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

Skip to comments.

West risks war with Russia over escalating military aid
Irish Times ^ | 1/25/23 | Geoffrey Roberts

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 ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Germany; News/Current Events; Russia; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: agitprop; commietrolls4putin; crazy4nuclearwar; eussr; fakenews; fartyshadesofgreen; fearfearfear; fearporn; fourthreich; geoffreyroberts; hideunderbed; irischerzeitung; proxywar; putin; putinisgay; risks; scaredofeverything; threats; ukrainecorruption; ussr; vatnik; war; west; ww3; wwiii; xipoohbear; yawn
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 241 next last
To: JonPreston

Proxy wars seldom turn out good bird brain Biden about to prove it.


81 posted on 01/26/2023 2:32:10 PM PST by Vaduz (LAWYERS )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JonPreston; MeganC
MeganC wrote:
"And I’ve repeatedly asked for Russia to end this war."

To which Jon Preston replied:
"Who cares what you repeatedly ask for?"

Which reveals the sentiment behind yet another pacifist mask. Some children continue into adulthood to lust for the thrill of being entertained by bullying.

82 posted on 01/26/2023 2:33:31 PM PST by familyop ("For they that sleep with dogs, shall rise with fleas" (John Webster, "The White Devil" 1612).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: MarMema
Nonsense, Russia has no allies that are even relevant. If they have Submarines with nuclear weapons pointed at us then we have a lot more. their Navy is a joke and would be blown out quick. They have only one aircraft carrier and it is so unreliable they have to have a tug boat accompanying it. we could do a lot more damage to them than they could us and they know it. They are surrounded by our bases. and no they don't have tanks we can only dream about. If they did then why haven't we seen them.
83 posted on 01/26/2023 2:37:09 PM PST by amnestynone (We are asked by people who do not tolerate us to tolerate the intolerable in the name of tolerance.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: familyop

Hush, woman.


84 posted on 01/26/2023 2:41:11 PM PST by JonPreston
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]

To: JonPreston; MarMema

You Russians make Central_VA on here seem to be intelligent, sophisticated, and a good debater.


85 posted on 01/26/2023 2:43:14 PM PST by Portnoy001
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: Rockingham

Who wrote that, some NATO sponge?


86 posted on 01/26/2023 2:43:16 PM PST by JonPreston
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: Portnoy001

Hush Biden flack


87 posted on 01/26/2023 2:44:50 PM PST by JonPreston
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: JonPreston

Warmongering globalists WANT war with Russia and dream of dead people of European heritage covering a post-nuclear wasteland across the Northern Hemisphere.


88 posted on 01/26/2023 2:45:18 PM PST by Arcadian Empire (The Baric-Daszak-Fauci spike protein, by itself, is deadly.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: amnestynone

Many people, on both sides, ARE that stupid.


89 posted on 01/26/2023 2:47:05 PM PST by Arcadian Empire (The Baric-Daszak-Fauci spike protein, by itself, is deadly.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: MeganC

“The West doesn’t seem to GAS about Russian threats. Seriously, they can’t defeat Ukraine yet they think they pose a threat to NATO?
That’s laughable.”

It is not laughable. Russia has over 6000 nuclear warheads. Many of these are in silos that will be destroyed in the first nuclear strike from NATO (USA).

As this war escalates it will reach a point that both sides are considering using a first strike so they can use their silo nukes before they are destroyed and hopefully destroy the enemies silo nukes before they are launched. The first strike will also try to decapitate the enemy to hopefully (from their point of view) limit the capability of their enemy to respond. DOOMS-DAY!!!

I lived through the Cold-War years with 21 of those years in the military. Never in those years did I ever feel we were close to dooms-day, but now I see it coming.

I pray someone will step-up and end this war before it kills all of us.


90 posted on 01/26/2023 2:47:56 PM PST by bosco24
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: PGR88

China plans to profit in land and resources no matter what.


91 posted on 01/26/2023 2:48:52 PM PST by Arcadian Empire (The Baric-Daszak-Fauci spike protein, by itself, is deadly.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: JonPreston

All it takes is one little spark to start a fire that could destroy the world as we know it.


92 posted on 01/26/2023 2:50:02 PM PST by McGruff (Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f*** things up - Barack Obama)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MarMema

LOL

putin rejects Jesus with every evil bombing, rape and torture


93 posted on 01/26/2023 2:51:02 PM PST by Sunsong
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Sunsong

Russia has not bombed civilians. Ukraine does it daily.


94 posted on 01/26/2023 2:51:51 PM PST by MarMema (Biden = Americans Last)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 93 | View Replies]

To: amnestynone

“They are going to wave nukes because that is the only thing they have to wave. But, I don’t think they would dare. Not even the Russians are that stupid.”

Yup.


95 posted on 01/26/2023 2:54:30 PM PST by ought-six (Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: JonPreston

China could invade Taiwan. If that happens Putin will take his gloves off.


96 posted on 01/26/2023 2:55:20 PM PST by Thunder90 (All posts soley represent my own opinions)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bulwyf

Hitler attacked Russia because he wanted Lebensraum. Had nothing to do with the Pope. Hitler also attacked the rest of Europe. Are you going to tell me that Napoleon attacked Russia because he was commanded by the Pope to do so? How about Ghengis Khan? He too attacked Russia while he had a loooong way to travel.


97 posted on 01/26/2023 2:55:43 PM PST by 353FMG (Secretly practicing my Putin swagger..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: tlozo

China has sent weapons to Russia through Iran, as well as provided assistance to get around sanctions.


98 posted on 01/26/2023 2:56:38 PM PST by Thunder90 (All posts soley represent my own opinions)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: frogjerk

Exactly, the time to cut off your forces and shut down resupply to them is when they are doing well in battle.

That is war-winning rule number one, ‘starve battlefield success’, turn off the spigot in midstream, and leave’em hanging.


99 posted on 01/26/2023 2:57:01 PM PST by ansel12 (NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: exinnj

As long as you are ok with Mexico joining BRICS and putting Russian nukes on the border with us..

Goose. Gander.


100 posted on 01/26/2023 2:57:10 PM PST by MarMema (Biden = Americans Last)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 241 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