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The first response:
I've said it before, I'll say it again: Americans can't get their junk up without posturing as underdogs. There's the Sputnik moment, there's the missile gap, there's the supercomputer gap and AI papers gap and who knows what else... I guess this has been going on for so long, and so profitably, we're back to the missile gap. There are real gaps – in unlivable apartment buildings, raw concrete production, stuff like that – but they aren't discussed as often.
I suspect Americans have learned this despicable practice from their Israeli friends who are somewhat easier to emphasize with, but it doesn't reflect well on an uncontested hyperpower.
I'll believe the missile gap when I see it.
In any case, the age of the nuke is over, the fear is no longer there, and the West is getting ready for a conventional showdown, tightening the circle, increasing military budgets and ramping up production. This war is but a warmup.
..what ?
I mean, yeah.
But it's also true that most Americans are unaware that going by PPP, Chinese are now outspending the US on defense, apparetnly, no?
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The fear of the nuke isn't entirely gone, I'd say, but it probably isn't like what it was during the Cold War.
People are really nuts if the don't fear the nuke.
I mean, EMP is pretty real. One rogue sub commander who could reprogram the missiles to burst high up could literally roll back industry to cca late 19th century overnight.
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