walk softly and carry a big stick

That phrase favored by Teddy Roosevelt comes to my mind when considering the position of Russia today. They have, according to multiple sources, constructed the next generation of nuclear weapons.

The USofA as self-appointed world policeman (world bully is probably more apt) is now outgunned. If “our” military-industrial hawks choose to launch WWIII, they will lose.

Of course rational people realize we all will lose.

Paul Craig Roberts published a good little essay on this: Putin’s State of the Union

…
Putin, however, declared that Russia has no territorial ambitions, no hegemonic ambitions, and no intention to attack any other country. Putin described the weapons as the necessary response to the West’s firm refusal year after year to accept peace and cooperation with Russia, instead surrounding Russia with military bases and ABM systems.

Putin said: “We are interested in normal constructive interaction with the United States and the European Union and are expecting that common sense will prevail and our partners will choose fair and equal cooperation. . . . Our policy will never be based on aspirations for exceptionalism, we are defending our interests and respect the interests of other countries.”

Putin told Washington that its efforts to isolate Russia with sanctions and propaganda and to prevent Russian capability to respond to the growing military encirclement from the West has failed. Russia’s new weapons have made the entire US/NATO approach “ineffective from a military point of view.” “The sanctions to constrain Russia’s development, including in the military sphere… they did not work out.” They have not been been able to contain Russia. They need to realize this… Stop rocking the boat in which we all sit.”

So, what is to be done? Will the West come to its senses? Or will the West, drowning in debt and loaded to the gills with bloated and ineffective military industries, intensify the Cold War that Washington has resurrected?

I do not think the West has any senses to come to.
…

There is no evidence that USofA handled well being the most powerful thug on Earth. Unfortunately, the Potomac Swamp hawks will not give up that role willingly.

As if the bloated, super-bloated, hyper-bloated military-industrial budget wasn’t high enough, they will demand more, more, more to regain their position … or kill us all trying.

None of that serves us well.

I vote for shrinking the entire feral government to a size that fits within The Constitution of THESE United States.