[mountainmonk]

Honestly I'm glad, for a bit there it seemed like there were some idiots that thought they could win in a direct conflict against Russia and China including going nuclear. Trump was the wost possible candidate in every aspect I can think of except one, he will put his self interest above everything else and is very flexible without any ideological beliefs that supercede his self interest.

[y0ssar1an]

Appeasing nuclear bullies gets you more nuclear bullying, not less.

Because of Trump's betrayal of Ukraine, the whole world knows that US security guarantees don't mean anything. These security guarantees have prevented the spread of nuclear weapons. The US has treaties with dozens of countries promising a US nuclear response if the country is nuked. Therefore, those countries have not had to develop nuclear weapons.

They do now. Their trust has been completely shattered. I guarantee you that formerly non-nuclear countries like South Korea, Japan, and half of Europe are now full speed ahead on secret nuclear weapons programs. Trump has destroyed the US-led world order and we're now on a much scarier timeline. Nuclear war is more likely, not less.

[mountainmonk]

I think we have completely different views of things, how did Russia become the nuclear bully?. Are you aware of several nuclear pre-emptive strike plans that have been floating around lately in the U.S against Russia, how can the whole Ukraine 'organic' uprising be a thing when Russia is next door. Imagine if Canada suddenly went through an 'organic' uprising and decided it wanted to join the Chinese NATO equivalent, would anyone believe that possible without prior assurances?, how would the U.S respond?.

The whole 51st state cannot be a Trump only thing, he is too stupid for that, more than likely its some plan that someone told him about it and he couldn't keep quiet about it. Take into account that the whole Ukraine owing the U.S half of its mineral wealth wasn't just a Trump thing, Biden was promoting it too but he was quiet about it.

From my pov China and Russia have been the rational actors, the U.S is acting irrationally as it sees their influence crumble. They are unwilling to compete with China and want to go back to the good ol days when 'organic' coups would just happen whenever a government decided not to take whatever deal they offered.

If anything, it is the U.S that is the nuclear bully.

[throwawayq3423]

> how did Russia become the nuclear bully

By routinely threatening to use their nuclear weapons.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-issues-warning-us...

https://www.icanw.org/new_russian_doctrine_increases_possibl...

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-...

Politics is sometimes extremely simple, and the people seeking to complicate matters are the ones with ulterior motivates to do so.

> Are you aware of several nuclear pre-emptive strike plans that have been floating around lately in the U.S against Russia

Not true. Please provide a citation if I am wrong.

> Imagine if Canada suddenly went through an 'organic' uprising and decided it wanted to join the Chinese NATO equivalent, would anyone believe that possible without prior assurances?, how would the U.S respond?

Yes, good point. Trump's idiot empty threats aside, if Canada actually felt the need to get external security guarantees against a planned US invasion, they would have every right to do so. They don't, so they don't. Ukraine does, so they do.

> The whole 51st state cannot be a Trump only thing

It is. It was not spoken of before his victory, and won't be again after he is gone. Trump is a gift to anyone seeking to "both sides" Russia's aggression, but serious people see through that.

> Ukraine owing the U.S half of its mineral wealth wasn't just a Trump thing

Again, yes it was.

> If anything, it is the U.S that is the nuclear bully.

You have yet to offer any supporting evidence of this.

[worldsayshi]

What is worse, risking nuclear annihilation or risking the end of democracy as a concept and fully inviting authoritarianism?

[throwawayq3423]

Allowing Russia to take a country by force:

1. Will guarantee it will do it again, guaranteeing more war. 2. Will motivate more countries to get nuclear weapons, raising the chances of a nuclear war.

[mountainmonk]

Is this serious?. I think you got things mixed up a bit here I think you meant to say the opposite.

The better comparison would be, would I rather have me, my kids and everyone I love die in a ball of fire or disease/hunger as society crumbles around us or risk the end of democracy and inviting authoritarianism?. I personally would always risk dictatorship, you can fight against dictators but not against death.