How Close Are We Really to Nuclear World War III?

There are many countries toying with the threat of war, however it is easy to see which countries may lead to nuclear warfare. While these countries say they don’t want war, it seems no-one is trying to prevent it either.

NATO and Russia

In May 2016, Alexander Richard Shirreff, the former deputy commander of NATO, outlined what he saw as the odds of a major war between the West and Russia. In his grim prediction, he believed that the world was on course for a nuclear exchange by 2017.

His argument boils down to three things — Ukraine, Putin’s paranoia, and the expansion of NATO. With the annexing of Crimea by Russia in 2014, it effectively destroyed the post–Cold War settlement. Then with international sanctions placed on it, Russia has now become ever more distrustful with what it sees as NATO domination.

And then there are the Russian planes that seem to be currently playing chicken with NATO jets in the Baltics. Two Russian bombers were also intercepted heading for the U.K. earlier this year. Russian warplanes have even been getting increasingly aggressive with intercepting U.S. military aircraft and are patrolling near America’s West Coast. All this has prompted the Air Force’s top combat officer to label their provocations one of his top worries.

China and South China Sea

Getting dragged into a war with China is a terrifying idea, although it is a real possibility. China has spent the past few years claiming territory that other countries also lay claim to. This normally would not be seen on the global stage; however the U.S. is an ally with those countries giving this problem more weight.

To read more go to Vision Times