World War 3 watch.....

[Normal Rob]

i do honestly think that should the worst happen and the sirens go off, then there would be a race on here to be the first to announce it.

 

[beorhthelm]

... As far I can tell the Russians are not in the slightest scared of sanctions, so what power do we have over them and should we actually be on the side of the Americans in this.

this is the nub of it. Russian isnt scared of sanctions because they dont believe they will happen. we are on the brink of a sort of economic WW3 (though i dont see any real war unless Russia goes after the Baltics or Poland, which they wont). instead of mutually assured destruction through nukes, we now have mutually assured depression through economics.

if we impose sanctions, Russia will retaliate with their own. Germany in particular but also Italy and most the rest of central/eastern Europe relies on Russian gas for industry. so their economies would be hosed. but then so would Russia, who need billions of revenue to balance their own finances. gas can be sourced elsewhere (US, UAE, Venezuela maybe), so limiting this impact on the west. however many banks in the west have also loaned Russia lots of money, and those with shaky balance sheets would be vulnerable to Russia defaulting, so it could be 2008 all over again. Putin is betting this is too big a risk for the West, so we'll hold off. and he's probably right as long as he doesn't escalate. if he does he'll force the West to act (if only to be seen to), triggering a series of sanctions causing his economy greater problems, which long term probably weakens him as Russia wont be able to finance a recovery. one outlet he has is to sell gas/oil to China, but they wont be in a position to increase demand if the West is in recession.

or as someone once said, 'ees complicated.

 

[Triggaaar]

i do honestly think that should the worst happen and the sirens go off, then there would be a race on here to be the first to announce it.

I've got a pre-typed announcement saved in WordPad.

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

i do honestly think that should the worst happen and the sirens go off, then there would be a race on here to be the first to announce it.

That could be the best fixtures call ever!

 

[backson]

It's not as if any of us on her can do a damn thing about it is there? I'm all up for a bit of levity in this particular matter.

"Hello, Mr Levity?"

(Points to anyone who knows where that one's from)

 

[Blazing Apostle]

Does anyone feel history repeating itself and Hagues rhetoric sounded just like Chamberlain appeasing Hitler in 1938 - vapid threats and such a fear of of any conflict that we will bend over backwards not to take any real action - Putin will be enboldened in the same way Hitler was and we all know what that led to! Also the west has been disarming the same way we did in the 1930's....its all very worrying

 

[somerset]

Does anyone feel history repeating itself and Hagues rhetoric sounded just like Chamberlain appeasing Hitler in 1938 - vapid threats and such a fear of of any conflict that we will bend over backwards not to take any real action - Putin will be enboldened in the same way Hitler was and we all know what that led to! Also the west has been disarming the same way we did in the 1930's....its all very worrying

But not forgetting the consequences are far broader and more widely appreciated by the citizens of this world we live in, in and out of government...... it won't escalate to military action, the technology would render it a goalless draw for all concerned.......economics is another thing altogether..we will probably all feel a bit of that pain in the next year or so.

 

[Phat Baz 68]

 

[Phat Baz 68]

OR >>>>>>

 

[Mr Bridger]

Where can you buy these World War III watches?

Wouldn't mind having a look at them , not sure it'll beat my Ben 10 watch thou.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Barber is bound to get blamed for it

 

[supaseagull]

OR >>>>>>

As a child of the 80s that film still invokes nightmares.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

OR >>>>>>

The first 60 seconds reminded me of Grimsby and Cleethorpes last December when the flood sirens went off.

 

[supaseagull]

Ironically after reading that Ukraine have withdrawn from the CIS, the Russians may have(by their own arrogance) forced Ukraine into talks about joining NATO. All this is going to do is push the alliances borders further east, whereas a more softly softly approach and support for the new regime in Ukraine may have led to them remaining part of the CIS.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

If Abramovich goes scuttling back to Moscow, it's time to head for the shelters. #wonthappen

 

[daveinprague]

Where can you buy these World War III watches?

Wouldn't mind having a look at them , not sure it'll beat my Ben 10 watch thou.

Cant see Rolex bringing one out. i would think the best bet will be Swatch.

 

[portslade seagull]

done and dusted
unfortunately nobody noticed
on a serious note they all need to get to a table and start talking otherwise its going to turn nasty
please do not let any of the yanks get anywhere near the RED button

The yanks won't get involved because they would lose

 

[portslade seagull]

i do honestly think that should the worst happen and the sirens go off, then there would be a race on here to be the first to announce it.

Can we watch the match on Saturday 1st

 

[Blue3]

The world could not afford WW3 .......... However I can see the two sides talking themselves into a fight neither really wants

..

 

[Uncle Buck]

Just glad that I ticked off Crimea last summer.