Putin avoided the dire consequences mandated by Russian war doctrine by labeling the attack on Russia’s strategic triad a “terrorist act,” not an act of war.  

This has delayed, but not prevented a wider and more dangerous war, because what Putin has actually done is to eviscerate Russian war doctrine.  If the President of Russia can refuse to acknowledge acts of war against Russia, the country has no defense. What can Putin do now to restore deterrence?

It is extraordinary that the US foreign policy community, the Trump administration, every European government, and Putin himself have zero comprehension of the seriousness of the attack on Russian strategic forces. Putin saved the day by denying any such attack. But the consequence is that the next attack on Russia will be even more provocative. At some point Putin will be forced to stop denying reality.

It is increasingly likely that Putin’s unwillingness to use sufficient force to terminate the conflict with the West in Ukraine will result in nuclear war.

PCR On Target with Larry Sparano

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Paul Craig Roberts is a renowned author and academic, chairman of The Institute for Political Economy where this article was originally published. Dr. Roberts was previously associate editor and columnist for The Wall Street Journal. He was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy during the Reagan Administration. He is a regular contributor to Global Research.

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