this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2025
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Would it though? If you cut the head off the snake, will (can?) the body keep following its orders?
It'd definitely be chaos and there's a good chance there would be some war. But I'm not so sure how much of that would be retaliation against the US vs an in-fighting power grab within Russia.
I think you need to look at it more in depth. Would there be a power struggle? Yes, most assuredly, but not instantaneously. But if it were the other way around, and Russia lopped off Trump's head, do you really think Maga wouldn't retaliate and would instead fight over the presidency first? It'd be simultaneous, as those with their fingers on the bombs would use them to show they deserve the role of leader through force.
In your scenario Vance would be the successor and MAGA would use the war to further their agenda. Kinda straightforward.
I'm unfamiliar with Russia's succession rules but Putin has been consolidating power and murdering anyone with potential to be his successor for decades. I could see how that would destabilize Russia more than the US.
Plus the Russian war machine ia not doing great in Ukraine. Doubt they could threaten western Europe or the US in any meaningful capacity. Nukes are always an option
War isn't fought toe-to-toe anymore. It's done remotely. Yes the Russian military is garbage now. But if even 3% of their nukes successfully land, the casualties would be in the tens of millions, if not hundreds.
Russia may be inept, but the threat of their nukes is not to be underestimated. I severely doubt the Russians that follow Putin would say thank you and leave it at that. Power vacuums create worse conditions than the conditions under the tyrants. It would get much worse before it ever got better.
Do the Russian buttons even work? I've been convinced they don't since My of 2022.
Tacking onto to that. I’ve read that historically things get worse not better in a power vacuum after a supreme leader’s death. As Putin isn’t going to relinquish power prior to his demise and he has such total control over Russia, it’s going to get worse not better once he’s gone. I can’t imagine there’s a secret pro-democracy figure in the cabal that can wrest control of the military and state to transform Russia in the next era. It’s likely that the next leader is more antagonistic towards the west as they try to consolidate power and quell domestic unrest by asserting that “external forces” are oppressing Russia. Regime change is going to be destabilizing and dangerous.
I'm glad there's one person with sense in this thread. Who would've thought my least popular comment in the Fediverse would be calling for caution over starting WW3?
These idiots here can forfeit their own lives if they want, but don't forfeit my little girl's life because you're too lazy to open a psychology and a history book. You don't assassinate world leaders on foreign soil and get away with it, scot free.
Don’t get our hopes up