US considering responses if Putin uses nuclear weapons

Aug 10, 2023

US considering responses if Putin uses nuclear weapons

With concerns growing that Vladimir Putin will escalate Russia’s war in Ukraine, the US is considering how to respond to a range of potential scenarios, including fears that Russians could use tactical nuclear weapons, according to three sources briefed on the latest intelligence. #CNN #News

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0.1 -> >>> NEW REPORTING THIS MORNING, CNN HAS LEARNED THAT THE U.S. IS

3.57 -> DEVELOPING CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR POSSIBLE RUSSIAN ESCALATION IN

7.44 -> ITS WAR IN UKRAINE, INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL USE OF TACTICAL

12.412 -> NUCLEAR WEAPONS. ALSO THE POSSIBILITY OF WHAT ONE

15.114 -> SOURCE DESCRIBED AS A NUCLEAR DISPLAY, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING

18.284 -> SHORT OF A NUCLEAR STRIKE, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF A

21.488 -> MILITARY STRIKE ON THE ZAPORIZHZHIA NUCLEAR POWER

24.324 -> PLANT. JOINING ME NOW TO DISCUSS,

27.694 -> RETIRED BRIGADIER GENERAL MARK KENNEDY, ALSO FORMER DEPUTY

32.499 -> DIRECTOR FOR PLANS AND STRATEGY AT U.S. NCOM.

37.036 -> GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON THIS MORNING.

38.805 -> >> HI, JIM, HOW ARE YOU? >> SO THIS SHOWS HOW SERIOUSLY

42.008 -> THE U.S. IS TAKING THESE RUSSIAN NUCLEAR THREATS.

45.178 -> THEY'VE BEEN DEVELOPING CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR SOME TIME.

47.747 -> I WONDER CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT SUCH CONTINGENCY PLANS MIGHT

53.887 -> INVOLVE? >> WELL, I THINK, FIRST OF ALL,

56.99 -> THERE IS THE PUBLIC FACE OF ALL OF THIS, WHICH IS HOW WE

61.227 -> COMMUNICATE TO RUSSIA WHAT WE'RE PREPARED TO DO AND WHAT WE ARE

63.73 -> NOT PREPARED TO DO. MY PERSONAL VIEW IS I THINK WE

66.666 -> OUGHT TO BE DELIBERATELY VAGUE ON WHAT WE ARE PREPARED TO DO.

71.437 -> ANYTIME YOU DRAW A RED LINE, THAT COMMITS YOU TO A CERTAIN

75.074 -> COURSE OF ACTION. LOOK, I THINK IT'S FAIRLY SIMPLE

78.611 -> TO LAY DOWN THE OPTIONS, IT COULD BE THE SOFT SIDE OF IT,

82.916 -> WHICH IS DOUBLING DOWN ON SANCTIONS, DOUBLING DOWN ON

86.553 -> EXPORT CONTROLS, RANGING ALL THE WAY TO A NUCLEAR RESPONSE OF OUR

90.69 -> OWN AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. >> WOW.

93.526 -> >> WOULD BE LIKELY THAT THIS PRESIDENT IS NOT LOOKING AT THE

98.231 -> FAR END OF THAT, SORT OF OF LOOKING AT A RESPONSE IN KIND,

103.269 -> BUT NOT WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS. HARD STRIKES ON RUSSIAN

107.607 -> FACILITIES INSIDE OF UKRAINE MOST LIKELY.

110.776 -> >> THAT'S EXACTLY HOW GENERAL PETRAEUS DESCRIBED IT, HE SAID

116.482 -> HYPOTHETICALLY AND, AGAIN, HE IS NOT BASING THIS ON ANY PUBLIC

121.387 -> REVELATION OF INTELLIGENCE, WE WOULD RESPOND BY LEADING A NATO

124.224 -> COLLECTIVE EFFORT THAT WOULD TAKE OUT EVERY RUSSIAN

127.86 -> CONVENTIONAL FORCE THAT WE COULD SEE AND IDENTIFY ON THE

130.93 -> BATTLEFIELD IN UKRAINE, ALSO IN CRIMEA.

