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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be absolutely terrified of war

266 replies

ladylalatub · 24/02/2022 16:01

Putin has threatened severe consequences unlike any ever experienced before, if any Western countries intervene. I have relatives in Africa and am wondering whether to evacuate the UK now before it's too late. A Chinese official on Channel 4 the other day said this would trigger Armageddon. Is anywhere safe in the world if things escalate? Are we all doomed? I was at the market earlier and heard some students talking about learning how to use a gun and conscription not being far off. This is all really scary.

OP posts:
leopooh · 24/02/2022 20:33

People say Putin won't be satisfied with Ukraine and will push on and on, so wait for him to try it with a NATO country and then get involved. Not now.

Isn't the point that it would be too late then?

A (very selfish granted) part of me wishes Ukraine would just surrender.

Would you say the same if it was the UK?

I'm gob smacked that the UK is getting involved at all in light of such threats.

Because it is a threat to us

user1471439310 · 24/02/2022 20:36

Wonderstuff living in the US I thought so to, until 9/11 happened to us.

ladylalatub · 24/02/2022 20:37

How likely is it that Putin will not stop with Ukraine?

OP posts:
Thebestwaytoscareatory · 24/02/2022 20:39

Don't talk such absolute bollocks. There are no such tumours.

To be absolutely terrified of war
Bagpusssays · 24/02/2022 20:40

Why don't you take some time to contemplate those in Ukraine suffering and put some energies into helping them?

Practising compassion and doing some good in this world is a better route than starting hysterical posts and thinking solely about yourself.

newhairday · 24/02/2022 20:41

@Libraryghost

In the 70s one woman actually killed her children and herself because she was that convinced nuclear war was coming - and of course it didn't. Stay away from media.

Thanks just awful but I totally get it, I've had fleeting thoughts myself

cookiemonster2468 · 24/02/2022 20:42

*I read a very good book before Christmas called "The life-changing art of not giving a fuck".

It's not about not caring. It's recognising that on a personal level you cannot affect what is happening and have no control over it. So it's not worth giving a fuck about it*

We should all "give a fuck" about this. It's very concerning. It doesn't mean you stop living your life because of debilitating fear. Talk of conscription seems extremely premature. But we can't just turn away from it and say we "don't give a fuck" - we should all take an interest and try to understand what is going on in the world.

Olden · 24/02/2022 20:42

@newhairday you know, so have I

Olden · 24/02/2022 20:47

Well, as in : a sense of the world being too frightening. I get the anxiety and the urge to protect your children no matter what. Though not to that horrendous extreme

Libraryghost · 24/02/2022 20:48

@newhairday don't even let it enter your mind. I told the story to show how futile and pointless her actions were. Those kids would be my age now, late 40s and they missed out on their lives because their mother listened to hysteria. Nobody knows what's going to happen but in my experience the worst rarely happens. You have got to have hope. Thanks

newhairday · 24/02/2022 21:00

Thanks @Libraryghost. I wouldn't ever do it but it's just so scary with all the uncertainty

MermaidEyes · 24/02/2022 21:12

@mumofEandE

Are you in the UK? Conscription? I can't imagine any of my Year 11s summing up any energy to be of any use!

Nah, they've all played Call of Duty, they're good

PerditaPerdita · 24/02/2022 21:14

If I had family in Africa, I'd go there for now.

HesterShaw1 · 24/02/2022 21:16

@PerditaPerdita

If I had family in Africa, I'd go there for now.
Yes, the African continent has no problems with war. It's a peaceful garden of Eden kind of place. Hmm
Cognoscenti · 24/02/2022 21:28

@Chloemol

If he hits the button it doesn’t matter where in the world you are
...He won't.
TiddyTidTwo · 24/02/2022 21:32

He might but end of the day there nothing we can do. Support each other, hope for the best and absolutely do whatever we can for the Ukrainians

Theunamedcat · 24/02/2022 21:32

I have compassion for them however compassion won't keep me and my children warm and fed this year

JudgeJ · 24/02/2022 21:42

@MorrisZapp

I've got an incredibly stupid question to ask. If this horror show is truly the result of one unhinged megalomaniac, why doesn't someone just take him out? Destabilising vast areas of the world and slaughtering innocents to appease one ego seems insane.

Russia is corrupt as fuck, pay someone, arm them and boom boom. Problem solved.

I know I'm wrong, but why am I wrong?

Some sources have said that many Russian government ministers do not support Putin's ego-trip so maybe we can hope they'll take some action against him.
Dinosaurs1994 · 24/02/2022 21:47

Would you say the same if it was the UK?

Unfortunately yes I would. As cowardly as that may be.

I would sooner live under somebody else's rule than risk death.

Putin as my president or being without my children / my children being without me. No contest. I would do whatever, and agree to whatever, to preserve life.

Fortunately (or possibly not) Ukraine's leader isn't as terrified or cowardly as I am.

Dinosaurs1994 · 24/02/2022 21:51

@NobodysGonnaKnow

We’re part of NATO. We can’t not be involved.
Ukraine isnt part of NATO though? They have a special relationship but aren't under NATO.

It'll be a different story if he attacks a NATO country, but at the minute he isn't. We aren't duty bound to intervene.

I want to know what level of "interference" warrants an attack on us, has he been clear?

FatFredsFriedEgg · 24/02/2022 21:56

We aren't duty bound to intervene.

We are really. The US, the UK and Russia guaranteed Ukraine's security in return for them giving up nuclear weapons.

All three countries have apparently turned their backs on that.

Annoymouser2 · 24/02/2022 22:03

Jesus wept, students being dragged off to war, we are done for then, they cant decide their own pronouns ffs! If you want to leave to live with your relatives in africa when it gets bad then go but dont expect a warm welcome if our side wins, being honest. Most of us will stand our ground just like the ukrainians.

SugarAndCoffee · 24/02/2022 22:06

@PerditaPerdita

If I had family in Africa, I'd go there for now.
Which bit of Africa?
ThanksItHasPockets · 24/02/2022 22:10

@forcedfun

are these actually real people starting all these threads?
It was the same in spring 2020. There are a number of very unwell people who seemingly use MN for a mixture of self-help and self-harm.
bellinisurge · 24/02/2022 22:18

Not sure how old you are, op, but chances are you have never experienced this kind of international crisis. I'm in my fifties. I have.
Putin is trying to create a buffer between Russia and NATO. Russia has historic ties with Ukraine.
He's a bastard for doing this and he's got quite a lot of vocal opposition in Russia itself for doing it which, I suspect, he didn't expect.
We are doing a bit of willy waving, particularly our feckless PM who is playing at being Churchill. To be frank, I think that the more dramatic our verbal response, the less likely we will do anything.
In other words, there won't be a war. We only have a legal obligation if a fellow NATO country is attacked- that's why we went into Afghanistan, remember. Russia will not attack Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania or Romania.