# Are we on the brink of WW3? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 8, 2017, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026 "2017-04-08T00:17:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/1 "2017-04-08T00:17:25Z")
Russia and Iran are not happy with Trump’s decision to launch a missile attack against the Syrian airfield. Russian PM Medvedev came out saying we came very close to a Russia-US war. We are now fighting against multiple sides of the Syrian Civil War. It has the potential to get very messy. Is this going to escalate? North Korea has also been conducting a lot more missile tests recently. If they hit SK or Japan, things will get very bloody very fast. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/2 "2017-04-08T00:23:21Z")
Its not like it did much good. [https://gma.yahoo.com/us-launches-first-strike-against-assad-syria-decries-130206034--abc-news-topstories.html](https://gma.yahoo.com/us-launches-first-strike-against-assad-syria-decries-130206034--abc-news-topstories.html) ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/3 "2017-04-08T00:54:05Z")
\*\*Are we on the brink of WW3? \*\* Just the normal noises on planet Earth, Friday afternoon. It will be a calm weekend with few new developments. Because few people are watching on the weekend. Flurries of fake news will begin by 10am on Monday, coming to a peak during the evening commute and dinner hour. Up to 12 inches of bullshit may accumulate in some areas. Expect an unsettled news pattern until Wednesday morning when we start to see partial clearing with brief sun breaks and lies about the weather for the following weekend. To put your finger on the pulse of the nation and find out what the average American is concerned about, see _ **Keeping up With the Kardashians** _. Consult your local listings for more details. Brought to you by Campbell’s Soup ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/4 "2017-04-08T00:55:22Z")
If Russia invades Estonia, yes. Missile strikes in Syria aren’t worth a tenth of a second on the doomsday clock. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/5 "2017-04-08T01:05:26Z")
I don’t think Russia will go to war over Syria, so no. I do think they would go to war over the Ukraine or Belarus, and of course over any threat to the Russian state itself, but Syria is a second tier “national interest”. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/6 "2017-04-08T01:34:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Russia and Iran are not happy with Trump’s decision to launch a missile attack against the Syrian airfield. Not really a big surprise. > [@](#): > > Russian PM Medvedev came out saying we came very close to a Russia-US war. Russia also says that the gas attack in Syria was from terrorists either setting up Assad et al or storing the gas shells in a warehouse that the Syrians accidentally hit while valiantly fighting off the evil. IOW, Russia SAYS a lot of stuff that’s horseshit. And this is another example. No way is Russia going to go to war with the US over Syria. > [@](#): > > We are now fighting against multiple sides of the Syrian Civil War. Not really. We aren’t really fighting the Syrians, and I doubt we will unless they are stupid enough to try and use gas again against their own population. I’m guessing they will go back to killing their population the old fashioned way with guns and barrel bombs and air strikes against hospitals and the like. We will go back to bombing ISIS and the world will move on. > [@](#): > > Is this going to escalate? I give this a sphincter factor of, oh, maybe 2. So, no…I don’t expect it will. > [@](#): > > North Korea has also been conducting a lot more missile tests recently. So, you’ve moved on from Russia to projected WWIII involving China now? I give the NK situation a sphincter factor of maybe 4-6, so a lot higher. In fact, if they detonate another nuke then I’ll personally be freaking out thinking of what Prez. Carrot Top will do next. You also have the South China Sea and a China with a stick up it’s ass and trying to show how much face it has to it’s people while it’s economy stagnates and they have an environmental disaster going on. Maybe I’ll revise this to a sphincter factor of 8, on second thought. > [@](#): > > If they hit SK or Japan, things will get very bloody very fast Yeah, that would definitely be war if NK hit either SK or Japan. No doubt about it. How will China jump? No idea. How about Carrot Top? No FUCKING idea. It would be bloody very fast. How realistic is this? Not very, though this is more plausible than Russia going to war with the US over Syria. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/7 "2017-04-08T01:47:09Z")
Think of it as full employment and a boost to certain economic sectors. Conservation will experience more adherence, stretching resources will be the everyday thing! Patriotism will swell and it could bring America to unite and heal its divisions over a common enemy. The military industrial complex loves a little war mongering after all! ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/8 "2017-04-08T02:21:50Z")