132.765 -> DOES THAT SOUND LIKE THE RESPONSE YOU WOULD BE THINKING

136.402 -> OF? >> WELL, I CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE

138.204 -> A VOTE IN THE MATTER BUT I THINK THAT'S CERTAINLY ONE OF THE

141.407 -> OPTIONS THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED.

142.875 -> I'M GLAD TO SEE I'M IN GOOD COMPANY AS GENERAL PETRAEUS.

148.348 -> >> THE CONCERN FROM THE START OF THIS WAR WHICH HAS QUALIFIED

152.252 -> REALLY EVERY U.S. NATO STEP IN RESPONSE TO THE RUSSIAN

155.555 -> INVASION, THE QUALITY OF WEAPONS, THE RANGE OF WEAPONS,

159.192 -> THE DEGREE OF MILITARY SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE HAS BEEN CONCERNS

163.896 -> ABOUT SPARKING A BROADER WAR WITH RUSSIA, FOR INSTANCE,

167.333 -> THAT'S WHY THE IDEA OF A NO FLY ZONE AS ELIMINATED BECAUSE THAT

171.437 -> WOULD BE PUTTING NATO WAR PLANES IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH RUSSIAN

175.208 -> FORCES. WOULD A RESPONSE LIKE THIS, AND

176.442 -> THIS HAS TO BE PART OF THE CALCULATION, RIGHT, THERE IS A

178.778 -> RISK OF SPARKING A BROADER WAR, IS THERE NOT?

183.716 -> >> THERE CERTAINLY IS, BUT I HEARD A DESCRIPTION OF PUTIN

188.354 -> YESTERDAY THAT I THOUGHT WAS PARTICULARLY APT.

190.523 -> HE STARTED OFF AS AN AUTOCRAT, BECAME A DICTATOR AND NOW HE IS

195.862 -> A MADMAN. >> WOW.

196.896 -> >> HE MAY BE A MADMAN, BUT I DON'T THINK HE'S SUICIDAL.

200.466 -> I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HE WANTS TO BE THE LEADER OF RUSSIA THAT

204.704 -> ENDS THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. SO I THINK WE OUGHT TO TAKE HIS

209.108 -> THREATS SERIOUSLY, BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE COWED OR

217.283 -> COERCE DS IN ANY PARTICULAR ACTION AS A RESULT.

220.053 -> >> THE U.S. TO DATE HAS NOT DETECTED ANY MOVEMENTS OF

225.291 -> RUSSIAN NUCLEAR FORCES OR WEAPONS THAT WOULD INDICATE THE

228.227 -> ATTACK IS IMMINENT. I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE

230.596 -> BATTLEFIELD AND UKRAINIAN PROGRESS.

232.231 -> WE SAW THAT RAPID ADVANCE IN THE NORTHEAST AT THE START OF THIS

235.368 -> COUNTEROFFENSIVE, NOW WE'RE SEEING IF NOT QUITE RAPID

239.038 -> ADVANCE BUT STILL SUBSTANTIAL ADVANCE IN THE SOUTH AROUND

241.974 -> KHERSON. HOW BAD IS THE SITUATION FOR

244.644 -> RUSSIA AND IT'S FORCES? HAVE WE SEEN THE BEGINNING OF A

248.181 -> BROADER RETREAT HERE? >> THAT'S HARD TO SAY, JIM,

253.886 -> BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM CLASSIC MILITARY ANALYSIS, THE

258.023 -> RUSSIANS SHOULD BE DOING FAR, FAR BETTER, A QUANTITATIVE

262.328 -> ASSESSMENT BECAUSE THAT THE RUSSIANS HAVE THE ADVANTAGE, BUT

265.264 -> IT'S THE INTANGIBLES THAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

268.968 -> THE MORALE OF THE UKRAINIANS, THE EQUIPMENT THEY HAVE, THE

272.405 -> LEADERSHIP THAT THEY HAVE, VERSUS THE EXACT OPPOSITE ON THE

275.208 -> SIDE OF THE RUSSIANS. I DON'T THINK YOU CAN TAKE A

279.379 -> CONVENTIONAL MILITARY RULER AND MEASURE THIS AS WELL AS MAY HAVE

283.182 -> BEEN IN THE PAST. I DON'T PARTICULARLY THINK

286.018 -> THERE'S GOING TO BE A BREAK OUT ANYTIME SOON BUT THERE WILL BE

289.689 -> CONTINUED PRESSURES ON THE RUSSIANS BOTH IN THE NORTH AND

292.625 -> THE SOUTH. >> BRIGADIER GENERAL MARK

294.694 -> KIMMETT, GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON THIS MORNING.

