Dark thoughts ... How close are we to Armageddon?
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6gg4DA9jbHgCLB1ruEFolM?si=bJak7EVjTA2vaS3Po4ZUQw&context=spotify%3Ashow%3A2MAi0BvDc6GTFvKFPXnkCL just listened to this on my ruck. I’m not so sure now.
Discussion
No nuclear-armed country wants to be involved in a nuclear war with another nuclear-armed country. That would be the worst imaginable outcome. Therefore, none of them will use nukes against each other. They may use them against a small country that can't fire back a nuke, and who isn't protected under some security alliance with a large country that has nukes, but that is it. In general, having nukes protects nuclear-capable countries from being attacked by non-nuclear capable countries, and it strongly discourages nuclear-capable countries from fighting each other, but I don't think it stops it. The US and Russia, for instance, may get into a direct war with each other and still nukes won't be used. It is as if they didn't exist, they are of no use against an enemy who also has them. Anything you launch gets launched back at you, so it's is kind of like punching yourself in the balls - something nobody does.
That being said, accidents happen.
I'm about to watch the video now.
And when I think what I would do if I was the president of the USA and found out Russia just launched on us, I would not launch back. I would say a final prayer and die. Because a world where one half is destroyed and human-kind continues is better than a world where both halfs are destroyed and humans become extinct.
Of course having said that, I can never become the president of the USA because nobody would be deterred by America's nukes under my watch.