Russia state TV threatens to nuke the US mainland - does anyone care?

Ronald Reagan was elected in 1980 as a tough and hawkish figure, but over the course of his two-term presidency, fear of nuclear war between the Soviet Union and the United States became a primary concern. So he did something about it.

Reagan avoided such a war by reaching out to his greatest world adversary, and thus significantly diminished the possibility of nuclear holocaust. His greatest legacy.

In 2023, American presidents seem to worry less about the risk of nuclear war.

Newsweek reported Monday, “A Kremlin propagandist has issued the latest nuclear threat against the West regarding the war in Ukraine, warning that the U.S. could be in danger of a Russian missile attack.”

“Igor Korotchenko, editor of the newspaper National Defense and a regular guest on the Russia 1 channel where guests have repeatedly called for strikes against Ukraine's allies, took exception to criticism of Russian conduct in the war,” Newsweek noted.

The story continued, "Russia is being warned and threatened that if we misbehave, or if in [NATO senior member for logistics] Ben Hodges' opinion, we exceed what he considers to be the necessary permissible lines for the use of all types of Russian weapons, he threatens us with more than just strikes on the Crimean bridge," Korotchenko said…”

https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1698433565644447862

“Korotchenko said there should be a discussion about what will determine ‘the use and permissibility of tactical nuclear weapons what goals and what tactics we will use,” Newsweek continued.

"The most important message we should send to the Americans is that we will not wage war with you in Europe," Korotchenko said. "In response to your attacks on Russian military or civilian facilities, the first strike will be a preventative limited strike against targets on the territory of the United States of America," he told the anchor of 60 Minutes, Yevgeny Popov.

This is likely pure propaganda from an old Russian veteran. That’s just what they do.

But it’s still something the US shouldn’t toy with or take lightly. Even a little.

This teased Russian nuclear threat, perceived or real, is not new. I covered this at BASEDPolitics in October 2022, a time in which Russian President Vladimir Putin had threatened nuclear war. 

Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson said in early October on his then number one Fox News program after some in Washington had called for Russian regime change, “For years, Democrats and the defense establishment they control have told us that Vladimir Putin is crazy and evil and he may be. Let’s assume it’s true. They’ve said it.” 

“Is that the man you want to publicly threaten with extermination?” Carlson added. 

“This is the man who controls more than 6,000 nuclear warheads,” he continued. “So, if you push him hard enough, why wouldn’t he use those nuclear weapons? Well, by their own description of him, he would.”

https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/1577097333355020289

That this has been an ongoing threat, however great or small—and I loathe fearmongering—should worry most of us.

But apparently it doesn’t. Former U.S. Army General and NATO Senior Mentor for Logistics, Ben Hodges, told Newsweek, "Russia has been threatening nuclear strikes since the beginning. I take them seriously because Russia has thousands of nuclear weapons and because they clearly don't care how many innocent people may die.”

"But I think they realize that their nukes are actually most effective when they don't use them,” Hodges added. “They see how we self-deter."

That’s too lackadaisical for my comfort level. What US interest in the Russia-Ukraine conflict—particularly NATO issues that would no doubt be at the center of any nuclear war—is worth risking such a war?

Has this question ever truly been posed to Americans?

Sen. Mike Lee had a sane thought Monday night:

https://twitter.com/BasedMikeLee/status/1698887692019486852

When challenged, ‘Based Mike Lee’ (his real personal account), added:

https://twitter.com/BasedMikeLee/status/1698889170662646171

Tread lightly is right. While this administration continues to do anything but.

Like this article? Check out the latest BASEDPolitics podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or below:

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