This Carbon Based Life

By David Glenn Cox

It is all very reminiscent of the good old days when I was young. Come on kids, let grandpa show how we used to hide under our desks in school when I was a boy. I always wondered why we did that? A mere sixteen miles from downtown Chicago hiding under a desk offers about as much protection from a hydrogen bomb as holding an umbrella.

Then that all went away, and everyone forgot about bomb shelters and Geiger counters and keeping three weeks’ worth of canned goods in the basement. Along with a knife, rope, a radio and a supply of matches and water and of course, with a gun to protect it all from the less well-prepared. Remember! When the sirens go off to fill all your sinks and bathtubs with water.

Wheels are turning, and where they lead is nearly inevitable. The British Prime Minister calls for spending 2.5% of GDP for defense. Just a few months ago, they argued about spending 2% and now a 15% increase is accepted without a flinch. In Germany, they have a plan called “Plan Germany.” It describes all the steps to be taken in the event of an imminent war with Russia. The plan has gathered dust for years and was almost forgotten about, now it has been activated.

Vladimir Putin has bet the house on Ukraine. There’s no backing down or negotiated settlement here. Win or die. For Putin to negotiate would be personal and political suicide. This is a with your shield or on your shield scenario. For Ukraine, it is straight up life or death.

Russia is like a predatory American corporation. With a reputation so bad no one wants to do business with them. Leaving their only option to swallow up the competition and call it growth. Aging infrastructure and slowly slipping from world power status. Living on borrowed time as Soviet hardware fades from relevance in the warehouse. Ukraine was going to be the jewel in the crown.

Do you know what it means to a country when all the young men are gone? It means decline. Few bambinos having fewer bambinos. The average age of a Russian soldier on the front line these days is over fifty. Children, women and old people. In this respect, Russia has already lost the war. And so, has nothing left to lose.

The Poles have recently increased their deployment of troops and anti-aircraft units around Kaliningrad. The Russian Ambassador in London says, “The UK is directly involved in the Ukraine war.” Implying without saying so points in the UK could also be targets. Next stop, burning papers in the embassy garden.  

I have long wondered and asked my few UK friends. Why does Russia have it in for the UK? NATO does something, and Russian propaganda immediately says it was on orders from London or Washington. Never Paris or Warsaw, but both of those nations are as equally involved as London. But London always gets the blame. The poor French must feel slighted, “You know we build those Storm Shadow missiles too; you know!”

Back in the good old days of imminent nuclear holocaust and high school, there was a word we all knew. A word you rarely hear used anymore. But it was big back in the day, they even made movies about it. DEFCON, a cute little six letter word we used to explain the probability of human destruction before supper time. A simple five step program of perverse reverse implied safety.

DEFCON 5, everything is wonderful. Maybe take the wife and kids on a picnic in the park or wash the car. DEFCON 4, Gee that’s not good. Charge all the batteries and grease all the guns. DEFCON 3, Don’t be fucking with us or you’ll find out why! DEFCON 2, Spend the kids college fund on firearms and survivalist supplies. DEFCON 1, doesn’t matter, as we won’t be here to worry about it.

In the wake of Vladimir Putin changing Russia’s nuclear weapons policy. The last American President has changed America’s nuclear policy to correspond accordingly. Joe Biden also raised the nuclear threat level to what we called back in the day, DEFCON 4, Gee, that’s not good. The threat level has been at DEFCON 5 for so long, the light might not even work anymore in the DEFCON 4 sign.

Everyone grab a broom and sweep out those bunkers. Ukraine can’t give up and Russia won’t give up and at this point, has nothing left to lose. Believe it or not, that’s the good news! That should scare you half to death! But it’s still good news. Russia has no troops or tanks left to invade Poland or Finland. Russia’s air force is decimated and neutered. Russia’s Black Sea fleet rests comfortably on the bottom of the Black Sea. All the Russians have left are threats and nuclear missiles.

Now, ask yourself. What is likely to become of this situation? Oh wait! I forgot to mention; Donald Trump is going to be in charge. DEFCON 3? Or go straight to DEFCON 1?

Russia launched a ballistic missile the other day with multiple warheads. It wasn’t an ICBM, but it was no different than an ICBM, except in its range. It’s not a station wagon, it’s a minivan! It was a nuclear threat. A dry run. The crazy man with a gun firing a warning shot in the air to let us know he’s not kidding.

Russia is fast running out of men, equipment and money. A sense of desperation is setting in. In the Berlin bunker in 1945, the Fuhrer decided if his regime wouldn’t survive. Germany didn’t deserve to survive either. Der Fuhrer ordered the destruction of the waterworks and electrical plants. Railroad tracks and telephone exchanges because the Fuhrer didn’t have nuclear weapons to use. But he would have used them if he had had them. That’s an important fact to remember. Don’t expect the crazy desperate to be gracious in defeat, especially when they have nothing left to lose.

Fear is a reaction, courage a decision. – Winston Churchill