By Aly Kamadia, Editor-In-Chief, iDose

The capability to end all human life on our planet makes any person possessing such power a walking God. Currently, the United States (US) and Russia own 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons. During this moment in history, American President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin find themselves in the position to order nuclear strikes that could turn entire cities and countries into dust.

As I stated in the previous iDose newsletter, the threat of nuclear war can escalate from virtually non-existent to seriously imminent very rapidly – a lesson perhaps best illustrated by the Cuban Missile Crisis. That is why the US can’t afford to engage in a direct military conflict with Russia. In Biden’s words:

“We will not fight a war against Russia in Ukraine. Direct conflict between NATO and Russia is World War III, something we must strive to prevent.”

As the Biden administration faces calls for “limited” no-fly zones in Ukraine, requests for deadlier weapons, pressures to escalate cyberwarfare against Putin, and never-ending pleas from American hawks to get more aggressive, Biden must unequivocally reject any temptation to escalate this conflict.

Despite the horrendous tragedy in Ukraine that is likely to worsen, it is premature to declare that World War 3 has begun. And there is currently absolutely no justification to create and escalate a direct conflict between the US and Russia, both of whose nuclear weapons pose a threat to the survival of our entire species.  

Stay safe,