BlackMoria

Something to note, prior to war Russia provided a demand for NATO forces to pull back to the 1997 borders, in effect giving up Eastern Europe. The ability for the West to negotiate out of this crisis basically required impossible preconditions that would have ended the NATO alliance.

You are wrong.  The two world wars and other conflicts fought in the last 100 years were because of 'miscalculated politics'.  Humanity has a terrible batting average in that regard.   World War 3 will start the same way, miscalculated politics.  And it all started with the first 'miscalculation' by Putin.  
 

If you think this war is just about Ukraine you are mistaken. 
Listen to Putins hour long ramble about the West and old USSR before he gave the Invasion order.
This is not some smart geopolitical game to strenghen Russia that went a little too far.
This is about restoring old borders, regardless of the cost, militarily or economically to Russia. Most Analyist thought Putin would not attack, because it makes no sense - from their POV.
Putin sees the world from a different lense of the last century and in his mind this mad decision was the way to go and has been planned for a long time. 

The point is, it didn't 'had to happen'  Russia chose this path and here we are....
A line from Babylon 5, a cracking good series.
"The avalanche has started.  It is too late for the pebbles to protest..."

Let the NATO response to this be the sinking of the Black Sea fleet in international waters of the Black Sea, if it was up to me to make the call on what an 'appropriate' response to WMD use should be.

The point is, it didn't 'had to happen'  Russia chose this path and here we are....
A line from Babylon 5, a cracking good series.
"The avalanche has started.  It is too late for the pebbles to protest..."

The answer should be 'Yes'.  Or the neverending threats from Russia with WMD will begin. 
"Stop supplying Ukraine or else.!"
"Remove all sanctions or else!"   On and on.
If it is going to be WW3, get on with it then.  I have had %$^&* enough of threats. 
 

I, long ago, while being a peace keeper in Bosnia in '93 where I had front row seats to ethnic cleansing and had my mind and soul seared during the six months of hell myself and other Canadian peace keepers went through, came to a realization - we are fundamentally savages.  Intellectually as a species, we evolved to put a man on the moon and do all sorts of uplifting things.  But the savage in each and everyone of us is still there and we had far too many wars where the savage in each of us is stirred and we do terrible things to to other human beings - The holocaust, Stalin's atrocities to his own people and other ethnic groups, Rwanda, Bosnia, Cambodia, Sudan, Yemen, Ethopia.... etc.  All that in the last hundred years - never mind that this savagery had gone on for thousands of years.
We have no better angels.  We are not enlightened people, evolving out of our savage tribal roots.  We are savages with the trappings of a technological society.  We have guns, missiles and tanks instead of spears, clubs and bows.
Just pointing out what sometimes is getting missed.   What is happening in Ukraine is normal human interaction of the worst type.  If we grew out of our savage origins, humanity would have given up war and atrocities as a form of social interaction long ago.    

I, long ago, while being a peace keeper in Bosnia in '93 where I had front row seats to ethnic cleansing and had my mind and soul seared during the six months of hell myself and other Canadian peace keepers went through, came to a realization - we are fundamentally savages.  Intellectually as a species, we evolved to put a man on the moon and do all sorts of uplifting things.  But the savage in each and everyone of us is still there and we had far too many wars where the savage in each of us is stirred and we do terrible things to to other human beings - The holocaust, Stalin's atrocities to his own people and other ethnic groups, Rwanda, Bosnia, Cambodia, Sudan, Yemen, Ethopia.... etc.  All that in the last hundred years - never mind that this savagery had gone on for thousands of years.
We have no better angels.  We are not enlightened people, evolving out of our savage tribal roots.  We are savages with the trappings of a technological society.  We have guns, missiles and tanks instead of spears, clubs and bows.
Just pointing out what sometimes is getting missed.   What is happening in Ukraine is normal human interaction of the worst type.  If we grew out of our savage origins, humanity would have given up war and atrocities as a form of social interaction long ago.    

I, long ago, while being a peace keeper in Bosnia in '93 where I had front row seats to ethnic cleansing and had my mind and soul seared during the six months of hell myself and other Canadian peace keepers went through, came to a realization - we are fundamentally savages.  Intellectually as a species, we evolved to put a man on the moon and do all sorts of uplifting things.  But the savage in each and everyone of us is still there and we had far too many wars where the savage in each of us is stirred and we do terrible things to to other human beings - The holocaust, Stalin's atrocities to his own people and other ethnic groups, Rwanda, Bosnia, Cambodia, Sudan, Yemen, Ethopia.... etc.  All that in the last hundred years - never mind that this savagery had gone on for thousands of years.
We have no better angels.  We are not enlightened people, evolving out of our savage tribal roots.  We are savages with the trappings of a technological society.  We have guns, missiles and tanks instead of spears, clubs and bows.
Just pointing out what sometimes is getting missed.   What is happening in Ukraine is normal human interaction of the worst type.  If we grew out of our savage origins, humanity would have given up war and atrocities as a form of social interaction long ago.    

Mechanical Fuze timers are cranky, at least when I was in the artillery 30 years ago.  They mechanically have to be set and the observer observes the height of burst and make fuze timer adjustments.  Not a fast process, and they have a higher rate of failure than normal PD (point detonating) fuzes.
Variable Time fuzes (VT) are better but the radio transmitters can be jammed or triggered by emitter before hitting the target.  Also the ground surface is a factor.   Radio waves from the VT fuze can penetrate mud before getting a sufficient signal return to set off the round.   And it is major mud season in Ukraine.  All of the above plus cost and availability probably play into why there is not many videos of them being used.

