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As for the elites, they are Malthusians of various flavors operating under a degrowth mindset in all they do. This includes population control. As long as they stay at the top, they don't care who loses.

Nuclear war is very possible-- it's just that people have numerous other distractions keeping their minds occupied. When it was USAvUSSR, leaders both feared & respected each other. Since D '90s, contempt increased. All statesmen are gone.