Should we be worried about war

[Seasidesand76]

Seen a lot in the news about Ukraine using USA missiles against Russia. I've been thinking more along the lines that it won't start a WW3 and will resolve at some point without the UK getting directly involved in war. But there seems to be more and more tension and threats of an all out war recently.

Should we be worried about WW3? I haven't been prepping or anything but does make me wonder if I should start getting a few days worth of food in case. At the same time I don't want to go down the prepper hole and start getting over the top.

I know nothing about this is funny, but apparently the US and several European embassies in Kyiv have closed due to alleged credible air strike threats (according to the Guardian).

However, the UK embassy remains open. Of course it could be a location issue, meaning it's not in a potential "hot zone" but I had a fleeting sensation of "Blackadder" .....

"Right chaps, keep that kettle boiling and bring out the good biscuits. It's going to be a long day...."

My worry is that now , before Trump is back - he has this window of opportunity to get himself in the history books. If he used a tactical nuclear weapon now it would be condemned but he would have asserted himself then Trumps back in January and he knows how that relationship power balance will be. Trump will then set himself up to be ‘the one who stopped WW3’

So on this thread, the idea is being proposed that Putin might "gently" use a nuclear weapon on a strategic NATO target. "Gently" in this context refers to targeting a single country or area, perhaps Finland, Norway or Sweden.

I agree that NATO countries might not retaliate. The #BeKind culture we have nurtured in the West over the last decade may prevent a response that could result in killing hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Russians and exposing European countries to the devastating effects of nuclear fallout.

I'm not sure Putin would choose the UK for a bit of nuclear warfare experimentation; there's likely a lot of Russian money in British banks, and it would cause too much chaos, which would be detrimental to Russian interests.

I don’t see it.

It would be crossing a line that even Beijing would not tolerate, and I rather expect Washington has promised a massive conventional response if he does - NATO has superiority in conventional forces.

Global financial markets would also go into meltdown.

I'm surprised at the replies, I have severe anxiety and have done for years, even an alarm going off can sometimes make me worry it's an air strike (I know!). However I'm not even the slightest bit concerned about this. I don't know why, it just doesn't seem like we're at huge risk - Putin's nuclear sabre rattling is nothing new. Besides, he cares about Russia and making it a great country of which he is the revered leader - with the promise of MAD, why would he want Russia to be annihilated?

@pandorasox

A much bigger risk is the one from the current Labour Government - now that is existential.

A delivery van was just parked outside playing Sting- Russians, very loud.

So what's the end game for Putin. How does he get out of this without losing face.

Sorry, goes without saying that I haven't RTFT.

I don't quite get that comment.

Our military has been run into the ground because of 14 years of Austerity, our infantry numbers less than 23,000 & as i pointed out early, we stopped the production of ammo for our MB tank before we upgraded its gun to take std NATO shells.

I marvel in disbelief at how Devonport Dock yard has shrunk since i first started going there 20 years ago, in recent years so much has been sold off, mainly for commercial and housing.

Biden has now given permission to use anti-personnel land mines on the Eastern front of Ukraine. I thought these had been banned by International treaty.

The US didn't sign-up (neither did Russia, China, India, Pakistan...) and Ukraine is the first signatory to break the agreement. I imagine that being invaded makes you reconsider your priorities.

That is exactly what I thought, Smallsalt.

I 'prepped' a bit early in the pandemic and had to throw quite a bit away when it was all over, which was shameful. I had given some away and donated earlier on. Yet I was able to order groceries for delivery throughout lockdown; a few items were unavailable at different times but most were in stock so no complaints, and the milkman delivered. I also ordered stuff from the pharmacy and had takeaways delivered sometimes. I didn't go without. I no longer have room (downsized this year), to store a lot of stuff but my cupboards are full.

War would be different. My parents generation had rationing before, and for some time after, WW2. Many of them stockpiled when they could but they had to go without an awful lot. Goodness knows how it would be managed now.

I cannot see many members of the public, here and in the USA, supporting WW3 because of the inevitable loss of life. Trump said he would sort it but I dread to think how.

Let's just live in the present and hope there is no WW3. We've been on the brink of it before and it has been resolved.

I think I said all this yesterday, if it was on Mumsnet I apologise, don't want to be a bore.

From memory it’s a slightly grey area with some wriggle room…some countries have signed conventions various, some haven’t.

Two wrongs don’t make a right but for context it’s worth being aware the Russians have been using them since pretty much day one, if not before.

@Alexandra2001

"I marvel in disbelief at how Devonport Dock yard has shrunk since i first started going there 20 years ago, in recent years so much has been sold off, mainly for commercial and housing."

I was thinking exactly the same thing about Devonport Dockyard and how when crossing the border by train you used to be able to see loads of RN ships from the Tamar Bridge.

Now you would expect to see one or two maximum.

It's a remote war.
People not really needed. Just office workers and you can even WFH!!!
Just look at what has happened to Palestine. All done remotely and funded by the UK and USA.
No men needed anymore.
It's a WFH war.
But not for the Palestinians. There are really families dead and starved. Real people made homeless. Real people burned.

But I guess it's that mentality really isn't it...
If it's one of our own then we care.
If it's not one of our own then the whole country can be on fire and we will live life like normal.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!!!
(Who cares if 40k plus Palestinians are dead through our tax money)
We are more annoyed at those lousy protester's that try to tell us that Gaza what is happening in it is a genocide
How dare we have have to listen to them.
Move along I want to drink my Starbucks in peace who loyally funds the genocide.

But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger

He's 72.
Historically speaking, leaders of Russia/USSR aren't usually long-lived (Gorbachev was the exception). It depends what his legacy plans are. He will probably be satisfied with getting Kursk back, retaining Donbas and the Crimea, and locking Ukraine out of EU/NATO and into the Russian sphere of influence. But that's not going to be acceptable to Ukraine and must not be accepted by the west.

If you add up the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Airforce.. combined they're about the same size as the US Marines but with less operational capacity and triple the bureaucracy.

The Royal Navy and the RAF maritime capability have been run into the ground. which says a lot for an island nation. And working with European allies to create a stronger-together force with mutually supporting specialisms is a politically forbidden topic in the UK (even though it does happen to an extent).

I personally agree with you (and hope you’re correct!) I just feel uneasy assigning Putin morals and common sense that I don’t know he has

Thanks for responding.

Sure, but luckily it's not just down to him. There are other people around him too.

Some of them sound worse ! Although the media are perhaps quoting the more extreme views

My concern is that NATO is ineffective without full US support. I appreciated Scott Ritter's analysis of the weakened position of the EU and UK in confronting Russia.

Please be a bit skeptical of anything Scott Ritter has to say. He's a convicted child sex offender and Russia propogandist. At one point he claimed that the Ukrainians executed hundreds of their own civilians in Bucha, when the evidence was overwhelming that it was done by the Russians.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Ritter#Arrests_and_conviction_for_sex_offenses

I wouldn't worry about it op because if Putin pushes that big red button, then both you and your stockpile will be obliterated into oblivion.

@DogInATent

"He will probably be satisfied with getting Kursk back, retaining Donbas and the Crimea, and locking Ukraine out of EU/NATO and into the Russian sphere of influence. But that's not going to be acceptable to Ukraine and must not be accepted by the west"

I agree with your analysis but under Trump it looks like the US will stop military aid especially ammunition plus Ukraine is running out of men able or willing to fight.

The only alternative is for European governments to make up for the shortfall in US military aid, which they won't do because it will cost their taxpayers more, rather than relying on US taxpayers to pay for it.