Given just how explosive the current situation is, a little over a century after World War I started, the fact that Robert Parry is suggesting that Russia made it clear to Turkey they’d use tactical nukes in defense of their air forces in Syria, should Turkey attack, would probably be used as an excuse by NATO to retaliate.
Please note that Robert Parry is not just any journalist.
This, obviously could cause the Middle East conflict to become nothing less than the spark that ignites World War III1. Also keep in mind that Israel is “rumored” to have nuclear weapons as well – and they’re “just around the corner” geographically.
Given that the previous World War ended before the first nuclear weapons were used2, the prospect of Russia using tactical nukes against a NATO country and both sides controlling a huge arsenal, is quite scary indeed.
Of course the announcements by the US to modernize the nuclear arsenal stationed in Germany do not look like deescalation either.
// Oliver
- yeah, I know some US-Americans count the Cold War as WWIII, but that’s an opinion rather than general consensus [↩]
- yeah, I don’t buy the official “history” of the victors, since the Japanese were on their knees already and still two nuclear bombs were used against them, making the US the only country to have used nuclear weapons against another country [↩]