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Comment by geuis | Hacker News Reader

Glad we agree on China at least.

I highly disagree about Russia being a modern nuclear power. China and Israel are really the only countries that have the modern infrastructure required to maintain significant nuclear presences other than the US. Russia today is mostly living off of the remnants of pre-1985 Soviet energy infrastructure investments.

They have some nuclear capability, but it's far, far below what the US still maintains. Sadly even a reduced capacity is still far above what's needed to mess things up.

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> I highly disagree about Russia being a modern nuclear power

Look, I'm as pissed at Russia as anyone but it doesn't change the facts. They are indisputably a modern nuclear power, and they have ramped up their spending in recent years. It's practically the only thing in their defense they haven't starved of funds.

> They have some nuclear capability

They don't have "some" nuclear capability. They are equal first or near enough.

> China and Israel are really the only countries that have the modern infrastructure

Israel!?? Now I'm really questioning your source of information. Whoever told you tiny Israel was anything other than dead last was leading you quite astray, I'm afraid. In fact some would say that Israel's nuclear capability is behind some other countries who don't even possess the weapons.

a) This isn't true, quite the opposite.

b) The shilling for "#yolo, let's start nuclear war with Russia" is a bad idea. Trust me. You don't want to go there.

Living in the world as a hostage to nuclear weapon yielding crazies is a fate worse than death for some free-minded people.

Shame about those free-minded people; everyone else understands that it's how the world works and why everything isn't on fire. MAD is the foundation of international politics; everything else is role-playing on top of it.

> MAD is the foundation of international politics

MAD is a religion-like fiction by-for people who emotionally need it. People armed with nuclear weapons are coming for us, whether it's emotionally convenient for you or not. And it doesn't matter whether we have nukes, too.

> b) The shilling for "#yolo, let's start nuclear war with Russia" is a bad idea. Trust me. You don't want to go there.

Russia already went there. We're already there.

No, the constant shilling of the idea that "don't worry, Russia won't do anything anyways" isn't coming from Russia's side.

They’d have no issues producing a dozen Tsar Bombas even today, no question.

Plenty enough to ruin everyone’s day.

Tsar Bombas aren’t realistic weapons.

Russia is having trouble producing modern tanks and planes. Its ships are being blown up by radio controlled boats with explosives on them.

Russia absolutely excels at one thing: the relentless use of its human meat grinder. Nothing fundamental has changed since Stalingrad.

Russia also excels at MAD. And suffering.

Suffering yes -- to an extend that we here in the US have little understanding the depths of.

But re: MAD, my point may have been the emperor's new clothes.

The depths of... so far.

This isn't the choice or will of the citizens, the government just uses fear of death to exercise control.

I have no idea what you’re trying to say.

I don't care?

Good for you.

Eh, I wouldn't discount India and France so fast.

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