David Petraeus: ‘Crazy Stupid’ Attacks on Ukrainian Nuclear Plants Violate All Norms of Land Warfare

‘The whole problem here is starting at the very top in NATO, in Washington, and in other capitals, there is a real concern about having a direct confrontation with Russia that could expand this conflict and turn into World War III’

EXCERPT:

PETRAEUS: "Well, the challenge with declaring a no-fly zone is that you actually have to enforce a no-fly zone and that means U.S. aircraft, we are not actually certain that the countries whose air fields we might logically use would actually support this. You have to keep in mind, we have remarkable NATO unity, something we've not seen since before the end of the Cold War and I’m not sure the answer to the question of can we fly out of this country or that country would actually give us the answer that we want. Again, the whole problem here is that starting at the very top in NATO, in Washington, and in other capitals, there is a real concern about having a direct confrontation with Russia that could expand this conflict and turn into World War III. That’s the issue. Now, clearly as the continued horrific attacks, the barbaric attacks, the crazy, stupid attacks around a nuclear generating station take place, as we see civilian casualties mount and civilian infrastructure struck indiscriminately, we see Russia violating all of the norms of land warfare, the kinds of rules of engagement that we worked very hard to follow, we made mistakes but we were trying very hard to follow the rules of engagement established. As all of this takes place, there is going to be understandably more and more and more concern.”

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