296.095 -> THANKS SO MUCH. "THE NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTING

297.263 -> THIS, A RANGE OF OFFICIALS SUGGESTED THAT IF RUSSIA

301.4 -> DETONATED A NUCLEAR WEAPON ON UKRAINIAN SOIL, THE OPTIONS ARE

308.341 -> UNPLUGGING RUSSIA FROM THE WORLD ECONOMY OR A MILITARY RESPONSE.

314.046 -> JOINING US NOW ONE OF THE REPORTERS BEHIND THE STORY, CNN

317.55 -> POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST DAVID SINGER.

320.787 -> THIS IS SUCH A GREAT STORY I THINK BECAUSE IT PUTS US IN THE

323.79 -> MOMENT WE'RE IN, WHICH IS KIND OF AN ALARMING ONE, ALTHOUGH YOU

327.994 -> DO POINT OUT, FOR INSTANCE, THERE ARE SOME REASONS WHY

330.663 -> SENIOR OFFICIALS ARE SAYING NOT TO BE FULLY CONCERNED AT THIS

336.369 -> POINT IN TIME. BUT PUT IN CONTEXT WHERE WE ARE.

338.905 -> >> I THINK WHERE WE ARE, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST FRAUGHT

343.476 -> NUCLEAR MOMENTS SINCE THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS WHICH WAS 60

347.413 -> YEARS AGO THIS MONTH. THAT SAID, THERE'S NO EVIDENCE

349.882 -> RIGHT NOW THAT WE SEE THE RUSSIANS MOVING ANY TACTICAL

355.021 -> WEAPONS. THEY'RE SMALL SO IT MIGHT BE

356.489 -> EASY TO MISS THEM, BUT THERE'S NO EVIDENCE OF THAT AT THIS

361.627 -> POINT. AND THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT

362.595 -> PUTIN YET HAS HIS BACK SO UP AGAINST THE WALL THAT HE WOULD

365.364 -> TURN TO THIS. IT'S ALSO NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR HOW

368.901 -> MUCH USING A TACTICAL WEAPON WOULD HELP HIM ON THE

372.939 -> BATTLEFIELD. EXCEPT TO TRY TO FREEZE THINGS.

376.576 -> TO SAY TO THE UKRAINIANS IF YOU MAKE ONE MORE MOVE TOWARD

380.613 -> THROWING US OUT OF THE DONBAS OR THESE OTHER AREAS, JUST KNOW

384.183 -> THAT I CAN TAKE OUT YOUR ENTIRE COUNTRY AND TURN IT ALL INTO

388.488 -> WASTE LAND. BUT THE CONSEQUENCES FOR PUTIN

390.723 -> WOULD BE HIGH. >> SURELY PUTIN KNOWS AMONG

394.193 -> THOSE CONVENTIONS WOULD BE GLOBAL CONDEMNATION.

399.365 -> THERE ARE STILL SOME COUNTRIES THAT HE HAS SOMEWHAT ON HIS

402.468 -> SIDE, INCLUDING CHINA. HE MUST KNOW THAT HE WOULD VERY

405.471 -> QUICKLY LOSE THAT SUPPORT IF HE WERE TO DO ANYTHING ON THE

408.474 -> NUCLEAR FRONT. >> I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.

411.01 -> I DON'T THINK HE WOULD. AND CHINA AND INDIA ARE TWO

417.683 -> COUNTRIES THAT ARE CONTINUING TO BUY OIL, FOR EXAMPLE, AND NOT

421.387 -> PART OF THE MAJOR SANCTIONS REGIME.

