This article is about Germany rapidly increasing defence spending, and also the fact that they’re considering conscription. I also found this interesting:
A recent YouGov poll showed that 79% of Germans still see Vladimir Putin as “very” or “quite” dangerous to European peace and security. Now 74% said the same for Donald Trump.
Thoughts?
How does a strong military prevent a war? It didn’t work WW1 or 2.
I see your attempt of derailing, but I’ll play the game.
How does appeasement prevent a war? It didn’t work for the First or Second World War.
You are just naive in thinking that weapons can prevent a war.
You are just naive in thinking that querfronts can prevent a war.
I never said that I think weapons prevent wars.
Wars with erratic actors like Putin cannot be prevented, because certainty of peace is built on trust, but Putin cannot be trusted.
So your solution is just to lay down and die (pobably litteraly)?
The country I live in tries to be prepared for war and so do many countries in Europe.
I and my in-group have a lot to lose when countries like Russia, USA or China expand their influence onto Europe, by indirect, hybrid or direct intervention.
European society is already split enough, it doesn’t need further authority (from outside).
Europe doesn’t exist anymore after WW3.
https://youtu.be/MpmGXeAtWUw
MAD only works if all sides have nuclear anxiety and the existence of nuclear weapons doesn’t rule ballistic weapons out of existence, especially for countries without nuclear weapons (see Ukraine). I’m not advocating for nuclear proliferation here.
The equilibrium of MAD (as in “The only way to win is not to play”) might be relevant for countries with nuclear weapons (i.e. Russia, USA, China), but telling the Ukraine defense that “The only way to win is not to play” is insulting and privileged.
Germany does not intend to test how far Russia is going with ballistic weapons and cannot rely solely on the power of MAD’s equilibrium from France, NATO or USA.
now you are derailing the argument
btt
But all i hear is we need more conventional weapons to defend against russia?
Still wanna know how that increases the peace?
So your solution is to do nothing and die (Very likely literally)?
I don’t have a solution, but unlike the militarist I don’t pretend to have one.
What does prevent your stuff from getting stolen all the time? Your ability to lock your door and a state-operated police and judical system that oversees the adherence to laws or the sign over your open door that everyone can come in an take your stuff unpunished?
What does prevent an agressive neighbour with no regards to laws from invading you? The ability to defend yourself making an attempt too costly or your active work on being as helpless as possible and appeasing the aggressor?
Yes a state judical system, but not you holding your neightbor at gunpoint, but that is basically what militarism is advocationg for on an international level.
If you will you contradicted your 2nd part of your post with the first one.
No, there isn’t a contradiction in the argument. There is one in reality: There is no independent authority (police force/judical system) making countries accountable for breaking the law. We tried to build up something comparable on the judical side of things but those still lack the ability to enforce their rulings.
So it boils down to “fortifying your door” and being able to defend it against the few people really determined to tear it down.
so you say there is no way to prevent ww3?
Now you are pretending to be dumb, aren’t you?
Being able to properly defend yourself so an aggressor will not risk attacking in the first place will prevent a war.
Showing how helpless you are and asking an aggressor nicely to respect that and not invade you will not.
It actually is that easy.
just following your metapher, someone trying to break in is already ww3
And hoping that it doesn’t happen just because you have some more tanks is just an unproven naive hope.
And thinking that “look I’m helpless, please don’t kill me and take my stuff, because I was nice and made it easier for you” is something else than naive hope?
nope
that’s the part where the existential dread sets in: Currently I only see a downwards spiral and absolutly idealessness on everyone how to stop it.