If I had a dollar for every time we were on the brink of WW3… ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/9 "2017-04-08T02:33:12Z")
As a history buff, I think we are more likely getting into Cold War II. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/10 "2017-04-08T02:35:47Z")
Frankly, I was more concerned (and even then, not that much) when Turkey shot down a Russian fighter in 2015. I could see _that_ escalating quickly, but it’s unclear that anyone considers Syria important enough to take that kind of chance. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/11 "2017-04-08T02:38:57Z")
I think it’s more like the eve of destruction. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/12 "2017-04-08T04:08:41Z")
I don’t think so. We might be on the brink of another Vietnam or Iraq but I don’t see the prospect of another world war. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/13 "2017-04-08T04:29:51Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Frankly, I was more concerned (and even then, not that much) when Turkey shot down a Russian fighter in 2015. I could see _that_ escalating quickly, but it’s unclear that anyone considers Syria important enough to take that kind of chance. Yes, in terms of things that could get out of hand, that was probably the top one of the last few years. India and Pakistan, which is pretty much totally out of the control of the great powers, is always a problem, as is North Korea. The thing about airpower now though is that we’re in a place where using it to bomb the shit out of people(or conduct overflights) isn’t even really considered war anymore, just more assertive diplomacy. And mere insults haven’t led to war since the middle ages. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/14 "2017-04-08T04:36:33Z")
Yes. But then we have been “on the brink” since about whenever ICBM’s were invented and deployed. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/15 "2017-04-08T04:39:18Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I don’t think so. We might be on the brink of another Vietnam or Iraq but I don’t see the prospect of another world war. No. After Vietnam there was a strong feeling in this country: “No More Vietnams”. This gradually faded away and Bush invaded Iraq. And after Iraq there was a strong feeling in this country: “No More Iraqs”. There has not yet been time for this feeling to gradually fade away (like Vietnam it takes a generation or so). ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/16 "2017-04-08T04:54:50Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > The military industrial complex loves a little war mongering after all! [“Kinky Sex Makes The World Go 'Round”](https://youtu.be/HVGg_5grOTg) Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/17 "2017-04-08T04:55:04Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > No. After Vietnam there was a strong feeling in this country: “No More Vietnams”. This gradually faded away and Bush invaded Iraq. And after Iraq there was a strong feeling in this country: “No More Iraqs”. There has not yet been time for this feeling to gradually fade away (like Vietnam it takes a generation or so). I’m not saying there would be overwhelming popular support for another war. But we could end up edging into another regional war; it’s not like there’s a firm hand on the rudder. There’s always a temptation on presidents to use a little bit of military intervention to solve some international crisis. But often as not, the intervention just makes the crisis bigger and you end up needed to intervene more. Or admit you made a mistake and withdraw. I don’t see Trump as the kind of President who will resist temptations or admit to mistakes. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/18 "2017-04-08T05:16:53Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > No. After Vietnam there was a strong feeling in this country: “No More Vietnams”. This gradually faded away and Bush invaded Iraq. And after Iraq there was a strong feeling in this country: “No More Iraqs”. There has not yet been time for this feeling to gradually fade away (like Vietnam it takes a generation or so). Afghanistan wants a word with you. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/19 "2017-04-08T05:38:30Z")
No. The main thing Russia cares about in Syria is their naval base. As long as the US doesn’t threaten that they’ll make noises of protest but it won’t come to anything. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026/20 "2017-04-08T05:46:39Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I think it’s more like the eve of destruction. Well, you tell me over and over again, my friend, but I don’t believe it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-on-the-brink-of-ww3/784026.md?page=2)