[Mick]

In general nobody, even Putin, will start WW III on purpose. Too big a risk, too much downside. However, it is quite possible that WW III will start based on a miscalculation. I don't need to remind anybody that WW II started that way. Hitler didn't think France and Britain were serious. They were. The Ukraine war itself started based on Putin's miscalculation of a quick (matter of days) victory. There is ample reason to believe he can miscalculate again. I for one would prefer that we make it clear by our deeds that aggression against sovereign European states by Russia will be resisted by effective force. Failing to do that invites a much wider war when it becomes (as it inevitably has and will) vital to US national interests that we do so.

Interesting perspective and one to which I agree. You could state that WWI happened as a result of miscalculation...all the major powers came out losers. 

For another perspective, Dr. Kori Schoke taught "Thinking About War" at Stanford and the U. S. Military Academy. She is the Deputy Director-General, International Institute for Strategic Studies and edited (with Jim Mattis) American Views of Our Military, was the military advisor to the McCain campaign, research fellow at the Hoover Institution, etc. among other roles. 

Dr. Kori Schake - NATO Engages   Kori Schake - Wikipedia

In this piece, she doesn't agree with the idea of accidental war, or war as a result of miscalculation. I don't think she's in the majority, far from it, but it's an interesting read.

The Exculpating Myth of Accidental War | Johns Hopkins SAIS

In this eight-year-old Stanford mag piece, she advocates for strengthening global alliances, not surprisingly.

Bolstering alliances in a changing world | Stanford Report

[Mick]

In general nobody, even Putin, will start WW III on purpose. Too big a risk, too much downside. However, it is quite possible that WW III will start based on a miscalculation. I don't need to remind anybody that WW II started that way. Hitler didn't think France and Britain were serious. They were. The Ukraine war itself started based on Putin's miscalculation of a quick (matter of days) victory. There is ample reason to believe he can miscalculate again. I for one would prefer that we make it clear by our deeds that aggression against sovereign European states by Russia will be resisted by effective force. Failing to do that invites a much wider war when it becomes (as it inevitably has and will) vital to US national interests that we do so.

Interesting perspective and one to which I agree. You could state that WWI happened as a result of miscalculation...all the major powers came out losers. 

For another perspective, Dr. Kori Schoke taught "Thinking About War" at Stanford and the U. S. Military Academy. She is the Deputy Director-General, International Institute for Strategic Studies and edited (with Jim Mattis) American Views of Our Military, was the military advisor to the McCain campaign, research fellow at the Hoover Institution, etc. among other roles. 

Dr. Kori Schake - NATO Engages   Kori Schake - Wikipedia

In this piece, she doesn't agree with the idea of accidental war, or war as a result of miscalculation. I don't think she's in the majority, far from it, but it's an interesting read.

The Exculpating Myth of Accidental War | Johns Hopkins SAIS

In this eight-year-old Stanford mag piece, she advocates for strengthening global alliances, not surprisingly.

Bolstering alliances in a changing world | Stanford Report