re: #166 Targetpractice

The thing about nuclear warfare is that it doesn’t start with ICBMs dropping multi-megatons on major cities. It starts smaller, like a general calling in a tactical nuclear strike to stop a tank column moving on his position. Or the use of a nuclear torpedo to wipe out a convoy of supply ships. Or a nuclear missile used to stop a flight of bombers. Once one side does it, the other side will respond.

Eventually one side or the other starts to get the upper hand, starts to present an existential threat to their enemy. At that point, what started at the tactical level turns strategic. Nukes aimed at military complexes, at shipyards, at airfields, and all other military infrastructure that is usually placed close enough to civilian populations that they’ll get caught in the blast.

And once you get to that point, it’s all over. Systems in place to ensure that you get your nukes off before they can snap into place and everything turns into a sea of fire.

Do you think that China would put up with Putin using nukes?