US prepares for threat of joint Chinese, Russian and North Korean nuclear strike

[Stevicus]

US prepares for threat of joint Chinese, Russian and North Korean nuclear strike - National Security News

The United States is making plans to counter the growing possibility of a joint Chinese, Russian and North Korean nuclear strike, according to a classified Pentagon document. In March, Joe Biden, the US president, secretly approved a significant change to America’s nuclear defence plan, The New...

nationalsecuritynews.com

In March, Joe Biden, the US president, secretly approved a significant change to America’s nuclear defence plan, The New York Times reported.

For the first time, the move has focused the US “deterrence strategy” on China’s rapid expansion of its nuclear arsenal. It also aims to address the threat of coordination between Beijing, Moscow and Pyongyang, according to the US newspaper.

Last October, a Pentagon report revealed that China’s nuclear weapons stock had more than doubled in the previous three years, in what officials described as a “major expansion of their nuclear forces”.

The Pentagon’s China Military Power Report estimated that, as of May last year, China had around 500 operational nuclear warheads, which would increase to 1,000 by 2030 and 1,500 by 2035, roughly matching the numbers currently deployed by the US and Russia.

An official at the time said this put China on track to exceed previous projections.

Defence experts also warned that the US should not underestimate President Xi’s strategic move towards acquiring greater nuclear might.

According to The New York Times, the White House did not publicly announce its revised strategy, named Nuclear Employment Guidance.

The highly classified document, updated every four years, only exists on paper in the hands of a small cohort of national security officials and Pentagon commanders. There are no electronic versions.

However, the pivot towards China was alluded to in carefully calibrated public comments by two senior administration officials, ahead of a more detailed, unclassified notification of Congress.

So, they're considering the possibility of a joint nuclear strike involving China, Russia, and North Korea. It is significant that China has doubled their nuclear weapons stock in the past three years.

The prospects of nuclear war have been with us since the Cold War - and now we seem to be in Cold War II - The Sequel.

I recall a lot of people were pretty worried about nuclear war, especially back in 1983 when the movie "The Day After" was a big television event which seemingly everyone watched and talked about in the days following. There were huge marches and protests in Europe and the U.S. against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. I've known some people who even had nightmares about nuclear war. A lot of people built bomb shelters, stocked up on food and supplies, preparing for the absolute worst. There are still a fair number of preppers out there, determined to survive such a catastrophe.

We also used to have "Fallout Shelter" signs everywhere, where people could go in the event of a nuclear war. Are those going to make a comeback? Should there be public bomb shelters built? (From what I've read, most of those places designated as "Fallout Shelters" back in the day were actually poorly built and would have offered little protection from radiation or a nuclear blast.)

Could we survive a nuclear war? Could we possibly win a nuclear war? I remember running into a few people back in the day who thought that a nuclear war was winnable.

 

[Kathryn]

I don't know that I would want to survive a nuclear war to be completely honest. At some point you just accept what happens.

 

[Soandso]

I live right next to a primary nuclear strike target. If nuclear warfare breaks out I'm instantly vaporized, so I'm good

 

[Kathryn]

I live in the middle of the country out in the middle of nowhere unfortunately so I would probably die a slow, lingering death. But who knows...I do live within about an hour or less of Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton. And I live way less than an hour from an active air force base.

 

[Stevicus]

I don't know that I would want to survive a nuclear war to be completely honest. At some point you just accept what happens.

I agree. I live in an area which would likely be hit. I don't know if we're still considered a primary target, but there's a major Air Force base and Army installation in the general area, along with defense contractors which make missiles.

 

[Soandso]

I live in the middle of the country out in the middle of nowhere unfortunately so I would probably die a slow, lingering death. But who knows...I do live within about an hour or less of Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton. And I live way less than an hour from an active air force base.

Hmmm... Do you have a bug out bag or something like that in case things go TU?

 

[Kathryn]

I remember a few years ago I called my dad about something or other. Now remember, my dad loved a good conspiracy theory! He was ready constantly for an apocalypse that never happened. Anyway, I asked him what he intended to do about whatever and he said, "Nothing. I'm too old to die on that hill." I understand where he was coming from now.

 

[Kathryn]

Hmmm... Do you have a bug out bag or something like that in case things go TU?

I do have a bug out bag. To be completely honest, I don't know where it even is since I moved here in April.

 

[Stevicus]

I live right next to a primary nuclear strike target. If nuclear warfare breaks out I'm instantly vaporized, so I'm good

I live close to one, but not close enough to get instantly vaporized.

This is a somewhat gruesome site to look at, but it's interesting information just the same: NUKEMAP by Alex Wellerstein

It outlines the damage caused depending on the yield of the weapon and the blast radius. If a Chinese ICBM hit my city, this is what I would have to look forward to:

Thermal radiation radius (3rd degree burns): 24.5 km (1,880 km²)
Third degree burns extend throughout the layers of skin, and are often painless because they destroy the pain nerves. They can cause severe scarring or disablement, and can require amputation. 100% probability for 3rd degree burns at this yield is 12.4 cal/cm².

So, I won't be instantly vaporized.

 

[Jimmy]

Lord has other plans imo.

 

[Jimmy]

Everybody’s stockpiling nukes before the world runs out of oil.

 

[Estro Felino]

The godless cabal of warmongers want to gain billions from war...I see.

In Europe the pro-Russian front is rising thanks to these masters of war.


And by the way.... their lord and master died last year. One century old.

 

[Stevicus]

The godless cabal of warmongers want to gain billions from war...I see.

In Europe the pro-Russian front is rising thanks to these masters of war.


And by the way.... their lord and master died last year. One century old.

It seems they would lose a lot of money in a nuclear war. That would certainly put quite a damper on international commerce.

 

[Revoltingest]

The godless cabal of warmongers....

More of this bigoted crap, eh.

 

[metis]

I don't know that I would want to survive a nuclear war to be completely honest. At some point you just accept what happens.

I used to tell my students that in case of a full out nuclear war I want to catch the first bomb.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I'd sing the Father's Nuclear Sumner.

 

[Estro Felino]

More of this bigoted crap, eh.

I can't say they're saints either.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

Could we survive a nuclear war? Could we possibly win a nuclear war? I remember running into a few people back in the day who thought that a nuclear war was winnable.

Well I probably think people would survive, maybe not you or me, but all nations probably have people they want to try and retain for the aftermath. The question is, what kind of conditions will those people face. Probably multiple problems I would guess, from irradiated tracts of land and resources, to I guess nuclear winter, to wondering how long hostilities might linger between what's left of the different powers. But when people emerge from underground, what is that like?

I don't see the logic in striking back with nukes, if a first strike occurred. Because the nation that actually does not strike back, after being struck, does retain the moral high ground in the long-game of history. Their values will in theory propagate, because they would be remembered as the people who did not stoop to such a low level as to irradiate the earth

 

[amorphous_constellation]

Everybody’s stockpiling nukes before the world runs out of oil.

can you explain what you mean, I'm not quite seeing the connection

 

[Jimmy]

can you explain what you mean, I'm not quite seeing the connection

Getting prepared for when the world runs out of oil.