Muttley
Well-known member
This has been part of the Russian playbook since the war started. They have been making threats about "escalation" to dissuade The West from helping the Ukraine. First it was no providing anti tank and Manpads for defence, then it was artillery limited in range, then not so limited, then it was tanks, then it was fighter aircraft... Each time they made thinly veiled threats about nukes. They were going to deploy them to Kaliningrad (though they were already there) now they are shuffling them about and moving them to Belarus. I rather think they have had their bluff called on this one.On the subject of nuclear weapons, this popped up as breaking news this morning (obviously everyone knew they where going to receive them, but it has started).Belarus starts receiving tactical nuclear weapons from Russia, President Alexander Lukashenko says
The development, watched closely by the United States and its allies, comes after Alexander Lukashenko appeared to contradict Vladimir Putin over the potential use of the weapons.news.sky.com
I have a gut feeling this will escalate things somehow, I don't know how but I can see consequences of this power play by Russia and Belarus.
Some may recall the classic TV episode of "Yes, Prime Minister" when Jim Hacker is given the "nuclear key" and he has to go through some hypothetical situations when he might "go nuclear" and basically demonstrated that the weapons are actually of very little military value.
Of course this is true, but as in WW2 there are no convenient lines on the map where you are "safe". Unlike in a Napoleonic battle where everyone meets in a field for a dust up usually well away from towns or cities, there are "legitimate" targets well behind the lines which means that civilian casualties are unavoidable. You can only ask at what point it is no longer "collateral damage" and becomes a "war crime"...Regardless, soldiers dying is tragic on all sides, but that’s what they sign up for, they know the risks. civilians being targeted and slaughtered in theres 10s or 100s of thousands is a war crime, regardless if someone labels it “all out war” or not. Bombs should never be targeted at civilians. Wars are started by the powerful elites, often for personal gain, be it financial, power or ego. Civilians shouldn’t ever be the ones to carry the burden of that. Be it in Japan or ukraine
As ever, any "war crimes" will be decided by the victors.