It’s been called the sum of all fears: nuclear war.
For decades now, this fear has also been fairly distant. The worry of nuclear devices or materials finding their way into the hands of terrorists or being launched by rogue states, such as North Korea, existed, of course.
The immediate prospect of nuclear war has still been fairly distant, apart from the Twin Peaks crisis between India and Pakistan between 2001 to 2002, in which the world almost descended into total war and nuclear conflict.
Now, however, we are once again on the precipice, as Head of Strategic Command Navy Admiral Charles Richard is warning.
Be Ready for Nuclear War
When it comes to nuclear preparedness at the Department of Defense (DoD), nobody is more important than Richard. As the head of Strategic Command, he knows what he’s talking about, which is why we should all pay attention when he weighs in.
With the escalating threats from Russian leader Vladimir Putin and China’s growing force posture in Taiwan and around the world, we need to pay attention to what is going on and what it means for the safety of this nation and our families.
Putin invaded Ukraine on February 24 of this year and is currently being pushed back.
However, several areas of Ukraine are set to be annexed by Russia. Putin has warned any attack on these areas, such as Luhansk and Donetsk, by Ukraine will be an act of war met with any and all responses.
As he said, this is “not a bluff.” According to Richard, Putin’s threat and the prospect of a coming nuclear war is, indeed, a real possibility; we need to be prepared for the unthinkable.
US STRATCOM commander Adm. Charles A. Richard: "All of us in this room are back in the business of contemplating…possible direct armed conflict with a nuclear-capable peer. We have not had to do that in over 30 years…This is no longer theoretical." pic.twitter.com/FIBHQGPvFI
— CasualtiesOfTheDay 🇺🇦 (@Ayei_Eloheichem) September 22, 2022
The Sum of All Fears
As Richard said, his panel has to seriously consider nuclear war and America’s position in that regard for the first time in decades.
The DoD regards MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) as a safeguard against nuclear war, but they have to recalculate and be prepared for all possibilities, particularly as Russia seems willing to use nukes strategically and not only as a last resort.
The changing nature of threats from Russia and China means we need to be prepared for sudden and dramatic escalations that are at odds with US military strategy, but concluded as logical by foreign despots.
As Richard noted, the multi-polar world order that’s now emerging is not something America has had to truly deal with “for a long time.”
The US is currently updating its nuclear “strategy” to be fully prepared for all eventualities.
Lindsay Graham is on @newsmax saying we’re not going to be deterred by threats of nuclear war…
He’s also saying ending the war in Afghanistan was a showcase of weakness which is why Russia invaded Ukraine and why China is “acting up”.
— Kim Iversen (@KimIversenShow) September 21, 2022
The Bottom Line
God forbid that nuclear war should come. Though people like Richard are competent and full of resolve, so we can be thankful he is in the position he’s in, along with others who are taking these threats seriously.
