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I see a very grim possibility in the west's behavior. Namely in comments from the Pentagon about using nuclear weapons when they're "to the US advantage to do so" and this talk of a new nuclear posture for the US to be able to take out China, Russia, DPRK all in one blow. I fear the plan is simply that. To create a situation with enough chaos while sewing doubt among their enemies that they'll actually do it, then actually doing it while they're doubting that they should react to say their radar going down because surely the US wouldn't really nuke them right and THEY wouldn't want to start a nuclear war by launching themselves right? (reasonable human stuff) To salami-slice their way up the escalation ladder so they're right there at that point and then blind them in some way with some thinly veiled excuse that it's for their behavior or some alleged escalation by them, use that moment of blindness to launch half the US arsenal and attempt to completely destroy Russia, China, DPRK or at least their military centers and counter-strike capabilities with nuclear missile subs being first strikers that hit and attempt to suppress command and control and primary launch locations of the enemy followed by further away and later arriving land-based launches to mop up the rest and possibly air burst in the path of projected incoming retaliatory wave. After that just have to take much less damage than them by suppressing any late response, then move in, install some compradors backed by their army or someone else's and enjoy the new American century.
Because I'm sure they'd do it if they could get away with it but also somewhat confident that if they know they'll die themselves that they won't do it.
The utmost concern now is CREDIBILITY by Russia, China, etc that they can't be taken by surprise, that they have the technology, the infrastructure, the chain of command, the redundancy, and most importantly they have the desire and fortitude to actually return fire without hesitation and destroy the west.
It's why I think Putin really should espond to the ATACMs provocation more directly if it continues after Trump takes office. Right now they can wave it off as Biden being a senile mad-man who's nearly dead, just lost power and is trying to sabotage his rival but once Trump is in office if it continues then it's policy of the US and Russia knowingly gritting and bearing it signals to the west they can escalate further with their salami-slicing and the Russian threats will continue to be empty.
And given how the west really doesn't want to lose I worry if they perceive Russia as flinching, as being afraid that they'll try and freeze the conflict through force. That the next escalation will be when after Ukraine's lines falter they send in NATO troops, give Putin an ultimatum, do the whole "but north koreans" excuse and say the lines are drawn about where they are now and Ukraine WILL be militarized as part of NATO and Russia gets to keep only the parts it has already captured at which point the options for Russia are not good in trying to fight and displace large NATO army with further actions only inescapably pushing us up the escalation ladder.
I certainly hope some good like Russia giving Ansar Allah weapons to push the US out of the area comes of this.