To think that preparing for war with Russia is total madness?

[Newbutoldfather]

General Patrick Sanders, our top general, warns troops ‘must be prepared to fight Russia in the battlefield’.

There is increasing acceptance of the idea that we could somehow fight a limited war with Russia. I just don’t believe this.

Leaving aside that our military consists of a toy battleship and an old man with a wooden gun (only slight hyperbole), have people wished nukes away?

I am very curious as to what this war would look like. Are they envisaging that there would be a limited battlefield and a list of allowed weapons and that the loser would shake hands and walk away?

I think we are perilously close to the total annihilation of Homo sapiens (which would happen in a nuclear war). We, meaning the west and, especially, the increasingly jingoistic UK, need to dial back the rhetoric and look for a way to find peace, even if we have to compromise on our principles.

Interested in what people think and whether people do think that AIBU.

Ok I get you don’t want to stick to the NATO pact. But hopefully you’re in a minority and most can see we’d need combined strength

Ok I get you don’t want to stick to the NATO pact.

No you don't. Nowhere did I say that.

What were you saying then?

Why would nobody be surprised if we didn’t honour commitments to NATO?

Ok so not going with optional as in your pp

Seems a bit back and forth, but ok seems you agree we should stick to the pact

I think all this talk is due to the increasing possibility that Trump will be re-elected as President of the US and what that means for NATO and its funding. I am not saying war isn't a possibility but that if I were to operate in the best interests of NATO I'd be talking of war as well.

@RobertaFirmino but it wouldn't just annihilate humans. It would fuck up all life.

The other week a report by German defence was leaked detailing a possible scenario of Putin starting war with Western Europe. It says Putin knows Russia couldn’t win against NATO, but he could be willing to make us believe he would resort to nuclear weapons and so we make concessions for his desire to rule more Eastern European countries. Sounds like govts are not dismissing this dreadful possibility.

Preparing for something doesn’t mean it won’t happen, though when someone at the top in the military says this kind of thing, take it with a pinch of salt. They want more money, more weapons, more power, more bodies…

Not preparing may be worse…

But those wouldn't be countries in NATO? So if the forecast is multiple Ukraines then it also makes sense that there's a related need to spend and invest in each members military. Based on where we are now

That was re the memo

You prepare for lots of things and hope it doesn't happen.

This is known as 'disaster planning'.

Failure to do this adequately and then faced with said dangerous always works out far worse.

@RedToothBrush ,

That is the kind of thinking which is dangerous.

We don’t prepare for non survivable disasters, as there is no point. We didn’t used to plan for a meteor strike on Earth, although now we could potentially divert a smallish meteor.

It is the idea that we could fight and win some kind of limited nuclear war which is a modern fantasy.

Erm. You are utter utter talking bollocks.

ESPECIALLY since there's planning in place to develop a way to stop a meteor which illustrates a lot of the point.

And take a nice history lesson.

@RedToothBrush ,

Well thanks for your thoughtful contribution to my thread!

Do you actually read posts before replying or just hurl insults for the sheer pleasure of it?

Isn’t it all due to Brexit anyway, you know, the ME crisis, Putin’s war of aggression etc? That is normally your go-to stance.

And take a nice Physics lesson from me, we won’t survive a nuclear war. Period.

Actually there are plans for everything (events, but obviously not all possible varieties of the event) or they are worked on. You just don't know about them until it happens.

It's a pleasure.

My response was totally in line with the tone of yours mind.

We should prepare because not preparing is worse. Preparing includes everything from diplomacy to ensuring we have decent critical infrastructure (which may come in handy in many other disasters).

Otherwise we might as well just invite Putin to be President ourselves!

Indeed.

OP Clearly on a mission here. Intentions are pretty obvious.

Like she is right that WE won't survive. It's logical deduction it's impossible to save general population.
But we are also right that there are plans.....

Disaster planning involves understanding that not everyone can be saved. It's part of it.

I understand this and I'm pretty fine with it tbh.

Do you really want to necessarily be one of the survivors, if things get THAT bad?

https://allianceforscience.org/blog/2022/03/what-the-science-says-could-humans-survive-a-nuclear-war-between-nato-and-russia/

Well, what’s the plan?

Nah. I don't even want to get to really old age!

I fail to understand the picture of the nuclear exchange.
When all wars currently and in the past use conventional weapons and troops on the ground.

The Norwegian Chief of Defence is worried about Russia. Link to a google translate article on it.

https://www-dagbladet-no.translate.goog/nyheter/vi-har-darlig-tid/80855200?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp

This English/Lebanese journalist who reports on Ukraine concerned about Russia. As said, those concerned don’t think Putin will start a nuclear war, but does want to attack further east of Ukraine and scare NATO that he would consider nuclear war.

This NATO admiral says Europe must prepare for war, so it’s not just British generals saying it.

https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-west-war-russia-nato-admiral-bauer-drills/32783552.html