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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be terrified of WW3 killing us all in the UK soon?

159 replies

streetface · 07/04/2017 12:35

AIBU to be frightened that WW3 is about to happen and my children will be obliterated by a nuclear weapon here in the UK?

Or is that unlikely? I'm hoping someone with a bit more understanding of the situation can explain. All I know is the situation has escalated now Trump has bombed Assad's regime and Russia is mighty pissed off. If the West comes under attack I'm guessing the UK will be nuked?
Bookma

OP posts:
hmcAsWas · 07/04/2017 13:20

Just read donadumaurier's post - can't think why posters on the other thread were perturbed by your grad school credentials in this area....I am happy to defer to the fact that you are likely to know a good deal more about this than the majority of posters

TrippyMcTrapFace · 07/04/2017 13:20

We still have American air bases here, don't we? That would make us a target I'm afraid.

Exactly.
I understand your fears OP. My terror of nuclear war that was instilled in the 1980s has been revived lately, even more so when I woke to the news this morning.

GahBuggerit · 07/04/2017 13:21

Oh ffs turn it in with the "what about the Syrian children" guilt trip.

People are perfectly fucking entitled to worry for their own children over those they don't know.

Op i worry sometimes, but i honestly don't think it will be an all out war, in this day and age it's more likely to be cyber attacks and supply issues. Sustained hardship rather than instant nuke which would just be met with retaliation meaning a stalemate

lazytuesday · 07/04/2017 13:24

the things that are valuable about britain would not be any more if someone nuked us or even fought a traditional style war with us.
We dont really have many of our own resources. Thered simply be no point in attacking us like that. No one would want the land that we are on. We dont really have that much oil or anything.
The things people may come here for like our wealth and our benefits system our healthcare our education system. They wouldnt exist if we were ravaged by war.
So i just think to myself that no country would really have an interest in attacking us like that.

MyGastIsFlabbered · 07/04/2017 13:24

If I let myself think about it too much I do get really scared. So I kind of bury my head in the sand and try not to dwell on it. There's nothing I can do to stop it so I'm just going to carry on living my life and assume there will be a tomorrow.

rosethyme · 07/04/2017 13:25

Neither Trump or Putin would want a nuclear war. They're both multi millionaires, how would they get to enjoy all their money in a devastated world.

iloveeverykindofcat · 07/04/2017 13:25

I don't think you're unreasonable to be frightened. I'm no expert on global politics but I work with a couple, and they're afraid. Yes, war is a very real possibility now.

But the other posters are right - there's very little we as private individuals can do about it. Maybe make a few practical preparations with regard to tinned food and supplies, as mentioned above. Apart from that, try not to let your anxiety take over. At the end of the day, we could all be hit by tragedy at any time in all kinds of way. I hate the phrase 'live in the moment' but there's some wisdom in appreciating the present.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 07/04/2017 13:25

Just read donadumaurier's post - can't think why posters on the other thread were perturbed by your grad school credentials in this area....I am happy to defer to the fact that you are likely to know a good deal more about this than the majority of posters

Yes, I agree. I also sometimes watch the Russian TV station and agree with this analysis. From the little I know, I think a lot goes back to Stalin who sent Russians to live in all sorts of places in the Soviet bloc.

ShoesHaveSouls · 07/04/2017 13:26

Same here, Trippy. When the cold war was over, my worry over nuclear just went away - for about 20 odd years. It's definitely back now.

OP - all I can say, is what I tell myself, and what my mum says, which is it's not worth worrying about. When I broach the subject with my DH, I generally get the response "well, we'd die - we're in the London area" Confused - but I think that's how people rationalise it - nothing we can do about it, could be hit by a bus tomorrow, sort of thing. But yes, concentrate on the good life you have.

EatSpamAmandaLamb · 07/04/2017 13:27

This stiff upper lip stuff is a crock of shit. That harks back to a time when people beat their children without anyone blinking an eyelid, families were sending their lads off to war every decade, educational and living standards were lower and the world was a smaller place. We live in a different world now, stiff upper lip Britain is long gone. Long, long gone and in many ways it's a good thing.

MyGastIsFlabbered · 07/04/2017 13:28

As an aside I never knew that about Dancing With Tears In My Eyes...I just thought it was about a love affair that was over. I'd never seen the video.

