Who would win in a war of Russia v. The World?

[dead0man]

Obviously the world.  The US alone could take out Russia and the allies you've mentioned.  Russia's military, while currently improving, is WAY behind what it was 1992.  They don't have enough nukes to "wipe us off the map" and we wouldn't need to use all that many to put the screws to the bad guys.  Air superiority would be enough.  I'm not saying it would be easy or good for the world (although it would be in the long run I'm sure...or at least it should be), but there is just no way for Russia and company to win.  Only Russia and to a much lesser extent China have any ability at all to project power and there supply lines could easily be removed.  The US on the other has built it's entire military behind the idea that any battle we get into will involve us projecting power.  It's amazing how much power the US can drop on any obscure corner of the planet in a very short amount of time.  And variable, well aimed power to boot.

You want to make it a challenge?  Put the EU and all of Latin America on the Ruskies side.  The US/Canada/Japan would still win, but it would be a lot closer and more painfull for everybody involved.

[dead0man]

The World but this would be incredibly bloody and hopefully never occurs. Also you forgot India? Whose side are they on? They have the third or fourth largest military so they could be a major contributor to either side.

..and Brazil for that matter.  Both nations have some ability to project power.  (although Italy spends more than both on defense)

[dead0man]

They could have 5 times as many people as they do now and it wouldn't make a lick of difference.  1 billion Chinamen can't stop an F22.

[dead0man]

depends who strikes first and where they do. Does Russia just invade Estonia/Latvia/Lithuania while North Korea/China cross the DMZ?

It doesn't matter how or who starts it, the Russians and company can't beat the West.  If you can imagine a way, please explain.

[dead0man]

It would be challenging to occupy Russia, that's true.  But the west could easily bring Russia to her knee's and force a surrender.  In less than a week if we're using nukes.  Less than a month if we're limited to conventional arms.  There is no conceivable way for Russia and her allies to be able to do the same to us.  It's just not possible in 2008.  Maybe you could give a good argument for 1988 or 2028, but not 2008.

[dead0man]

That was (most likely) hyperbole.

[dead0man]

Well that was during the Cold War, most of Russia's missile's are mothballed or flat out decomissioned today.  Most of ours are just mothballed.  The world couldn't be destroyed this afternoon even if everybody wanted it to be.  It's very expensive to maintain a large ICBM arsenal at ready to launch levels.  If we went to war with Russia today it would certainly suck for a dozen or so random US cities/military bases, but we'd survive.  Russia's strike capabilities will be annihilated along with a good chunk of Moscow and all quasi important military bases.

It would be a sh**tty week for America, but it would be devestating to Russia.

[dead0man]

I've never argued this would be good for the West.  Especially not the first few years afterwords. 

But that's not what this thread is about.  It's about who woud win and the good guys would win.

[dead0man]

RUSSIA

Explain.

[dead0man]

RUSSIA

Explain.

NO

Because you can't, because it's impossible.  (even if it were possible I doubt you could)  But please, continue to reaffirm to us that biases make your choices for you and not the facts of the situation.  It makes it a lot easier on me.

[dead0man]

Why does everyone here automatically assume that Russia v West would be nuclear? Even at the Soviets height I think the probability of a nuclear conflict was minimal. In this day and age? Nah, very slight to minimal chance. The US would probably have to launch first for that to happen. Plus the Soviets aren't Islamic either, they're more like us in that they don't have a death wish to bring back a false god.

They are still under the impression that Russia and the US have the same amount of nukes at the ready that they had in 1973.  They still think MAD shapes our nuclear policy.  They are happy with their ignorance, facts be damned.

[dead0man]

RUSSIA

Explain.

NO

Because you can't, because it's impossible.  (even if it were possible I doubt you could)  But please, continue to reaffirm to us that biases make your choices for you and not the facts of the situation.  It makes it a lot easier on me.

The fact that I typed that in all-caps should have made it fairly obvious that I was being sarcastic.

That's right...I keep forgetting caps means sarcasm on the internet.

[dead0man]

Sure buddy.

[dead0man]

The World easy.  Best case (for the US), very few nukes get to us because we get to suprise attack the rest of the world thus shutting 95% of the worlds arsenal down.  We could then keep you at bay for awhile (2 months, tops), but eventually you'll sink all our carriers and shoot down enough of our aircraft that we'd have to sue for peace.  You certainly wouldn't want to live in any major city in the world though.  Because of the carnage the USAF laid down upon the rest of the world and then the US's eventual defeat, the world would have some serious long term issues to deal with.  The Northern Hemisphere would be 98% abandoned as most survivors would move south.  Maybe it would lead to a utopia in a few hundred years or maybe we'd all be dead from radiation within the decade.

Best case for the world would be a first strike on us.  We don't suspect those columns of French and German tanks playing games in Manitoba until they are on top of Minot AFB ND and the missile silos in the upper midwest and the rest are rapidly heading south to Offutt AFB NE (StratCom) and Whiteman AFB MO (B2s).  Also, having snuck in 2 million Chinese and Russians into Mexico (with another 2 million S.American Armies gearing up to follow) over the past few months they quickly invade Cali and Texas.  Quickly sealing off the west coast and heading north through Texas to meet the forces coming out of Canada in Kansas.  I'd go on, but I don't want to give any of you any ideas

(yes there are thousands of reasons why, thankfully, neither of those is possible.)

[dead0man]

Mostly in the US.  All the really important stuff is at least.