Monday, March 3, 2025

Is Putin blackmailing the US and west with nuclear threats?

One very dire issue that we will have to deal with if there is such a breakup of NATO  is Russia's constant threat of nuclear blackmail.  An unspoken threat, the elephant in the room, in the Oval Office blowup against Zelensky, was to " sign this (faux) peace plan, and if you did not accept our terms, you would cause WWIII." (Trump;" You are gambling with WWIII"). That seemed an over-the-top comment until I remembered the nuclear blackmail that Russia constantly threatens. Is Russia threatening nuclear blackmail?. Is that what is driving Trump/Vance to attack Zelensky in the Oval Office blowup? Was it not only personal animus, but is Trump being manipulated by Putin using the nuclear blackmail card?  It sounds like Trump is getting played.

Pax America has been based on the concept of mutual self-destruction by keeping nuclear warhead parity with Russia. We have the same number of nuclear warheads Russia has, and if Russia attacks with nuclear weapons to wipe the West out, we will return the fire that will wipe out Russia, mutually assured destruction. NATO provided that umbrella to Western Europe.  If NATO is destroyed by the Trump-Putin lovers, what happens to that nuclear umbrella? Europe may be faced with having to increase their warheads. They have only 10% of Russian warheads and need more to be a credible deterrent without the US . Otherwise, every time there is a disagreement with Russia, Europe without NATO would be vulnerable to nuclear blackmail

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/putin-will-keep-escalating-his-nuclear-blackmail-until-it-stops-working/

Macron to discuss nuclear deterrence with European allies. A look at France's unique strategy | AP News

Nuclear blackmail fear of WWIII is not the only way Trump is getting played by Putin. Per H.R. McMaster on 60 Minutes, Putin caters to Trump's personal weakness, the feeling he is always being treated unfairly. “[Trump] is being played. And he's being played like other presidents have been played, like other leaders have been played, through that same playbook of Putin's,” says H.R. McMaster, the president’s former national security adviser.


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