423.589 -> AT THE SAME TIME WHAT WORRIES MOST AMERICAN OFFICIALS IS WHAT

427.26 -> HAPPENS WHEN PUTIN COMES TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE WAR IS GOING

430.329 -> SO BADLY IT'S A THREAT TO NOT ONLY RUSSIA BUT TO HIM.

437.837 -> AND AT THAT MOMENT HE MAY REACH FOR WHATEVER HE'S GOT.

441.641 -> HE MAY ALSO THINK THAT OVER TIME OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE BROKEN

446.612 -> TABOOS AND GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT. NOTICE IN THE SPEECH THE FIRST

451.517 -> THING -- THE ONE LAST WEEK, THE FIRST THING HE SAID THERE WAS

458.858 -> HIROSHIMA, NAGASAKI AND YOU SET A PRECEDENCE WHEN YOU DID THAT.

462.328 -> >> THAT'S PART OF HIS CAMPAIGN OF RATIONALIZATION.

465.731 -> SAYING THEY SET THE PRECEDENT. THE U.S. SET THE PRECEDENT.

469.702 -> HE'S ALSO ON THE RATIONALIZATION HAD THESE ILLEGAL ANNEXATIONS OF

474.74 -> THESE FOUR AREAS OF UKRAINE. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT RUSSIAN

478.878 -> MILITARY DOCTRINE. AND HE KEEPS RE-EMPHASIZING THIS

483.416 -> AS HAVE OTHER OFFICIALS, NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAN BE USED IF THERE IS

487.687 -> AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO RUSSIA NOW IT SEEMS THE RATIONALIZATION

494.927 -> IS THIS IS RUSSIA, IF YOU GO AFTER THIS, WE CAN USE A NUKE.

498.898 -> >> THAT IS THE BACKWARDS RATIONA

503.903 -> RATIONALIZATION. IT WOULD ALSO SEEM TO APPLY TO

505.438 -> CRIMEA, WE'VE SEEN THE UKRAINIANS ATTACK CRIMEA AND

510.142 -> HE'S NOT REACHED FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

512.411 -> THE ODDITY IS NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE

516.349 -> MUCH MORE POWERFUL IN THE PERSPECTIVE.

518.551 -> IN THE THREAT THAT YOU MIGHT USE IT.

521.12 -> THAN THEY ARE WHEN YOU ACTUALLY GO OFF TO USE IT.

523.689 -> THIS IS NOT LIKE THE OLD COLD WAR DAYS WHERE THE CONCERN WAS

528.194 -> THEY WOULD LOB A NUCLEAR WEAPON AT THE UNITED STATES, IN RETURN

533.065 -> FOR NEW YORK YOU TAKE OUT MOSCOW OR WHATEVER.

535.635 -> IN THIS CASE HE'S TALKING ABOUT USING A SMALL WEAPON THAT WOULD

538.804 -> BE USED ON PRESUMABLY A MILITARY BASE, MAYBE A LOW POPULATED

544.076 -> AREA. THE WEST IS NOT GOING TO FIRE A

546.478 -> NUCLEAR WEAPON BACK IN RETURN FOR THAT.

548.481 -> THEY MAY ACTUALLY, AS WE REPORTED, USE CONVENTIONAL

552.752 -> WEAPONS. THERE COULD BE SOME KIND OF

554.153 -> MILITARY RESPONSE BUT NOT A NUCLEAR RESPONSE.

557.156 -> SO HE MAY WELL THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, OVER TIME HE WOULD GET

561.327 -> AWAY WITH THIS. HE THINKS OVER TIME THE WEST IS

565.731 -> GOING TO LOSE INTEREST IN UKRAINE.

567.7 -> AS THE WINTER SETS IN EUROPE, THE INTEREST IN CONTINUING THE

572.071 -> SANCTIONS IS GOING TO DIMINISH. WE'VE SEEN PROTESTS IN EUROPE

578.144 -> ABOUT HIGH PRICES AND SHORTAGES. HE'S BETTING WE'LL LOSE

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zthh2IHPt_E