(OPINION) Will the World See Another Nuclear Arms Race?

Get our free mobile app

The opinions expressed in this post belong solely to the author and should not be construed to represent the views of Townsquare Media, News-Talk 1340 KROC-AM and 96.9 FM, or anyone else associated with the organizations.

The Ukraine-Russia War continues, with the U.S. and other NATO nations aiding Ukraine forces with a variety of weapons that have been used to blunt the Russian attack. The brave, inspirational Ukraine President Zelensky, while thanking the West, asks for more weapons on an expedited basis.

Ukraine forces have killed and captured thousands of Russian soldiers and killed several high-ranking commanders. They have sunk or put out of commission Russian naval vessels on the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. But Russian commanders have successfully tied down Ukraine troops in border regions that have pro-Russian populations.

The stalemate, as of April and early May, caused observers to encourage continued peace talks to end the bloodshed, suggesting Ukraine promise to not join NATO, a fear that motivated Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to attack Ukraine. Others say Putin’s primary objective is to re-establish the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and control the border states that were Soviet Satellites before 1990. The problem is some of those states are now NATO members, and some nations in proximity to Russia that are not NATO members, including Sweden and Finland, are now thinking of joining the military Pact formed after World War II to block Soviet Russian expansion.

NATO nations are sending military supplies and armament to Ukraine, and are, with U.S. military personnel, training Ukraine troops. Putin warned the NATO nations that continued aid to Ukraine could result in military retaliation.

Putin has shocked the world with his genocidal attacks on Ukraine civilians. Russian troops have allegedly buried thousands of Ukraine civilians to hide what has been called war crimes. Putin has become a pariah, supported logistically and economically only by the People’s Republic of China, and Communist leader, Xi Jinping, who must be pondering whether the lesson of the Russian invasion is for him to invade Taiwan, or back off his threats for now.

Conservative columnist Pat Buchanan wonders if the lessons of the war will encourage aggressive nations like Iran and North Korea to become more belligerent against their adversaries because of what they see as the reluctance of Western nations to directly confront totalitarian expansionists out of fear that they will use ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons against their enemies. And the threats to use such weapons, as Putin has done, will cause Western nations to limit their responses to aggressors.

Buchanan then concluded that the lesson of nuclear threats might persuade nations that their hope for protection is to possess nuclear weapons, hence the stimulation of an international nuclear arms race.

The Ukraine-Russia war continues, the irony being the NATO Pact, initially designed to use military force to prevent Russian geographic expansion during the Cold War, is now limited in its response to Russian aggression because of the reasonable fear that additional military threats to Russia could start World War III.

But the failure to stop Putin’s aggressive actions and objectives might also lead to a wider war.

Listen to Tom each Tuesday and Thursday morning after the 11 AM news as he joins Andy Brownell for Rochester Toda on News-Talk 1340 KROC-AM and 96.9 FM.