To think we’re in the foothills of World War 3?

[Letthecarhuntbegin]

The West is upping the ante supporting the Ukraine, but I can’t imagine Russia backing down. Surely this will just keep escalating over the coming months and years. The beginning of World War 3?

How does it seem like it's coming? You're adding two and two and coming out with more than four based on vibes.

This is a major war.

Cyber is playing a part in this conflict but the whole idea that the "next war will be won mainly by cyber" continues to look like a myth put around by some in the tech industry and some in academia (probably in the hope of tapping into defence funding).

If we are then so be it - we can’t stand by and watch Russia attack peaceful nations.

Another good post. Russia has never really recovered from the Stalin years in terms of extreme attitudes. There will always be people who love “the good old days” however awful they were. The manipulation there is strong and even harder now with new technologies able to influence thinking.

Basically all a war needs is a charismatic leader with a nationalist cause which taps in to a historic hurt that influences a countries people to support them. The Brexit campaign for example was run this way.

The Cold War never ended. We have been in small proxy wars for decades. This is just the latest. Russia losing Crimea was probably devastating to them.

Look at the economic situation in the Weimar Republic and tell me it’s not similar. There was a flurry of artistic expression then also. This typically happens before a huge change of circumstances where attitudes clamp down on it, there’s a pattern. Afghanistan is the same where womens rights were actually good in the 70’s (I think) before the extreme change to conservatism.

I’m sure wiki will have a page on this, I’ll see if I can find it.

I'm not upset, I'm annoyed. You seem to be framing it that people who object to your post are snowflakes who can't face reality.

It's a horrible situation with obvious dangers, but supporting Ukraine is the right thing to do, for us and them. Let Russia have it's way and the consequences could be far worse. It emboldens them and other similar dictatorships across the world.

I'm also not going to get tied up in knots about something I can't control.

Okay, well sorry I annoyed you then!

And I’m not tied up in knots. Quite a lot of PPs have told me not to panic or worry or suchlike - I am doing neither. And I have not called anyone a snowflake.

I am just an ordinary person, listening to the news, thinking back to my history lessons at school, thinking it sounds like we’re heading in the same direction, and what others think? I have no agenda!

I don't think Russia has enough sufficiently powerful allies for that to happen.
I think things might go back to being more like they were during the Cold War though.

And who knows what might happen when Putin goes which, given the rumours about his health, may not be too far off. I don't know if there's an obvious candidate to take over, or what their stance on Ukraine might be, but things could be very different when Russia gets a new leader.

At which point in the Weimar Republic? This just sounds like vibes again.

@Letthecarhuntbegin People are worried, and scared. That's why your getting defensive angry answers... easier to yell at you than think about WW3

Neither worried nor scared here. And I don't think, as someone said upthread, that this is going on for 30 or more years. I hope Ukraine gets all the help it needs.

I'm obviously not a Putin supporter but I sat up in my chair when my Russian friend said we should fear who follows him. It is no small task to rule the largest country in the world stretching as it does across eleven time zones encompassing so many different ethnic groups. She was saying that everyone was expecting chaos to ensue following his departure which could be as dangerous as the war in Ukraine if not more so.

YANBU to think it because it is very serious, it's in the media and it's the first European conflict for decades - but the point of sending limited numbers of tanks, etc. is to prevent a nuclear escalation. Of course Russia will keep flagging up its nuclear power - that's the point of having nukes. And of course there's more behind the scenes - we are seeing the leaders signal clearly to each other - "I could feel threatened by this" - "These tanks are not made as a threat to you" - Behind the scenes are diplomats, translators, spies, etc who are constantly talking to each other. War is not straightforward and nor is it a path directly to nuclear annihilation.

I think that getting yourself upset by worrying about it is unreasonable: if you Google wars and conflicts, you’ll find that it is almost continuous in one part of the world or many, and always has been.

Getting yourself worried is like being frightened of living. As I said to my DC at the time when ISIS terrorism was rife and they were horrified by this “new” phenomenon, we lived through similar in the 1970’s when the NI Troubles were ongoing and the IRA was committing similar atrocities.
The best approach when contemplating a future over which we have little or no control is to decide how to “be” and to cross the bridge only if and when you come to it.

I have heard a rumour-a whisper really that the day may be coming when conscription is under consideration.

I know posters will shout for proof and shout bullshit but remember this-before conscription was introduced in World War 2, people were shouting for proof that it was going to happen and calling the whispers bullshit.

Nonetheless, it did happen and it will very likely happen here.

I don't want my son to die in this war-just as the mothers in world war two didn't want their sons to die and shouted loudly it would never happen.

But it did happen and many of their sons died.

Each step brings us nearer-weapons and some army have gone, now tanks, now long range missiles are being called for-next men-maybe women too.

So no, I can't provide proof-if that comforts you-great. If it comforts you that many posters will call bullshit, great. It won't stop reality.

That is absolute rubbish and a very irresponsible post.

Vibes are exactly it though. Economic predictions, understanding patterns of behaviour and historical context, there is not one single moment that we can say - this lead to the war. At the time maybe but retrospectively there are several reasons for war. How do you think the economic market works if not on vibes and predictions.

Example - Germany invaded Poland right? That started the war? In basic terms yes. I’m reality, no way, the events that started that war had been building up for a decade before.

I'm sorry but this is complete and utter shite.

If it makes you better to tell yourself that, then crack on and fill your boots.

It is frightening, so I can see why you would want to do that.

You are saying the same thing that those who didn't want to believe conscription would happen in World War Two said and we all know what happened there.

It's easier to believe it won't happen until it does.

Again then, which point in the Weimar Republic era are you talking about and what exactly makes it analogous?

You have come on here with a totally unfounded and scaremongering post that serves no purpose other than to cause panic. You should be ashamed of yourself and I cannot believe for a second that you are even remotely credible.

The world is certainly unstable, but I'm a bit unconvinced that the Ukraine conflict is WW3. It is another proxy war, and Russia being angry at the support being given is really ridiculous.

What posters should be worried about is Britain being economically isolated. In times of conflict, it is not a genius moment to be outside large trading blocs.

@SedatePixie

I have heard a rumour-a whisper really that the day may be coming when conscription is under consideration.
Whisper it all you like, and call out the denials all you like, but that's alarmist nonsense...

UK side there's absolutely zero appetite amongst the military to put aside the funding, resources and materiel needed elsewhere to start training draftees.

The vast majority of politicians will think similar, plus they'll also know it would be a big vote loser (apart from the odd right wing head banger).

Rumours and whispers - why don't you say where these come from @SedatePixie? You should be ashamed of yourself