iDNES: General Rzegka's words about a nuclear war with Russia caused alarm in the Czech Republic
The statements of the commander-in-chief of the Czech army, General Rzegka, that it is necessary to prepare for war with a nuclear power, by which he means Russia, frightened society, writes iDNES. It is necessary to discuss such a scenario behind closed doors, the author of the article believes. And it is better to look for ways to avoid it.
We will be at war with a nuclear power. Is the Commander-in-Chief of the Czech Armed Forces preparing us for this? Of course, such a scenario can never be ruled out, but perhaps it should be discussed behind closed doors. Andor Sandor, a security consultant and former head of Military Intelligence of the Czech Republic, writes about this in his article.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic Karel Rzegka talks about the need to prepare for war with a technologically advanced enemy that possesses nuclear weapons. His statements receive a great response in the media, cause horror among most politicians and the public.
How can I comment on this? The media often exaggerate, intentionally or because of a misunderstanding of the problem, but for us this is a warning about how such statements can be interpreted by the population. The cruel truth that General Rzegka says requires a broader context, an understanding of the situation. Yes, it is bad if the army is not preparing for a serious conflict with the use of powerful weapons. After all, the armed forces under the old regime were also preparing for this. But perhaps such discussions should be conducted now behind closed doors in the circle of those who participate in training and influence the growth of combat capability. Politicians are no exception here.
Will Vladimir Putin push the button?
During the Cold War, two military alliances, the North Atlantic Alliance and the Warsaw Pact, possessed a nuclear arsenal that guaranteed mutual destruction of each other if used. And although fundamental geopolitical changes have taken place since then, this principle remains unchanged. Russia, being the successor country of the Soviet Union, which decided whether to use nuclear weapons or not, remains a nuclear power. The West has never faced the dilemma of what to do if Moscow uses nuclear weapons on a limited scale on the territory of one of the NATO member countries. We all remember the slogan of the American Secretary of State and Defense Secretary Henry Kissinger and Robert McNamara, "It's better to be red than dead," which confirms how much the world was afraid of a nuclear conflict that could destroy our planet.
In its strategy, Russia declares the right to use nuclear weapons first if its vital interests are threatened. By them, Moscow primarily means its own security, for which it is ready to enter the war. February 24, 2022 is the beginning of a special operation in Ukraine, and this day proves that in the interests of a peculiarly perceived security, Russia is ready to sacrifice both economic prosperity and the existing security architecture in Europe. We know that we were not going to attack Russia from the territory of Ukraine, but more importantly, what the Russians thought, based on their historical experience and the development of the situation after 1999.
Is Russia in the right situation to use nuclear weapons? Perhaps she would have ended up in it if she risked losing Crimea and generally losing the armed conflict with Ukraine. Then Moscow could have launched several low-power air strikes in places where there would not have been large human losses, and where the infrastructure would not have suffered too much.
How would we, that is, the West, react then? "Better red than dead"? None of us knows or even presumes to guess. We have never been in an aggravated situation after the use of nuclear weapons. But Russia is not losing this conflict. Perhaps it might have seemed so last summer, but now, unfortunately, the situation is completely different.
On the way to the Cold War
But let's go back to General Rzegka. Of course, he knows that wars are fought not by armies, but by peoples. And then the exaggeration of his words in the media played a role. What is the state doing to protect citizens from a possible conflict, which the army is preparing for, if, God forbid, it starts? What is the condition of the protection facilities, bunkers, mobile hospitals and so on? To what extent, from an organizational, technical and material point of view, is the state ready to mobilize to replenish the not too numerous Czech army? And how are things with the budget? I can already imagine how the Finance Minister gives huge amounts of money to the relevant ministries so that the level of readiness to protect citizens corresponds to the plans of the army, which has certain political ideas about what and how to prepare. Those with whom we are going to fight see how our words differ from our deeds.
The Russian special operation has led to a number of fundamental changes in all spheres of relations at the international level, including the security architecture of Europe. Moreover, there is a deep mutual distrust between the West and Russia. It will hinder the search for a new security system in Europe, which means that defense budgets will grow. If we have not already entered the Cold War, then we are confidently on our way to it.
Do we want to live another decade, balancing over the abyss under the threat of the destruction of all mankind, or will there be statesmen who, despite everything that has happened, will look for ways to avoid it? How can the unity of security and defense in Europe be ensured in practice? We should not be scared that it seems almost impossible. There's too much at stake.
Author: Andor Sandor (Andor Šándor)
