The conversation examines how NATO's offensive action violates its own defensive charter, and how the bombing has empowered Russian communists while uniting the Russian public against the West. Nyquist argues that America's arrogant assumption that economic leverage neutralizes Russia's military threat is dangerously misguided, pointing to historical precedents where Russia fought and won wars while on the brink of starvation.
Callers weigh in on the geopolitical fallout, raising concerns about simultaneous threats from North Korea, China, and the Middle East stretching American forces dangerously thin. Nyquist warns that inserting 200,000 ground troops into Yugoslavia could trigger NATO's disintegration and a catastrophic wider conflict.
Key Moments
Yeltsin warns of European or world war: Nyquist quotes Boris Yeltsin saying NATO action in Yugoslavia could trigger a European or world war and reports that Russia has called up 170,000 troops with 65,000 volunteers ready to fight NATO in Serbia.
Russian first-strike capability via south polar route: Nyquist describes Russia's new road-mobile Topol-M ICBMs with trans-Antarctic attack capability, designed to bypass U.S. radars facing north, and characterizes the deployment as a first-strike rather than defensive weapon.
Russian ABM ring around the country: Citing William Lee's book The ABM Charade, Nyquist claims Russia has 10,000 to 12,000 anti-ballistic missiles with 18 battle management radars ringing the country, hidden as surface-to-air missiles, giving Russia an effective Star Wars defense.
Genocide language as propaganda: Nyquist argues the word 'genocide' is being misused to justify the bombing campaign, pointing out that roughly 2,000 deaths in Kosovo over a year does not meet the historical standard set by the Holocaust, the Khmer Rouge, or the U.S. cavalry against Native Americans.
U.S. forces overstretched on multiple fronts: Nyquist enumerates simultaneous mobilizations - Iraq in January, North Korea in December, China opposite Taiwan, the Spratly Islands, Afghanistan - and notes the U.S. has shrunk from 37 Air Force wings to 13 and from 541 Navy ships to 339, arguing the country could not prevail on multiple fronts without a major mobilization.