Conventional weaponry shortages and the inability of industrial systems to support multiple global conflicts increase the risk of nuclear weapons being used as a tactical option.

“At some point these conflicts become really difficult to maintain and if we're in the midst of a conflict you may not be able to simply retreat or recede. At some point, the question is, well, how do we gain superiority again?”

The combination of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the new conflict in the Middle East creates a high risk of uncontrollable escalation and unintended consequences that could spiral into a major war.

“The combination of having a war in Ukraine that involves the United States and then a war in the Middle East that could also involve the United States and Russia has troops in Syria. There's a lot of ways for this to spiral out of control.”