It's not WW3

[TheRealityCheque]

To wish people would stop conflating the Ukrainian invasion with WW3.

It's shite and completely unacceptable and my thoughts are with thee innocent people affected but it is not a world war and isn't going to become one.

IABU - WW3 is here
IANBU - it's a localised war.

It's outrageous that one man can cause such devastation. How dare he. Has the mad man not learned any lessons from history. It's appalling that he has such power.

@SuperSocks

Hitler invaded only Poland to start with.

I'm pretty sure it was Austria first wasn't it? Which Europe looked very much the other way from! 'We' only started getting pissy after he moved on to Poland too.

The people of Czechoslovakia might take issue with that.

I imagine the people of former Czechoslovakia will advise the people of the Ukraine to expect fuck all from the west (especially the UK). We have form. After all, isn't that what a "whiff of Munich" meant ?

@FriedTomatoe
I bet Boris would love a war, take all the heat off him. The clown.

Bet you most people didn't think there would be a WW2. No one knows, mans greed and selfishness have always been the cause of wars.
It's incredibly naive to think it could NEVER happen. That said, i hope you are right and it's nothing to worry about.

@TellMeMoreHellebore

you have a crystal ball then?

Exactly. Have you turned into Mystic Meg @TheRealityCheque? Things are getting quite serious you know.

Those of you with sons and daughters between 18 and 30ish had better start mentally preparing for them to be drafted.

Russia's allies are few and far between. Even if China got involved, their combined might would be crushed by NATO.

If America does destroy (not literally) NordStream2 it would dent Russia's financial stability whilst boosting American hegemony - I'm sure they'd be happy to supply Europe at a hefty premium.

I read today that China may buy more fuel from Russia to offset European sanctions, not sure this is correct though.

I don't know if WW3 will happen, but certain people are likely to become even richer. As always, follow the money.

@Justkeeppedaling

Those of you with sons and daughters between 18 and 30ish had better start mentally preparing for them to be drafted.

This worries me because I fit in that age range and have children, but DPs older so would they make me go and fight if the time came because he could care for the children?

@Justkeeppedaling

Those of you with sons and daughters between 18 and 30ish had better start mentally preparing for them to be drafted.

That's a heartless thing to say to people. What do you hope for that to achieve?

@Justkeeppedaling

Those of you with sons and daughters between 18 and 30ish had better start mentally preparing for them to be drafted.

I suspect that's Putins end goal. The arguments over sex and gender on the paperwork would bring the UK to it's knees in hours.

Who knows girlmom. In WWI and WW2, I think they worked their way through the most appropriate people to the people who were less appropriate (older etc).

My DF had a reserved occupation, so didn't get called up (engineer in the mines), but most people his age did.

The difference this time is that women as well as men will be subject to the draft - how that fits with childcare, I don't know.

Op is operating on the understanding that Putin will respect international laws and international boundaries (other than Ukraine's). No way he will step on NATO soil etc. Putin operates by his own rules. He does not recognise the legitimacy of international law. I think ahyone who thinks this is the end of Putin's empire building is naive, I am afraid.

@DGRossetti

The difference this time is that women as well as men will be subject to the draft - how that fits with childcare, I don't know.

Carries War springs to mind ...

That's a heartless thing to say to people. What do you hope for that to achieve?

True though - and the sooner people realise it, the better. If it doesn't happen, then that's great. If it does, and it's a definite possibility (though not a probability) atm, we are mentally prepared.

I suspect that's Putin's end goal. The arguments over sex and gender on the paperwork would bring the UK to it's knees in hours.

I think everybody needs a cup of tea. Stop winding each other up with insane 'predictions' about drafts.

@DGRossetti

The difference this time is that women as well as men will be subject to the draft - how that fits with childcare, I don't know.

Carries War springs to mind ...

It’s not going to get to that - Putin will just press the red button

Op is operating on the understanding that Putin will respect international laws and international boundaries (other than Ukraine's). No way he will step on NATO soil etc

I doubt there are many people on this thread (and I include myself) who know enough about the Ukraine/NATO border to know exactly what is possible or not. The Russian playbook will be to "accidentally" stray into sovereign territory and see what happens. If they really have miscalculated (and they've been 100% right so far) then NATO will pull a trigger and you'll have few dead Russian soldiers for Putin to vow vengeance for.

If, of course, NATO just carries on blustering (i.e as it has done so far) then Putin knows that he can go further. And further.

It's a shame we have no examples from history we could look to for guidance. Well ones that agree with what we're doing, that is.

And when history fails, it's left to poetry to fill the gaps.

IT IS always a temptation to an armed and agile nation
To call upon a neighbour and to say: –
"We invaded you last night – we are quite prepared to fight,
Unless you pay us cash to go away."

And that is called asking for Dane-geld,
And the people who ask it explain
That you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geld
And then you'll get rid of the Dane!

It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation,
To puff and look important and to say: –
"Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you.
We will therefore pay you cash to go away."

And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we've proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane.

It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
For fear they should succumb and go astray;
So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,
You will find it better policy to say: --

"We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
No matter how trifling the cost;
For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
And the nation that plays it is lost!"

He’s not going to stop at Ukraine and if he gets his hands on Chernobyl we’re all fucked. How would you feel if he decides to invade the uk and other countries just stood and watched?

I bet there would be a lot of ‘conscientious objectors’ amongst the woke liberal lefties if conscription was brought in.

@Justkeeppedaling

Those of you with sons and daughters between 18 and 30ish had better start mentally preparing for them to be drafted.

You've a bit of a vivid imagination there haven't you? Stop acting like an arse.

The difference this time is that women as well as men will be subject to the draft - how that fits with childcare, I don't know.

There is no such thing as 'the draft' in the UK so how the hell do you think you know what the rules would be? Daily Express is it?

What's Chernobyl got to do with the price of eggs? It's shut down, isn't it? And not really a place anyone wants to be. All that could happen is that any Russians going there will end up with radiation poisoning.

can I have a crystal ball too?

Or perhaps they would rather create nuclear weapons from a decommissioned nuclear power plant? Rather than use the sophisticated ones they already have!

OP, what have you started???