KGB man Putin and the United States, are not entirely about Obama.


36 posted on 07/01/2015 4:46:35 PM PDT by ansel12 (libertarians have always been for gay marriage and polygamy, gay Scout leaders, gay military.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Navy Patriot

what the USA COULD do is not even relevant

what counts is what USA WILL, or is likely to, do

and for at least the next 19 months or so..... anything could happen (I view these next 19 months as the most dangerous period I can recall... as our allies have learned our administration is untrustworthy and our enemies have learned they have a friend in the WH)


37 posted on 07/01/2015 4:47:33 PM PDT by faithhopecharity (For in much wisdom is much vexation; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Navy Patriot

if we make it to 2017 and get almost any reaonsable, loyal American elected (regadless of party), perhaps the damage.. and danger... can be fixed, lessened....


38 posted on 07/01/2015 4:49:04 PM PDT by faithhopecharity (For in much wisdom is much vexation; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Navy Patriot
The Corralling and implosion of Islam would be the objective of WWIII. With Russia supporting Iran and Syria (and the US supporting the Muzziwe Broz, et. al.) we'll never get there.

I don't see any other version of WWIII, though the Chinese may want some war eventually (more likely a virtual war).

39 posted on 07/01/2015 5:01:24 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Ive given up on aphostrophys and spell chek on my current device...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: ansel12
Russia is still capable of turning the United States and Western Europe in to a nuclear wasteland with less than half their arsenal.

So what?

Well, as far as Western Europe, I'm with you, limit the war to nuking Western European targets, and both sides will be able to test weapons and tactics.

As far as the continental US, there are some places where the weather is quite nice, so no, I don't want Ukrainian Socialists to fight their war here, and try as I might, I can't find a Russian to threaten me.

Is that what you learned in the military?

I learned in the military that my fellow American servicemen (and I) won the Vietnam war, but interestingly, a DemoRat Congress and those that remained behind to urge me forward, voted to abandon the American service men's triumph and award victory to the Communist Vietnamese.

What did you learn in the military?

40 posted on 07/01/2015 5:06:47 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (America, a Rule of Mob nation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-70 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson