Trying to stay optimistic but its tough... US Civ Population 318M, over 22M Vets, 1.3B Chinese with a lovely second hand flattop

Well, there's that... But contrariwise, the French and Germans didn't have to worry about the Russians glassing them back. And Americans are far less likely to leave the couch for any reason.

But I wonder sir.... Substitute the nuclear threat with the EMP threat. Given our dependence on technology wouldn't this be more crippling than the nuclear, and less prone to MAD doctrine? Plus, in a post EMP world, we would have to replace all those electronic gizmos. Who is going to be in the position to sell it to us?

My point was more that had Hitler or Napoleon had a WMD and no risk of MAD-type of retaliation (like we would against Afghanistan) would they have held back? Napoleon might have. Hitler would not have.

A fair observation sir. True, Hitler did not have to worry about Russia having Nukes just as we need not worry about Afghanistan having Nukes. But we must factor the reaction of other nuclear parties to our use of nukes in Afghanistan, namely, that of the Chinese, who are very interested in mineral rights in Afghanistan.

Effective world leaders will not allow the such use of force against other nations. If you invade Kuwait, there will be consequences. If you launch rockets into Israel, there will be consequences. If you roll tanks into Ukraine, there will be gnashing of teeth and stern finger waggling.


But we have to worry about other nations that have nukes just as surely as the Chinese.

LTC Paul Labrador , would Hitler have used WMD if the other side didn't have it? I'm not so sure when it comes to nukes, but he did have nerve beyond anything we had at the time, and lots of it. His experience in WW1 being gassed though is part of what kept him from using chem weapons according to many accounts I've read that also detailed the overwhelming German advantage in CB weapons and delivery systems during WW2. The situation he faced on the Eastern Front should have been enough to push Germany to use CB weapons...and CBRN if they had turned those last two letters into weapons, which they didn't. My point though is I don't think you can say Hitler would have used WMDs in WW2, he faced a much lesser retaliation from the Russians, had the need, greatly disliked the Russians compared to the enemies on the Western Front....but did not pull the WMD trigger.

SMSgt Tony Rita I can see your point, but I don't believe we as military or as a nation have or ever will underestimate China as it pertains to them launching an assault against our homeland. I concur with LTC Paul Labrador , they are more concerned with force projection as a regional power.