Posted on 01/26/2023 1:15:13 PM PST by JonPreston
From day one of the war in Ukraine, the most powerful argument against unrestrained western intervention in the conflict has been the danger of catastrophic escalation into an all-out war between Nato and Russia.
So far, western governments have shied away from a truly existential confrontation with Russia. But the threat remains that continuing western military aid to Ukraine will provoke Russian countermeasures that could turn Moscow’s proxy war with Nato into a direct military conflict.
Western hawks have long argued the danger of escalation is illusory. In an op-ed for the New York Times, former British diplomat Nigel Gould-Davies claimed “Putin has no red lines” and that, far from being deterred by fear of escalation, the West should call Putin’s bluff and threaten Russia with nuclear retaliation if he overreacts to western support for Ukraine.
Gould-Davies provides no hard evidence for his insights into Putin’s mind. His argument is pure speculation, and prompts the question: what if Putin won’t back away from a major war with the West? Should Nato be taking even a small risk of igniting a larger conflict that could kill millions?
Putin’s restraint in the face of massive western military aid to Ukraine has been remarkable but his forbearance may not be boundless. If the West goes too far, he may be tempted to risk a degree of escalation himself by, for example, interdicting western supplies before they arrive in Ukraine, or by neutralising the Nato surveillance systems that provide Kyiv with intelligence that enables deadly strikes on Russian targets.
(Excerpt) Read more at irishtimes.com ...
100%
What’s hard to grasp is that Russia is losing and losing bad according to reports and Ukraine is gaining ground by the day. Why does it need tanks and planes which it never got from us before? I understand that you fight full to end the war but this is not how it is being presented in the press and by world leaders. It is being presented as these tanks and possible planes are needed to keep the Russians at bay.
Fixed it.
Only the second part is true "invaded by an evil empire"
Plenty of Russians are dying too. Not that you care.
And I’ve repeatedly asked for Russia to end this war, depart Ukraine, and restore the peace.
Putin’s Hitler's restraint in the face of massive western American military aid to Ukraine Great Britain and France has been remarkable but his forbearance may not be boundless.
Yep. The rest of the world, except for Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and some other places.
You forgot Russia’s biggest allies, North Korea and Iran. A powerful and just duo.
The US would be doing the same if the situation were reversed.
Well said
Ukraine is not in our interest. If anyone should be carrying Ukraine it should be the EU.
But, the truth is that this WWIII isn’t about Ukraine at all, it is a USA concocted incubator for WWIII and it worked. Here we are.
The big lie of this statement - there was no "peace." It was a smaller war in Donbas, still supported by the US and NATO, kicked off by a coup in 2014, where John McCain passed out cookies.
“Yep. The rest of the world, except for Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and some other places.”
Yeah, but none of them will join Russia.
Sounds like he is salivating to have a nuclear exchange. Sick people on this site lately.
Sure, let’s let a plank named Nigel advise the world to call Putin’s bluff.
I mean, what could go wrong?
We are smart enough to use big words, aren’t we, TrollPreston? And, we are medically educated, as well!
NATO member Poland and the three NATO Baltic state members regard Russia as an immediate threat, and all the more so if Russia subdues Ukraine. Putin and the Russian Foreign Ministry have made numerous threats against all of them, before and after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Yep, the only risk here is to Russia, not to the West. Which is why they won’t be “escalating”. They know all too well that it would be the end of any illusion still remaining that Russia is a world power.
Its the sort of arrogance so burned into DC neocon globalist skulls - that we can scorn countries that add up to about half the world’s population to pursue a useless war as far as possible from US borders (which are still wide open, by the way)
It that sort of arrogance which is why the US Neocon Empire is eventually going to have its ass handed to it.
I wouldn’t mind, except this is my country too, and we will all suffer for it.
Correct.
There has been no peace in Ukraine since the Nuland-planned coup in 2013/2014.
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