LolaTheDarkdestroyer · 07/04/2017 13:29

You seriously need to get a grip. You will scare your kids.

lazytuesday · 07/04/2017 13:31

we are more valuable to other countries if we prosper. We are someone to trade with. Thats our value. Money still rules the world.
Its poorer countries who have much more to fear in the way of getting bombed. Its countries whos land and natural resources are more valuable than their infrastructure and economy.
Putin and Trump may not agree with our ideology or government completely however they are not as mad as they seem i dont think. They are really driven my money not ideology. I think they pretend to be to an extent to get support from their people. But they dont really give that much of a shit as long as they prosper and remain in control.

Another thing to think about is how much it would cost anyone to attack the UK. Since we are an island i just think it would be the most pointless and expensive thing to do.

The only people who will ever attack us in my opinion are ISIS who fortunately for us dont have the money to do it from anywhere but internally using lone madmen.

BloomingDaffodil · 07/04/2017 13:32

We are a democracy and we have repeatedly voting in governments that have sent troops to fight and die in wars that have very little to do with the UK

I am unsure why anyone would think we are NOT a target

UnbornMortificado · 07/04/2017 13:32

My dad is high up doing something with submarines (ex-navy)

He says we won't see a nuclear war until our grand children's generation.

This was before Trump though so his estimate might have changed.

TheBookIsOnTheTable · 07/04/2017 13:33

Being part of the EU or not has no bearing on our involvement in international conflicts. What a bizarre misunderstanding of world politics.

Anyway OP, Russia is pissed off, that's true, but they are not about to start World War 3, don't worry. I suggest you stop reading whatever sensationalist news source is making you so paranoid and try to get on with your life.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 07/04/2017 13:33

Same here, Trippy. When the cold war was over, my worry over nuclear just went away - for about 20 odd years. It's definitely back now

Yes, isn't it odd. I remember the time between 1989 and 2001 as being a bit of a golden age in many ways (yes, I know it wasn't for many), but I remember watching that second plane hit the WTC and thinking 'party's over'.

lazytuesday · 07/04/2017 13:34

so in short i just reckon all we have to worry about are the odd IRA style bombings from time to time in our cities.
Unless we fall apart internally and our infrastructure is rendered worthless in which case wed be of no trading value.... that might happen eventually i suppose. But even with leaving the EU i think its unlikely. We still have a fairly stable government compared to most countries in the world.

Mummyoflittledragon · 07/04/2017 13:36

YANBU to be concerned. When Brexit goes belly up, we will potentially be the 51st state of America in a wierd colony reversal. We always align with then US so I could see us as a potential target.

SolomanDaisy · 07/04/2017 13:37

Trump is unstable, unpredictable and thick enough to push towards war. Fortunately Putin, while he is a deeply unpleasant autocrat, is clever and wouldn't risk nuclear war. China wouldn't want it either. So I think it's pretty safe.

US being unimportant isn't really enough to protect us if there was nuclear war. Nuclear weapons today are massive. We'd be pretty fucked even without direct hits.

UnbornMortificado · 07/04/2017 13:38

Are you ok mentally?

I'm only asking as when DH gets ill Russia and nuclear missiles is what he starts to fixate on.

Sprinklestar · 07/04/2017 13:41

You need to calm down and inform yourself properly. The scaremongering on here is mostly ill-informed bollocks. Look at some of the proper research around this subject, e.g. reports produced by Brookings, Carnegie, Chatham House. If it all still troubles you then, you need to get help for your anxiety.

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 07/04/2017 13:44

I hate hate hate what's happening in the world now. All this sabre rattling and genuine conflict and war caused by bellicose old men. I remember when George Bush was in power, reading that if he had 2 toddlers to cope with singlehandedly he wouldn't be doing any sabre rattling or threatening.

War is invariably and nearly always caused by men. As it is now( although the lovely Theresa is not a man. At least l don't think so😁)

It's just shit at the moment, Brexit, Trump Putin, Syria. It makes me feel sick. All of it. I lived through the 80's. I don't remember such an unstable, anxious and volatile period as now.

ShoesHaveSouls · 07/04/2017 13:46

I feel exactly the same, Emoji

It's awful isn't it?

Still, the weather's nice.

cdtaylornats · 07/04/2017 13:47

One tsunami could wipe us out

It didn't the last time en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunamis_affecting_the_British_Isles