I, long ago, while being a peace keeper in Bosnia in '93 where I had front row seats to ethnic cleansing and had my mind and soul seared during the six months of hell myself and other Canadian peace keepers went through, came to a realization - we are fundamentally savages.  Intellectually as a species, we evolved to put a man on the moon and do all sorts of uplifting things.  But the savage in each and everyone of us is still there and we had far too many wars where the savage in each of us is stirred and we do terrible things to to other human beings - The holocaust, Stalin's atrocities to his own people and other ethnic groups, Rwanda, Bosnia, Cambodia, Sudan, Yemen, Ethopia.... etc.  All that in the last hundred years - never mind that this savagery had gone on for thousands of years.
We have no better angels.  We are not enlightened people, evolving out of our savage tribal roots.  We are savages with the trappings of a technological society.  We have guns, missiles and tanks instead of spears, clubs and bows.
Just pointing out what sometimes is getting missed.   What is happening in Ukraine is normal human interaction of the worst type.  If we grew out of our savage origins, humanity would have given up war and atrocities as a form of social interaction long ago.    

Well, having an international arrest warrant for war crimes will put a damper on Putin's travel plans.  Having an interpol arrest squad waiting to arrest him when he arrive for the G20 summit or Olympics or where ever is probably his future.  
Would love to see his private plane forced down over some country and some very serious heavy armed unsympathetic international law enforcement waiting to take him into custody would make my day.

Well, having an international arrest warrant for war crimes will put a damper on Putin's travel plans.  Having an interpol arrest squad waiting to arrest him when he arrive for the G20 summit or Olympics or where ever is probably his future.  
Would love to see his private plane forced down over some country and some very serious heavy armed unsympathetic international law enforcement waiting to take him into custody would make my day.

It is a fallacy to decry the demise of the tank based on this conflict.   The lack of competence, well trained tank crews, the use of tactics from the days of Wellington vs Napolean, lack of sound maintenance, lack of logistics...... damn, I can go.
An analysis of the tank's future is needed to be done from a position where such variables like above are equal across the board in 'the best data points' consideration.   If with the best tactics, logistics, maintenance, equipment designs, etc. that the tank is found wanting, then have the discussion of the future of the tank.  This conflict isn't rock, paper, scissors where the tank is rock.   This conflict is rock, paper, scissors, where rock is a pile of manure, the scissors are dull and the paper is arse wipe when considering the Russian performance to date.

It is a fallacy to decry the demise of the tank based on this conflict.   The lack of competence, well trained tank crews, the use of tactics from the days of Wellington vs Napolean, lack of sound maintenance, lack of logistics...... damn, I can go.
An analysis of the tank's future is needed to be done from a position where such variables like above are equal across the board in 'the best data points' consideration.   If with the best tactics, logistics, maintenance, equipment designs, etc. that the tank is found wanting, then have the discussion of the future of the tank.  This conflict isn't rock, paper, scissors where the tank is rock.   This conflict is rock, paper, scissors, where rock is a pile of manure, the scissors are dull and the paper is arse wipe when considering the Russian performance to date.

It is a fallacy to decry the demise of the tank based on this conflict.   The lack of competence, well trained tank crews, the use of tactics from the days of Wellington vs Napolean, lack of sound maintenance, lack of logistics...... damn, I can go.
An analysis of the tank's future is needed to be done from a position where such variables like above are equal across the board in 'the best data points' consideration.   If with the best tactics, logistics, maintenance, equipment designs, etc. that the tank is found wanting, then have the discussion of the future of the tank.  This conflict isn't rock, paper, scissors where the tank is rock.   This conflict is rock, paper, scissors, where rock is a pile of manure, the scissors are dull and the paper is arse wipe when considering the Russian performance to date.

It is a fallacy to decry the demise of the tank based on this conflict.   The lack of competence, well trained tank crews, the use of tactics from the days of Wellington vs Napolean, lack of sound maintenance, lack of logistics...... damn, I can go.
An analysis of the tank's future is needed to be done from a position where such variables like above are equal across the board in 'the best data points' consideration.   If with the best tactics, logistics, maintenance, equipment designs, etc. that the tank is found wanting, then have the discussion of the future of the tank.  This conflict isn't rock, paper, scissors where the tank is rock.   This conflict is rock, paper, scissors, where rock is a pile of manure, the scissors are dull and the paper is arse wipe when considering the Russian performance to date.

Ah, we may yet have see the development of the Bolo.  Unleash the Dynachrome brigade !   <Channeling Keith Laumer>

Ah, we may yet have see the development of the Bolo.  Unleash the Dynachrome brigade !   <Channeling Keith Laumer>

Ah, we may yet have see the development of the Bolo.  Unleash the Dynachrome brigade !   <Channeling Keith Laumer>

Amen, brother.   The worst 8 hours in my military career was 8 continuous hours in full 'Zoot' suit.   I am not exaggerating.  The worst 8 hours of my life in the military.  I hate NBC training....

Amen, brother.   The worst 8 hours in my military career was 8 continuous hours in full 'Zoot' suit.   I am not exaggerating.  The worst 8 hours of my life in the military.  I hate NBC training....

The Russian troops performance is so abysmal, I don't think they have the skills, discipline and moral to even consider fighting in an NBC environment.  If Putin plays the chemical card, a whole lot of his troops are going to die as well...

Amen, brother.   The worst 8 hours in my military career was 8 continuous hours in full 'Zoot' suit.   I am not exaggerating.  The worst 8 hours of my life in the military.  I hate NBC training....