Mutually Assurred Destruction

David Atkins proposes resurrecting the Mutually Assurred Destruction policy of the Cold War for the clash with the Islamo-Fascists.

I propose that the U.S. immediately adopt and publish the following nuclear doctrine:

In the event of a WMD attack by terrorists on the U.S. homeland or U.S. military facilities overseas, the U.S will immediately and without discussion use its immense nuclear weapons capabilities to destroy the 100 largest Islamic cities on earth, regardless of state, and destroy all of the military facilities of Islamic-dominated states. This will include all of the capitals and at least the 10 largest cities of all Islamic-dominated states and the "holy" cities of Mecca and Medina. In addition, North Korean cities and military installations will be destroyed.

He notes that it seems to have worked against the USSR and Red China. Not only were no nukes ever used during the entire Cold War, all parties put in extensive protections against accidental use. No one wanted to pay the cost of an exchange.

Would this approach work against Islamic fanatics, all of whom believe a paradise with 72 virgins awaits them after holy martyrdom? The terrorists themselves may be immune to being deterred, but without support, funding, a safe base of operations, their ability to do harm is sharply limited.

During the Ottoman Empire, the Turks exacted a high price for any attacks against the Empire. As a result, Moslem subject states almost never attacked the Turks. Furthermore, whenever anyone did attack them, these same states were falling all over themselves and each other to find the culprit and turn him over to them.

The aggressor sets the rules. The Jihadists have declared that everyone who is not with them is a legitimate combatant acting against them. By their rules, there are no innocent bystanders.

Fine.