Normally maritime salvage laws only apply to abandoned ships and equipment. Not just equipment that has been turned off.

This is simple theft.

But seriously I am tired of living under the threat of a nuclear war.

Every time some nuclear armed dictator wants to take over some new land everyone just sits back and takes it like a bunch of ….well you get the idea.

There is no world court system to stop them. No official world police to stop them. Their own people will not stop them because they don’t know whats actually going on.

How do you people plan on stopping them?
How will you stop Russia from taking over smaller nations?
How will you stop China from taking over smaller nations?
When Iran proves it has nuclear weapons whats your plan?

When does naked aggression end?

Until you have the courage to pull that trigger and stand up to them your nothing more than a bloviating manure pile.

Its time the UN and NATO were dissolved and replaced with a Union Of Representative States. Made up of nations with fully free elections willing to defend all nations with fully free elections.

Actually, it is internationally accepted that these kinds of actions may be taken. This is why there is no outrage at the U.N. and why so many nations are setting their own sanctions.

“Replace “Western government sanctions” with “papal bull” and see how that reads.”

Gee, you don’t suppose your biased choice of word have something to do with how that would read, do you?

Probably not.

“One wouldn’t be _that_ bad – unless you happen to be under it”

Really? In this day and age of world economy and interrupted supply chains, instantaneous scare-mongering news coverage, and demand for absolute safety, If one nuclear weapon were used on any city, or for that matter used anywhere, the result would be panic worldwide — and for the very reason that you noted: “these things tend to cascade.” They didn’t cascade the last time nuclear weapons were used in anger, but they just might do so today, and we have been indoctrinated into a culture of panic and Chicken Littles.

“take revenge for the western sanctions?”

Likely this. I worry about the war being the next enabler for totalitarian rule in Western countries. Damaging due process and respect for property rights (start with a target the public can agree with, oligarchs, then extend what’s sanctioned and apply it to domestic companies and citizens as well) might be just another step. Western “thought leaders” already speak of confiscations, harsher regulations, and “fighting misinformation online” to “tackle the climate emergency” or solve housing, energy, social/racial/gender justice issues. The war adds another set of tools to rob and silence their own people. Why should I worry about Russia stealing my stuff when my own government(s) are in an increasingly better position to do that.

Replace “Western government sanctions” with “papal bull” and see how that reads. I suppose if one is Catholic, there is little difference, but for non-Catholics…

It takes just one nuclear weapon to ruin your whole day, and at this point in history it does not matter who launches it or against whom it is targeted.

One wouldn’t be _that_ bad – unless you happen to be under it – but it’s wildly unlikely that there will be just one. These things tend to cascade. Weak leaders are scary because they do stupid things to seem strong. There are very few strong leaders in the world right now (no one with nukes is among them).

pzatchok, it’s not poker. The cost of being wrong is simply too high to risk it. Even if there are zero working nukes, what do you think will happen when the missiles launch? No one is going to wait until they land (and don’t “explode”) to respond.

But those confiscations are a result of Western governmental sanctions. Is Russia trying to restart the Berman eROSITA telescope aboard the Russian Spektr-RG satellite as a result of Russian sanctions on Germany, one man’s edict to take revenge for the western sanctions, or for the sake of humanity? I doubt the last, because it is only one of several X-ray telescopes in space, so it is neither urgent nor unique.

Were the OneWeb satellites confiscated a result of official and declared Russian Sanctions on Western countries or just to take revenge for the western sanctions?

pzatchok wrote:”I see no proof they have any active nuclear weapons. I do not see any proof they have a significant number of functional rockets to even launch them. … Push them and see if they have the backbone..”

It takes just one nuclear weapon to ruin your whole day, and at this point in history it does not matter who launches it or against whom it is targeted.

But they will always have that first sat-launch.

Thanks Ike

Their latest SSBN successful operational test was approximately October 2019.

Watching and following? Hmm maybe, although we have about half the submarine force than we did in the Cold War days and the Walker / Whitworth gang gave away much of the Cold War acoustic advantage. How much we regained over 25+ painful years of re-investment, I don’t know.

I’ll remain cautious based on my Cold War experiences, I helped in my small way dodge nuclear catastrophe for my children. Now I can only counsel and I pray we dodge nuclear catastrophe for my grandchildren.

Respectfully

I do not see any proof they have a significant number of functional rockets to even launch them.

When this so called cold war started many many many years ago the Soviet Union was so broke they were putting fake warheads on most of their missiles.

They can not and do not even put more than one ballistic sub to sea at a time. They do not have the capability.
Every time they go to sea we are watching and following.

Push them and see if they have the backbone. I know we do.
They claim America is the big bully. Its time we showed them what that actually means.
All they have is the threat of nuclear weapons.

They can not even afford a standing army of professional solders and sailors.

The last time they won a war alone against a western power was when Neapolitan was invading.

This is not a movie, rockets and nuclear warheads do not last 50 years without being rebuilt periodically. Could Russia afford to do that these last 50 years? They can not even afford to buy radios for their solders off of the Chinese let alone rebuild nuclear electronics in mass.

Good idea! Let’s start exchanging some of the 1,722 warheads on active delivery vehicles and the Russians can send us some of their 1,499.

That’ll fix those homophobic, drunken gym rats. It’ll fix us too.

We were careful of them for 46 years on just how hard we pushed them. Let us keep that care going. We don’t have to love them.

Respectfully

A broken down old Navy Strategic Weapons Officer who served through much of those 46 years.

“but then again so are the Russians trying to steal Germany’s telescope.”

While the EU and UK confiscate Russian assets, both state and private (oligarchs). Something something sanctions, but in several cases without due process. Now they come up with legislation to not only freeze or confiscate assets (still without due process) but also spend them. That the Russians do the same means that both sides play that game. So I’m not in a position to point fingers and pretend to be outraged.

Wait until (Western) sanctions-based confiscations are extended to their own citizens/companies. Not enough Green Deal/ESG points, missing the gender/race quote, or not LGBTQIA+ friendly enough? Accounts frozen, assets seized, passport invalidated. Not a court but a political committee will decide it.

That raised a smile.

The Russians might well argue salvage; as the research has value and the data could be shared with everyone.

…the act of saving something of use or value from destruction, damage, ruin, loss, or waste… (“this research for humankind”)

Nor is hijacking quite right. And not piracy, as that must be for private gain.

It seems privateering maybe the right verb, as this is a state sponsored action, for the states gain, of seizing control of part of the vessel.

Speculation of course. I am no sea lawyer.

“When I’m in Parlyment, and riding in my coach, I don’t want non of those sea-lawyers in the cabin a-coming home, unlooked for, like the devil at prayers. Wait is what I say, but when the time comes, why let her rip!”
-LJ Silver.
Cook on the Hispaniola

At least politically they run around like homophobic, drunken gym rats.

Like the Russians can talk morality!