Yes, have you ever heard the term “mutual assured destruction”? Look it up. Putin does not want that any more than anyone else.
Seriously???
You don’t go nuke, unless you’re desperate or stupid or using it as your trump card.
(accept we have just as many trump cards)
Putin knows if he goes nuke, we’ll respond in kind.
Protecting Syria isn’t worth it for him.
Right now, Putin will send a ship or two into the area, to puff his chest and strut. He’ll warn our planes not to come in, lest they get “accidentally” shot down.
All posturing.
What planes is he going to shoot down?
Most of our strikes in Syria BEFORE Friday, were done by drones, not airplanes.
His announcement about a plane no fly zone is pointless, if planes aren’t being used. It’s bluster.
He sent a frigate into the area, “to stop” our destroyers from launching our cruise missiles. Accept his frigate doesn’t have the capability to stop our cruise missiles. It’s nothing but a chest puff.
Consider this.
The much vaunted s-400 defense system is in Syria.
And yet 59 cruise missiles were launched and NOT ONE cruise missile was shot down.
For Putin, it’s important to appear tough.
He knows that in a conventional war against the US, he loses.
If he goes nuclear, WE ALL lose...which means he loses