Compass Points - NATO Warning
NATO Chief Warns of WWIII
Compass Points - NATO Warning
NATO Chief Warns of WWIII
July 6, 2025
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Sunday is a good day for reflection.
Today is a particularly good day for reflecting on the future of the Marine Corps. Sometimes all the ongoing discussion, discourse, and debate about restoring the global combined arms power of the Marine Corps can seem to be only an academic exercise or, even worse, only a trifling social media entertainment. But it is much more serious than that. Discussions should be kept civil and professional not to prevent hurt feelings, but because any focus on insults or petty personalities detracts from the vital role the Marine Corps must be prepared to play in a dangerous world. How dangerous is the world situation?
Reporters, Annabel Bate and Will Stewart, writing July 6, 2025, in the British daily Sun, report on comments of the head of NATO in their article: "DAWN OF WAR Is this how World War 3 will start? Nato chief gives chilling prediction with simultaneous attacks by Putin & China"
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A CHILLING forecast of how World War Three will start has been revealed by Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte.
The alliance chief has warned of Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin launching simultaneous invasions - putting the planet under threat of nuclear Armageddon.
China would start by seeking to grab Taiwan - while ensuring the Kremlin dictator simultaneously attacks Nato territory.
Stressing the urgent need to re-arm and boost military budgets, Rutte chillingly told the New York Times: “Let’s not be naive about this: If Xi Jinping would attack Taiwan, he would first make sure that he makes a call to his very junior partner in all of this, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, residing in Moscow, and telling him, ‘Hey, I’m going to do this, and I need you to to keep them busy in Europe by attacking Nato territory’.
“That is most likely the way this will progress."
-- The Sun, "DAWN OF WAR Is this how World War 3 will start? Nato chief gives chilling prediction with simultaneous attacks by Putin & China"
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When the head of NATO is warning of World War III, and the US is pulling its carriers out of the Pacific and sailing to the Middle East, amid strikes on Iran, it is a dangerous time in the world. Across the Marine Corps community, it is necessary for serious discussions on what has been lost and what must be regained.
Over the last week, Compass Points readers have generated online and off a cornucopia of comments, insights, and analysis. Compass Points appreciates all readers who in their own ways are continuing to build the discussion about a stronger Marine Corps, and also thanks all our readers who served as seminar leaders this week by providing topics, articles, and comments. Many thanks!
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- - - - - Compass Points Mission & Values - - - - -
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Compass Points Mission
Provide an independent source of broader thinking, deeper understanding, and better decisions, for a stronger Marine Corps.
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Compass Points Values
We believe the Marine Corps must be responsive, relevant, and ready today, and more so tomorrow.
We believe the Marine Corps is never owned by any small group of people, but is always held in sacred trust by every Marine and friend of the Corps, past, present, and future.
We believe Marine Corps success in garrison, in the field, and in operations is a complex ecology of the physical, the intellectual, and the spiritual.
We believe in the complexity of combat.
We believe good data is good, but waiting for more and more data is not necessarily better.
We believe no information system can or will sweep away the fog of war.
We believe nothing is more uncertain than certainty.
We believe planning is good, but first plans rarely survive first contact.
We believe Marines must prepare to battle skilled, devious, and unpredictable adversaries.
We believe Marines must be always ready to locate, close with, and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver, or repel enemy assault by fire and close combat.
We believe in combined-arms, multi-mission capable Marine Corps units that can quickly arrive anywhere, and address any conflict or crisis.
We believe the Marine Corps must experiment with new technology constantly, and adopt it prudently.
We believe in practicing and perfecting proven methods, while also experimenting with and adopting new methods.
We believe in the Marine Corps culture of teamwork, trust, creativity, and courage.
We believe in candid culture among Marines, never cancel culture.
We believe the strength of the Marine Corps comes from the valor at the heart of each Marine. Each Marine draws strength from the entire Corps of Marines. Together, all Marines are joined across time and geography by the unbreakable red stripe of service.
The opening paragraph is spot on. Some disagreement and tension are healthy, other disagreement and tension is not and can be unnecessarily uncharitable and personal in nature. If you believe in something, say so, if you don’t, say so, but neither accuse nor question another’s viewpoint. To do so both belittles you and your position. Just my opinion….
Too many Marines have stood in formation listening to rambling monologues delivered by shameless self promoters. The good Marines get tired of this and leave, while the next generation of narcissists schmooze their way to the speaker's podium.