One thing was conspicuously missing from President Obama's nationwide address on Washington's policy against the ISIS insurgents, the word "war" itself. However, with the current state of foreign affairs, the president could be compelled to call a spade a spade, not a 'non-combat' apparatus.
Russia's continued aggression towards Ukraine has not seen a ceasefire. As the Russian troops advance into Ukrainian territory, Ukraine is increasingly finding it necessary to restore its nuclear weapons program.
Ukraine began creating nuclear weapons back in the nineties but it halted all nuclear operations after coercion by then president Bill Clinton. However, with Russia's troops anticipating an invasion, the Ukrainian military is left with few options but to reconsider the program in self defense.
On September 14, Ukrainian Minister of Defense Valeriy Heletely said "Russia is threatening Ukraine with nuclear weapons". The Minister stated that only NATO could help against such a threat. If NATO did not assist, then Ukraine would reconsider its nuclear programs.
The Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk further stressed that NATO was the only vehicle which could help them outside their nuclear program.
NATO officials confirmed that they would not be sending assistance to non-NATO states such as Ukraine. However, NATO members could do so on their own volition. BBC News reported that such needed assistance is already on its way to Ukraine. The Ukrainian Defense Minister did not, however, disclose the individual states contributing the resources.
Russia is one of the largest nuclear arms nations in the world. Only last week Putin said "Russia is one of the most powerful nuclear nations. This is a reality, not just words."Moscow was conducting a drill showcasing its nuclear prowess using over 4000 soldiers.
Russia has in fact already put up a nuclear program designed to prevent a nuclear strike from the U.S. called Dead Hand or Perimeter.
Ukraine knows only nuclear weapons can protect it against Russia if not NATO. Russia knows only nuclear weapons can wade off such a threat as NATO. The question remains, who will strike first?
