Russia strikes back, we are at war. What should POTUS Trump do?

MayCaesar

I have lived both in Russia and the US for a significant amount of time. In my experience, once the Russian government is dedicated to something, it will not stop until it has accomplished its goal. So, assuming we enter a state of war with Russia, there is only one way to act: to commit a lot of resources to the war and to win it, and to hope that Putin is not wacky enough to use the nuclear weapons (he probably is not).

If, on the other hand, it is some minor conflict, then it is probably better to not react. Putin is very trigger-happy, and it is better to not give him what he craves: the excuse to start another expansionist war.

I am libertarian as well, but I do not understand the pacifist position of most libertarians out there. It is naive to assume that every conflict can be solved by withdrawing from it: eventually such a strategy will catch up with you, and you will have a much bigger conflict on your hands anyway.

AlofRI

First step: Start listening to those Generals! (That are not as smart as him). Second: Do NOT have "secret, un-witnessed", talks with Putin! Third: Accept the blame. Fourth: Forget about the wall. Fifth: Pay  his taxes … we will need the money. Sixth: Tell them they are no longer welcome in the Oval Office. Seventh: Kiss our butts goodbye.

"I know not with what weapons WW3 will be fought, but, WW4 will be fought with sticks and stones."   Albert Einstein

Plaffelvohfen

What should POTUS Trump do?

Resign? Or maybe, just die...??

Wouldn't mind either really...

CYDdharta

The date on that video is Sep 22, 2016.  Trump should have fought the deep state witch hunt that was trying to undermine his campaign and work on his election.  He should continue to fight that wholly unjustified witch hunt and start to work on his reelection.

WordsMatter

@CYDdharta ok but how about the mountain of evidence of Russia interfering in the US election? I believe the Mueller report. Trump and his campaign absolutely did not collude with the Russians. Obstruction of Justice is iffy, but not worth pursuing. However Russia absolutely interfered in the election. 

I understand that you may see this as a "whatever the left is trying to blame Russia for Trump winning." I don't even care about the effect Russia had on the election. If a more pro-russian Democratic candidate than Trump comes along, the Russians will put all their effort behind the Democrat, like maybe in Obama vs Romney. 

Russia is waging a detailed, powerful, and orchestrated social engineering campaign against the US and we have done nothing in response. This didn't start in 2016, or 2008, this has been going on since the 90's! They play both sides like a fiddle, making extremely radical BLM groups and individual posts to provoke people like you, and they do the exact same for white supremacist groups to provoke people like me. Even confined within the left they will pretend to be radical Burnie supporters who hate every other candidate to scare people off from Burnie and create divisions within Democrats. I'm sure they do something similar on the right that I am less privy to. For decades the Russians have known that if they want to take down America it has to be through infighting of the American people.

I wouldn't support any traditional military action against Russia. I would support cyber warfare or heavy sanctions against them. I don't care who would enact it, a Democrat, Trump, or a super majority of Congress, I want to fight back. Obama didn't do against them, Trump is treating Russia exactly the same as Obama did. My two strongest foreign policy stances are go after Russia and Saudi Arabia.

piloteer

@MayCaesar

Could you demonstrate how non-aggressive foreign policies will "catch up with (us), and (we) will have a much bigger conflict on (our)hands anyway. It seems to me that the policy of foreign intervention is what has caught up with us!

MayCaesar

@piloteer

For one, the whole Cold War could have been prevented by striking at the USSR when it was weak at the end of the World War 2. But instead, you decided to lick your wounds, and then had 46 more years of countless wars all over the globe, with hundreds millions dying in the process and with your resources depleted.

If you want another few decades of such a waste, then, I suppose, you can just let Putin do whatever he wants for now. But I would not recommend it.

CYDdharta

WordsMatter said:

@CYDdharta ok but how about the mountain of evidence of Russia interfering in the US election? I believe the Mueller report. Trump and his campaign absolutely did not collude with the Russians. Obstruction of Justice is iffy, but not worth pursuing. However Russia absolutely interfered in the election. 

I understand that you may see this as a "whatever the left is trying to blame Russia for Trump winning." I don't even care about the effect Russia had on the election. If a more pro-russian Democratic candidate than Trump comes along, the Russians will put all their effort behind the Democrat, like maybe in Obama vs Romney. 

Russia is waging a detailed, powerful, and orchestrated social engineering campaign against the US and we have done nothing in response. This didn't start in 2016, or 2008, this has been going on since the 90's! They play both sides like a fiddle, making extremely radical BLM groups and individual posts to provoke people like you, and they do the exact same for white supremacist groups to provoke people like me. Even confined within the left they will pretend to be radical Burnie supporters who hate every other candidate to scare people off from Burnie and create divisions within Democrats. I'm sure they do something similar on the right that I am less privy to. For decades the Russians have known that if they want to take down America it has to be through infighting of the American people.

