Any attacks on these areas by Ukrainian forces would be deemed “an attack on Russian soil” he told us. Only a few days after this announcement from the Kremlin the Ukrainian Army, if western reports are to be believed, had recaptured significant parts of these “Russian territories” which makes Putin look a bit silly. A bit silly yes, but a damn sight more dangerous to all of us, it would not be wise to mock him!
Ordinarily I would applaud the Ukrainian Army but as their ranks include the neo-Nazi Azov regiment applause for the Ukrainians is somewhat muted. I, as an anti-fascist (in its generic sense) as opposed to a non-fascist, cannot applaud any victories by a regiment which openly boasts wishing to emulate the Das Reich regiment of Hitlers Waffen SS.
All that aside, the Russians are not doing great and that is perhaps an understatement. In reality, and again if reports are to be believed, the Russian Army are performing atrociously losing ground on a daily basis. The last time a military force led by Russia performed so poorly was back in Finland 1939 when the Soviet Red Amy had been basically decapitated by another headcase, Joe Stalin. Thankfully Georgi Zhukov took the reins, and the Red Army became the largest factor in defeating Nazi Germany with help from the western allies. Thankfully, the Nazis were led by an even bigger headbanger in Hitler. The same cannot be said of Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy who, against all the initial odds is holding a steady ship and winning it seems. However, the fact remains that in Putin’s eyes these areas are sovereign parts of Russia after what he calls referenda passed this, meaning that by his criteria the Ukrainian Army are on Russian soil! How true or false these referenda were, is anybody’s guess. According to the USA and western media, as would be expected, they were “a sham.” That does not automatically mean they were. Irrespective of the rights and wrongs of the referenda, what could Putin’s response be? The possibilities are frightening for all of us!
Despite the poor performance, it would seem, of the Russian Army in the field these performances count for nothing when the steaks are raised to nuclear level. Battles in the field are an irrelevance when we talk of using tactical nuclear weapons. Should Putin decide to go down this suicidal avenue the conflict leaves the borders of Russia and Ukraine or even Russia and NATO countries and effects the whole planet. Vladimir Putin may well be in a fragile state of mind at the moment, shell shocked even by the Ukrainian advances, so what will his next move be? Egged on by another psychopath, the Chechnyan leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, who has already urged the Russian leader to use “low yield nuclear weapons” in the Ukraine, could Putin take this bad advice? The question is, rather than risk total disgrace in defeat would the Kremlin take this step towards potential global annihilation and use nuclear bombs? The scenario is frightening to say the least!
Should they go down this road what then would the response of NATO be? By NATO, of course, I really mean the United States. Despite the Ukrainian gains the Russian Duma are still ratifying these annexations so would this prompt Putin to go for broke? Should Putin decide to go down this barmy avenue and use these deadly weapons, starting with “low yield” ordnance would the west, on behalf of the Ukraine, or to prevent Moscow moving from “low yield” to more devastating missiles, launch their own attack on Russia? When talking of nuclear weapons, let alone using them, all rational and cognitive thought goes out of the window as irrational thinking takes over. The situation would escalate in no time as Moscow would respond to any NATO attack, should such an attack happen, and NATO would then up the stakes again, as then would Moscow and so on. There would be no winners and few survivors anywhere on the planet.
Ireland is a small non-nuclear country, and we are not part of the NATO war machine, and never should be. For the reasons pointed out above I do wish An Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, would keep his trap shut about Putin and Russia. If the Russian President is as unstable as it appears what is to stop him, having reached the point of no return, of thinking along the lines of, “fuck you Ireland, I am taking no more shit from you, take one of these?” One of these deadly nuclear missiles could destroy this country, north and south, and all who live here. The same applies to others who seem hell bent on antagonising the Russians, like Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney hiding behind the USA and, no doubt, they have their own nuclear shelters. If this situation becomes a nuclear nightmare An Taoiseach should keep his mouth shut and thoughts to himself, we are out of our depth. Concentrate on looking after refugees by all means and perhaps put as much energy into building a health service and housing to look after the indigenous population and refugees alike, as he does by attacking and antagonising the Russians.
