To be absolutely terrified of war

[ladylalatub]

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.

@bellinisurge

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.

I hope you are right

@forcedfun

are these actually real people starting all these threads?

there seem to be a lot of people we wouldn't normally see on MN making strong comments on this subject.

It's almost as if it's been realised that MN is a social media platform that could allow organisations access to attempt to influence the opinions of the general public.

I am old enough to remember the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, and I remember so vividly the very real fear of nuclear war experienced by everyone at the time, including a thirteen-year-old me.

I remember my DM in tears and DF announcing, more out of bravado than anything else, that 'if the four-minute warning goes' he would paint a cross on the top of his head and stand in the garden, and hope that the plane carrying the nuke would spot it and drop the bomb on his head, so that we would all be put swiftly out of our misery.

There was a global sigh of relief when the conflict was settled. I had hoped never to have to experience such a feeling again in my lifetime.

After the miseries of Covid this seems almost too much for us to bear.

Planning to leave the country is a bit knee jerk. Is any country safe if nuclear war broke out? Hard to say. New Zealand might be a relatively safe bet

I more worried about the gas and electric bill

@ladylalatub

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

It doesn't seem hugely likely from what I've read - he invaded Ukraine, he's making his point. But there is a theory going round that he's not actually sane, so there is that.

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

Why do you assume you would be allowed to live under somebody else's rule?

I never planned on having children because of this fear yet here I am with three and pets the things I said i would never get because of wars and disease they rely on me for everything and I'm terrified of failure paralysed at the moment unable to move forward there is things to do and I'm failing because I'm scared of fucking failure

I'm going back on my medication I literally cannot live like this again

I’m in my 50’s too, I can’t remember anything as bad as this.

Russia invaded Afghanistan but not much happened.

The Balkan’s War

Argentina

Iraq
But nothing like this. In fact l remember most of my life after the Berlin Wall came down as being relatively optimistic and worry free.

I’m sick of Willy waving men. Showing off their missiles. They need a good kick up the arse tbh.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

I’m in my 50’s too, I can’t remember anything as bad as this.

Russia invaded Afghanistan but not much happened.

The Balkan’s War

Argentina

Iraq
But nothing like this. In fact l remember most of my life after the Berlin Wall came down as being relatively optimistic and worry free.

I’m sick of Willy waving men. Showing off their missiles. They need a good kick up the arse tbh.

And their willies cut off and incinerated.

I agree. I feel fury that toxic masculinity and willy waving has led us here.

I tried to discuss this with a couple of male friends. "Let's not bring gender into this. Women wage war too."

Fucking snort. Because you know, Thatcher, Falklands blah blah blah.

PEOPLE have got to wake up to what is actually happening, a mad man hell bent on starting a war and will stop at nothing(sanctions, ties being cut,his own people pleading with him ect ect) there was rumours years ago that he was diagnosed with parkinson’s and has been kept quiet, who’s to say his condition hasn’t worsened, and he just doesn’t give a shit anymore!! For one he’s nearly 70….. It’s looking like he wants to be remembered for bringing ussr back to how it once was and will stop at nothing. I think a lot of countries do need to start looking at the if’s instead of sitting back and watching like we did so many years ago and my god a lot of people paid the price for that mistake! We need to have our backs up and not be led along by his insanity and lies what he has told Non stop to the world……………

For heavens sake. This sort of stuff goes on all the time. It’s obvious Putin would tell the West not to get involved. For those living in Ukraine it’s terrifying and I hope to god this conflict doesn’t go on for much longer.

But to be thinking of disappearing to Africa? 🤔

If I were you I would go to New Zealand, if they will let you in past the Covid restrictions. That's probably as safe as it gets.
In the meanwhile, why not calm down and grow a backbone? If you are like this now, what on earth would you be like if you are presented with a real, immediate threat, as the poor people of Ukraine are? The ones I heard on the radio this morning sounded far less hysterical than you do.

@Bagpusssays

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.

This. Totally agree.

@TheTeaCosyofDoom

I am old enough to remember the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, and I remember so vividly the very real fear of nuclear war experienced by everyone at the time, including a thirteen-year-old me.

I remember my DM in tears and DF announcing, more out of bravado than anything else, that 'if the four-minute warning goes' he would paint a cross on the top of his head and stand in the garden, and hope that the plane carrying the nuke would spot it and drop the bomb on his head, so that we would all be put swiftly out of our misery.

There was a global sigh of relief when the conflict was settled. I had hoped never to have to experience such a feeling again in my lifetime.

After the miseries of Covid this seems almost too much for us to bear.

That’s very unfair of your DF to do that. No wonder you’re still traumatised.

If nuclear war breaks out bw Russia/NATO it will be all out. In which case the choice is die immediately or die a bit later of radiation poisoning or starvation. I pick immediately.

@bellinisurge

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.

yup me too. I will never say never about anything but google Cuban Misslie Crisis.

He’ll hit us with cyber crime or chemical warfare before the nukes.

I don't think you ABU. Putin is taking advantage of a weak West - a lot down to Covid but also the crash of 2008. Italy and Germany are reliant on Russian gas - what real sanctions can they impose? The UK has been awash with Russian dirty money for years, it's held up the Tory party, and don't forget it also got Trump in power. I think Putin is going to push harder, he's insecure and wants Russian expansion. The West's present sanctions aren't going to hurt him too much at the moment. I think Putin will go for it. I'm not sure of China's position but I think they will eventually side with Putin. Sorry to be gloom and doom but this is reality. Russia has a huge nuclear stockpile, more than the US. This is why I have always been anti nuclear weapons! I dunno perhaps the time has come too late for the world to wake up and have a look at what WE have created. I am so totally peed off with this it's beyond belief. BUT if there is no nuclear war, the West is looking at a HUGE economic hit. People will be totally impoverished, we will have seen nothing like it.

Million to one this is some Daily Fail reporter looking for tomorrows headline...so ridiculous. Putins a dick without a dick, and I cannot be bothered even giving him a second thought...

Africa will not be immune to sanctions so going anywhere is really foolish. Sit tight and carry on as usual unless official notification to leave is announced which will not happen.
You are being irrational.

I found the best way, is to stop watching the news, there nothing I can do, nothing I can change, so I am gonna carryon living in bubble of ignorance, maybe the wrong thing to do.

@LampLighter414

Very scary. Rumours are they'll bring back conscription for all able bodied men

Rumours where? And why? Wars these days do not generally need ranks of people to fight the way they once did. Someone unskilled with a gun or a tank will take a long time to train up, at some expense to the government in pay and in lost tax revenue and national productivity, and be much less valuable than the same investment in unmanned air vehicles, or in technology expertise, funding guerilla groups on the ground or (ahem) trolls to spread propaganda on web forums.

There are astonishing amounts of obvious bs being spouted on this thread.