Stop Biden Going Nuclear
An ATACMS long-range ballistic missile, recently approved by Biden for use in Russian territory by Ukraine.
We strongly oppose the Biden administration’s decision to authorize Ukrainian use of U.S. supplied long-range missiles in direct attack on Russian soil. This is a dangerous and reckless escalation that takes us unnecessarily closer to nuclear war.
This would be a dangerous decision under any circumstances, but is particularly reckless when there is no clear path to victory even with the use of these weapons. According to the New York Times reporting, the administration has made this move even though “U.S. officials said they do not believe that the decision will change the course of the war.”
The risks of escalation with Russia are not ones that should be easily dismissed. Just this year Russia changed their nuclear doctrine in response to the current situation in Ukraine. The Brookings Institute summarizes the changes:
Moscow would consider “aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state” as a “joint attack” on Russia. Second, Russia would consider using nuclear arms on “receipt of reliable information about a massive launch of air and space attack weapons and their crossing of our state border,” to include an attack by “strategic and tactical aircraft, cruise missiles, drones, hypersonic and other aircraft.
In other words, according to these new protocols Russia could consider an attack by Ukraine using U.S. supplied long-range missiles as an attack by a nuclear power, warranting nuclear response.
The Brookings Institute goes on to argue that Russia is bluffing. Yet according to Bob Woodward’s latest book, in 2022 U.S. intelligence estimated a 50% chance of Russia using “tactical” nuclear weapons in response to a major attack on Russian troops within captured Ukrainian territory. That was before the 2024 update in Russia’s nuclear strategy and not even on Russian soil. And to be clear, tactical nuclear weapons, though smaller than “strategic” ones, are still at least equivalent in size to the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Their use would be devastating, and make further escalation likely.
Maybe Biden, Brookings, and others are correct that Russia is bluffing. But quite possibly they are wrong and this is far too dangerous of a game to be playing. Given all the credible signs that President Biden is no longer fit for office, and the resulting calls for him to abandon his bid for re-election, he should not be trusted to take such a risk.
The announcement to authorize Ukrainian use of U.S. supplied arms in Russia comes just five days after the Biden administration announced it would continue sending arms to Israel despite no significant improvements in the dire conditions faced by Palestinians. Both of these choices constitute crimes against humanity and Democrats can no longer use the excuse that these choices are politically necessary to win re-election.
We denounce President Biden’s ongoing militarism and disregard for human life. We must stop this madness.