Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Bucha today. His face says it all.

[intrepidity]

84. This may sound naive

but I dont think its as simple as you describe.

First, Russia has always had a no-first-strike doctrine. Second, there isn't just a single red button Putin has to push.Their whole nuclear schema is built to be as a response to a first-strike. That was the point of MAD.

It isn't clear to me whether they could even technically launch a first-strike. Same goes for us.

The only times we've apparently ever gotten to the brink was when the system broke down and it "appeared" a launch had been made from the other side. Even then, there were enough intermediate steps--even if only one person with critical thinking skills--to prevent a launch.

I'd imagine since then, even *more* fail safes have been built into the system. The only reason to not do so is if one *wanted* to have first-strike ability. And according to MAD, well, that's madness.

Granted, Putin is evil and reckless, but is he *that* kind of "mad"? If he is, then there really is only one solution.