- Joined
- Mar 9, 2023
- Location
- Georgia, US
IMO, if a full-fledged conventional engagement breaks out between NATO and Russia, there is substantial risk of rapid escalation.Correct, but even then it would most likely be a slow progression from DEFCON 5 to 1. Most people here agree that NATO countries are already involved in a proxy war with Russia at this point.
Falling back on a "Guns of August" type of assessment, the belief that escalation to nuclear confrontation will be slow might be influenced by how past conflicts unfolded (not that any of them got to a nuclear launch, except arguably 1945). My fear is that in a conventional conflict between opposing nuclear powers, nerves are ratcheted up, and the desire to "show strength and determination" to use nuclear weapons creates a self-fulfilling prophecy situation. My own personal defcon level immediately goes to 2 in the event direct confrontation occurs between NATO and Russia.