I wouldn't support any traditional military action against Russia. I would support cyber warfare or heavy sanctions against them. I don't care who would enact it, a Democrat, Trump, or a super majority of Congress, I want to fight back. Obama didn't do against them, Trump is treating Russia exactly the same as Obama did. My two strongest foreign policy stances are go after Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Mueller didn't investigate Russian interference, only alleged Trump ties to Russia.  In his report, Fancy Bear only gets one passing mention, there is no mention whatsoever of Cozy Bear, and Crowdstrike is only mentioned in a couple footnotes.  While most of what Mueller reported may be technically correct, it is often inaccurate.  The report is chock full of half-truths and innuendo to paint a false narrative.

Russia always interferes in our presidential elections, and we interfere in election around the world.  Love it, hate it, or anything in between that's the way the world works.  While we can probably be a bit more aggressive on the cyber front, there are limits.  If we take action that's too provocative, we can expect it to be thrown back in our faces in spades next time we meddle in someone else's election like 0bama did in the 15 Israeli election.

LogicSpeaks

U.S. vs. Russia: What should Trump do? What will Russia Do?

Early on the morning of Sept. 30, a Russian three-star general approached the American embassy in Baghdad, walked past a wall of well-armed Marines, to deliver face-to-face a diplomatic demarche to the United States. His statement was blunt: The Russia military would begin air strikes in neighboring Syria within the hour — and the American military should clear the area immediately.

It was a bout of brinkmanship between two nuclear-armed giants that the world has not seen in decades, and it has revived Cold War levels of suspicion, antagonism and gamesmanship.

With the launch of airstrikes in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin instigated a proxy war with the U.S., putting those nation's powerful militaries in support of opposing sides of the multipolar conflict. And it's a huge gamble for Moscow, experts say. 

Russia's increasingly aggressive posture has sparked a sweeping review among U.S. defense strategists of America's military policies and contingency plans in the event of a conflict with the former Soviet state. Indeed, the Pentagon's senior leaders are asking questions that have been set aside for more than 20 years
How much are the Russians truly capable of
Where precisely might a conflict with Russia occur?
What would a war with Russia look like today?

Make no mistake: Experts agree that the U.S. military's globe-spanning force would clobber the Russian military in any toe-to-toe conventional fight. But modern wars are not toe-to-toe conventional fights; geography, politics and terrain inevitably give one side an advantage.

Today, the U.S. spends nearly 10 times more than Russia on national defense. The U.S. operates 10 aircraft carriers; Russia has just one. And the U.S. military maintains a broad technological edge and a vastly superior ability to project power around the world.

Trump clearly has the advantage here, my friend. If anything, what should PUTIN do?

LogicSpeaks

U.S. vs. Russia: What should Trump do? What will Russia Do?

Early on the morning of Sept. 30, a Russian three-star general approached the American embassy in Baghdad, walked past a wall of well-armed Marines, to deliver face-to-face a diplomatic demarche to the United States. His statement was blunt: The Russia military would begin air strikes in neighboring Syria within the hour — and the American military should clear the area immediately.

It was a bout of brinkmanship between two nuclear-armed giants that the world has not seen in decades, and it has revived Cold War levels of suspicion, antagonism and gamesmanship.

With the launch of airstrikes in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin instigated a proxy war with the U.S., putting those nation's powerful militaries in support of opposing sides of the multipolar conflict. And it's a huge gamble for Moscow, experts say. 

Russia's increasingly aggressive posture has sparked a sweeping review among U.S. defense strategists of America's military policies and contingency plans in the event of a conflict with the former Soviet state. Indeed, the Pentagon's senior leaders are asking questions that have been set aside for more than 20 years
How much are the Russians truly capable of
Where precisely might a conflict with Russia occur?
What would a war with Russia look like today?

Make no mistake: Experts agree that the U.S. military's globe-spanning force would clobber the Russian military in any toe-to-toe conventional fight. But modern wars are not toe-to-toe conventional fights; geography, politics and terrain inevitably give one side an advantage.

Today, the U.S. spends nearly 10 times more than Russia on national defense. The U.S. operates 10 aircraft carriers; Russia has just one. And the U.S. military maintains a broad technological edge and a vastly superior ability to project power around the world.

Trump clearly has the advantage here, my friend. If anything, what should PUTIN do?

piloteer

@MayCaesar

So what will happen if I let Putin do what he wants? I bet he won't even give me a chance to lick my wounds this time. Actually, Mr Putin has been nothing less than cordial and respectful with me. He's so respectful, he doesn't even come anywhere near me. 

MayCaesar

@piloteer

Well, if you do not mind the sound of falling skyscrapers attacked by individuals trained by Putin's FSB employees, then, I suppose, you have nothing to worry about.

A few decades ago his predecessors occupied half the world. You do not want this to happen again, trust me. And history shows that sitting in the ivory tower and hoping that the world set aflame will never ignite the tower is not the greatest strategy ever.