Are the twenty-six county government using the serious situation in the Ukraine to push their case for NATO membership? Do they think by acting the big boys, the hard men, hiding behind Joe (I wish I were Irish) Biden will fuel their case for NATO membership? They should stop this game of antagonising a nuclear power with a fragile leader, Russia, as his actions may well be unpredictable and devastating for us.
Despite the poor performance, it would seem, of the Russian Army in the field these performances count for nothing when the steaks are raised to nuclear level. Battles in the field are an irrelevance when we talk of using tactical nuclear weapons. Should Putin decide to go down this suicidal avenue the conflict leaves the borders of Russia and Ukraine or even Russia and NATO countries and effects the whole planet. Vladimir Putin may well be in a fragile state of mind at the moment, shell shocked even by the Ukrainian advances, so what will his next move be? Egged on by another psychopath, the Chechnyan leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, who has already urged the Russian leader to use “low yield nuclear weapons” in the Ukraine, could Putin take this bad advice? The question is, rather than risk total disgrace in defeat would the Kremlin take this step towards potential global annihilation and use nuclear bombs? The scenario is frightening to say the least!
Should they go down this road what then would the response of NATO be? By NATO, of course, I really mean the United States. Despite the Ukrainian gains the Russian Duma are still ratifying these annexations so would this prompt Putin to go for broke? Should Putin decide to go down this barmy avenue and use these deadly weapons, starting with “low yield” ordnance would the west, on behalf of the Ukraine, or to prevent Moscow moving from “low yield” to more devastating missiles, launch their own attack on Russia? When talking of nuclear weapons, let alone using them, all rational and cognitive thought goes out of the window as irrational thinking takes over. The situation would escalate in no time as Moscow would respond to any NATO attack, should such an attack happen, and NATO would then up the stakes again, as then would Moscow and so on. There would be no winners and few survivors anywhere on the planet.
Ireland is a small non-nuclear country, and we are not part of the NATO war machine, and never should be. For the reasons pointed out above I do wish An Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, would keep his trap shut about Putin and Russia. If the Russian President is as unstable as it appears what is to stop him, having reached the point of no return, of thinking along the lines of, “fuck you Ireland, I am taking no more shit from you, take one of these?” One of these deadly nuclear missiles could destroy this country, north and south, and all who live here. The same applies to others who seem hell bent on antagonising the Russians, like Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney hiding behind the USA and, no doubt, they have their own nuclear shelters. If this situation becomes a nuclear nightmare An Taoiseach should keep his mouth shut and thoughts to himself, we are out of our depth. Concentrate on looking after refugees by all means and perhaps put as much energy into building a health service and housing to look after the indigenous population and refugees alike, as he does by attacking and antagonising the Russians.
Are the twenty-six county government using the serious situation in the Ukraine to push their case for NATO membership? Do they think by acting the big boys, the hard men, hiding behind Joe (I wish I were Irish) Biden will fuel their case for NATO membership? They should stop this game of antagonising a nuclear power with a fragile leader, Russia, as his actions may well be unpredictable and devastating for us.
I was interested, talking of NATO membership, to hear Michael Gove, a man I totally as a rule disagree with, saying, when asked, he would not support Ukraine’s “application for NATO” membership. Gove argued, with much justification for once, that should Ukraine join NATO, and should another conflict with Russia, perhaps a resurgent one take place in the future, “we are all treaty bound” (referring to Britain) to aid Ukraine against Russia. This would, should such a situation arise, almost definitely turn nuclear.
If Ireland is ever foolish enough to apply, and be accepted, for NATO membership this rule would then apply to us. For fucks sake, things are dangerous enough at the present, without making us an actual target in any nuclear conflict by some atomic nutter!! So, Micheal, think of our security first before you go playing, or trying to play, war games with the so-called big boys, which none of them are. Ireland are presently the big boys practising humanitarianism to those in need. Don’t go and ruin that by playing the big, would be, NATO hard men just perhaps to boost your own ego.
 |
Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist |
