To me, the main takeaway was use of the term "massive". A couple Storm Shadow missiles or any missile not nuclear-capable landing in the vicinity of Moscow is not massive. Which leaves Ritter up a creek with his "we could have all died Saturday" nonsense.
Bottom line: Putin is not going to blow up the world because of the use of weapons systems which are not nuclear-capable by Ukraine/US in small numbers, most of which will be intercepted anyway.
Adding that Russia will use nukes against the US/Ukraine (or any nuclear-capable power involved in Ukraine such as France and the UK) is a no-brainer. Everyone could see that coming. That was added simply to warn those three powers not to get stupid.
It does make the likelihood of some sort of strike against the Aegis Ashore installations more likely, however. If the US sends some Storm Shadows over the border, Putin can justify taking those out after he takes down some more buildings in Kiev as punishment to the Ukrainians.
All in all, this is a nothing-burger, but the usual analysts will be blowing it up to WWIII tomorrow, most probably Ritter. I'm not buying any iodine...
I hope Lavrov successfully persuade these folks.
To me, the main takeaway was use of the term "massive". A couple Storm Shadow missiles or any missile not nuclear-capable landing in the vicinity of Moscow is not massive. Which leaves Ritter up a creek with his "we could have all died Saturday" nonsense.
Bottom line: Putin is not going to blow up the world because of the use of weapons systems which are not nuclear-capable by Ukraine/US in small numbers, most of which will be intercepted anyway.
Adding that Russia will use nukes against the US/Ukraine (or any nuclear-capable power involved in Ukraine such as France and the UK) is a no-brainer. Everyone could see that coming. That was added simply to warn those three powers not to get stupid.
It does make the likelihood of some sort of strike against the Aegis Ashore installations more likely, however. If the US sends some Storm Shadows over the border, Putin can justify taking those out after he takes down some more buildings in Kiev as punishment to the Ukrainians.
All in all, this is a nothing-burger, but the usual analysts will be blowing it up to WWIII tomorrow, most probably Ritter. I'm not buying any iodine...
Ritter apes Chicken Little at times. More was said at the meeting than was published, however. What was additionally discussed would be nice to know.
Just read Ritter's latest, confirms your work here...