Odds of Ukraine war going nuclear rising

After 247 days of war in Ukraine, the nuclear temperature is rising.

US intelligence officials now estimate a one in four possibility the Russo Ukraine war could see the use of nuclear weapons by both Russia and US-NATO forces. At the start of the war that likelihood was near zero.

What changed? Russia’s inability to win a quick, decisive victory based on Russian military failure and determined Ukraine resistance aided by $65 billion in US weapons. That may be good for Ukraine in the short run, but in the long run not so, if nuclear weapons are engaged.

Ukraine President Zelensky doesn’t seem too concerned about the prospect, promoting direct attacks on Russia to prevent the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Is Zelensky oblivious that such attacks would likely provoke the very nuclear attacks he’s trying to prevent? The US and NATO must keep him on a short lease, least we all perish.

The US doesn’t seem too concerned about approaching nuclear war either. This Monday, the NATO alliance will hold conduct massive military maneuvers to practice dropping nuclear weapons over Russia. Its Steadfast At Noon exercise will involve 14 NATO members and 60 aircraft, including B-52's and F-16's. That’s just 3 weeks after President Biden warned we’re closer to nuclear Armageddon than any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis precisely 60 years ago.

What could possibly go wrong? We just have to revisit America’s 1983 Able Archer nuclear exercises which nearly triggered a Russian nuclear response, to see what could.

Let’s hope Monday’s Steadfast At Noon doesn’t turn into Armageddon At Noon.