Topic: Thomas Schelling

The concept of "escalation dominance" is explored, with Dr. Boyle explaining how neocons believe they can force Russia to back down by moving up the threat ladder. He references the theories of Herman Kahn and Thomas Schelling, noting that the current administration is "going for broke" in a dangerous game of nuclear chicken. Boyle warns that unlike the Soviet leaders of 1962, Vladimir Putin is unlikely to "throw in the towel" given the existential nature of the threat to Russia.

Dr. Boyle explains the military doctrine of "escalation dominance," where the Pentagon believes it can control every rung of a conflict until the opponent backs down. He references Thomas Schelling's game theory and the 1962 U-2 incident to illustrate how easily miscalculations can lead to total war. Boyle asserts that the US is currently greenlighting Ukrainian attacks inside Russia using GPS coordination, a major provocation.