Do you think Putin would attack a NATO member?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

30 votes, 1 pass | Time left: Unlimited
	Yes
	23 (77%)
	No
	7 (23%)
	1 DU member did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[WarGamer]

1. that would truly mean WW3

Answer the question by understanding that fact.

[JohnSJ]

6. I think so

[WarGamer]

10. Then don't bother filling out a will...

There will be no one left to enjoy your stuff...

[JohnSJ]

15. I don't think Putin will risk outside of Ukraine.

[WarGamer]

16. I don't either

He saw what happened in Iraq

Lots of countries screamed and yelled but soon forgot about it.

He thinks he can also get away with it.

[TheRealNorth]

20. Not until he gets The Biggest Loser is back in charge

Then Putin can purge Eastern Europe while Trump does his purges here.

[Best_man23]

2. If he is allowed to get away with invading Ukraine

The Baltic states are next, perhaps Poland.

[brooklynite]

5. The armchair generals have apparently arrived.

The Baltic States AND Poland are NATO members; a Russian invasion would oblige the US and other NATO States to respond militarily.

[WarGamer]

11. that's the correct answer.

[sarisataka]

12. Yes they have

they are replacing the fortune tellers who have been positive Russia would not attack Ukraine.

There is a good reason we have put troops in Poland and the Baltics. The moving of other NATO forces east is a warning of what will happen if any forces try to advance beyond the Ukrainian border.

[Celerity]

18. Correct.

[vercetti2021]

3. Yes

And that will officially start WW3

[KentuckyWoman]

4. He already did.

Social media has been an effective weapon

[Texaswitchy]

7. All those border states.

Does he have the man power to take on NATO.

Ukraine is just one country.

[mvd]

8. If he thinks they should be part of Russia, yes

He’s definitely dangerous but hopefully not WW3 level.

[C_U_L8R]

9. He's counting on it.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

13. Russia has NUKES. Putin would be STUPID to use them.

We had them first. That is how we were able to end WW2 with Japan.

Putin attacks a NATO country, we are in because of Article 5. Putin will lose.

[sarcasmo]

22. Putin mentioned Nukes in his speech, Putin doesn't care about Article 5.

[Quixote1818]

14. Russia can't afford to get into a multi front war. War with Ukraine alone could bankrupt them

if it drags on for years.

[Texaswitchy]

19. NATO would take out his military.

My cousin in the Czech Republic has two grandsons active duty, other grandsons in reserve units.

They are called up.

[Celerity]

17. No. Collective defence - Article 5

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_110496.htm

The principle of collective defence is at the very heart of NATO’s founding treaty. It remains a unique and enduring principle that binds its members together, committing them to protect each other and setting a spirit of solidarity within the Alliance.

[The Revolution]

21. A few days ago I would have said no

Now I'm not so sure. Attacking a NATO state would seem foolish, unless Putin believes we won't start WW3 over Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Poland had defensive pacts with France and the UK, Hitler attacked anyway.

If Putin is irrational or has descended into full on megalomania, who knows what he'll do. This talk about Ukraine not even being a real country, imaginary genocides, a need to "protect" Russians living in neighboring countries... it just all seems right out of Hitler's playbook.

Maybe he'll go after Finland next. They aren't in NATO either.

[TheRealNorth]

23. Finland gave them hell in '39

Granted, that was immediately after Stalin's purges destroyed the Red Army command structure.

[Retrograde]

24. Yeah, a year ago I would have said no way

now, though - I have no idea what Putin thinks he's doing

[DFW]

25. If he thinks he can get away with it, he will

If he is told in no uncertain terms that it will elicit a nuclear response, he won't.

The question is, do we want to risk London, Berlin, Paris, New York and Washington getting nuked to save Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia? Putin is probably thinking we won't. But in attacking the whole of the Ukrainian territory, he has demonstrated that he thinks he can get away with a lot already.

[Straw Man]

26. It's not a one-way street.

The question is, do we want to risk London, Berlin, Paris, New York and Washington getting nuked to save Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia? Putin is probably thinking we won't.

Put Moscow on that list. Does he want to risk that in order to get Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia?

[DFW]

27. We wouldn't use nuclear arms first

Only in retaliation. He knows that, too.

[Straw Man]

28. Agreed.

But it would be the end of the Russian nation. The West would probably survive, albeit badly damaged, but Russia would cease to exist as a nation state.

[DFW]

29. Ironically for Putin, it would have exactly the opposite effect he is now seeking

Instead of a restored Great Russian Empire, breakaway regions, especially the eastern parts with lots of natural resources and few people, would probably find the courage to declare themselves independent of the more heavily populated "incompetents" of European Russia, who would then really be up shit creek. They would then have all the mouths to feed, and nothing to offer to pay for the food.

[Amishman]

30. No, but he wants everyone to believe he is capable of everything

He wants the world to fear him, because that fear allows him to take actions like this.

The wrist slap sanctions we have placed so far are utterly inadequate. Time for total trade embargo and forfeiture of Russian assets overseas.