Austin vows "significant reaction" if Russia uses chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine

[SouthBayDem]

Source: CBS

Washington — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned Sunday a chemical or biological weapons attack by Russia in Ukraine would prompt a "significant reaction" from the United States, as well as global allies and partners.

"If a chemical or biological weapon was used, you'd see a significant reaction from not only the United States, but also the global community," Austin said in an interview on "Face the Nation." "I don't want to speculate about what exactly would change our calculation. I think engaging in hypotheticals is probably not helpful here either, but this is a very serious step and as you heard our president say, we won't take that lightly."

Twenty-five days after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces are struggling in their effort to take over the capital city of Kyiv but have continued their brutal bombardment of civilians.

In the port city of Mariupol, Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of bombing an art school where 400 people were sheltering, marking the second attack of a public building where civilians were taking shelter in less than a week. Russian forces struck a theater in Mariupol where more than 1,300 people were believed to be inside last week.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-russia-chemical-biological-weapons-lloyd-austin-face-the-nation/

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Full video of Sec. Austin on Face the Nation this morning:

The transcript is also available on CBSNews.com at this link.

[dalton99a]

1. Good. And don't tell Putin what you won't do.

[monkeyman1]

2. my guess is" all bet's are off " !! if that happens ?

[colorado_ufo]

3. I suspect that such an attack with chemical or biological weapons would trigger NATO involvement.

There is no way to contain such weapons from drifting into NATO countries.

[ShazzieB]

6. I suspect the same.

Because it's true that there IS no way to contain such weapons fro7m drifting into NATO countries.

The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that such an action from Putin would fully justify NATO going in with guns blazing. I wonder if Putin is stupid enough to risk that. 🤔

[MarineCombatEngineer]

4. If Russia launches an NBC attack,

then my opposition to US/NATO intervention would evaporate instantly and I would wholeheartedly support an all out attack against all Russian forces in Ukraine and Belarus, which the US and NATO will destroy rather quickly.

[EndlessWire]

5. Putin would have to be neutered.

I'd take both Belarus and Russia. Clean out the pus, then give them both back, without parceling them out. Give them back to the people, so they can start anew.

Except for Kaliningrad. That remains a significant anomaly, and would probably have to be redesigned or moved in some way.

I'd bomb the crap out of that Crimean bridge. Unless Ukraine wanted it for some reason.

[Polybius]

8. So you don't think Russia would respond with nukes?

I'm not so sure.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

11. If the Russians use any NBC, then that line has been crossed

and all bets are off.

[Irish_Dem]

10. But the threat of nuclear war would still be the same as it is now.

If we cannot tolerate the risk of a nuclear war now, how would that change with Putin's use of NBC?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

12. Because at that point,

the threat has become reality, ANY use of NBC is a line crossed, AFAIC, and should be met with a violent reaction against Russian forces in Ukraine and Belarus, but no troops into Russia proper.

[Javaman]

7. I envision a giant anvil falling out of the sky on pukin's thick skull. nt

[wnylib]

9. I hope that I am connecting dots incorrectly. But,

Russia has forcibly removed people from Mariupol. It has given a deadline for Ukraine to surrender Mariupol and to allow unarmed civilians and military to leave. Ukraine has refused. The deadline has come and gone.

So, it looks like Russia is about to carpet bomb Mariupol into dust. Or to release chemical weapons there to kill those who remain and/or force people out in order to take complete control of the city.

I am also thinking that chemical weapons are preferred over biological ones because biological weapons are too hard to control and could turn into another pandemic, spreading far beyond Ukraine.