[quote=GenuineRisk]It's an interesting point you bring up, Somer, that the difference with the Cold War was that the Soviets were working off essentially the same value system Americans were (strong national identity, war a bad thing and to be avoided). I think you're right-- MAD works only when both parties are playing on the same field. Which we were back then. Now, religious zealots who think they're going to be rewarded in the afterlife? That's a different playing field. For a sport I don't ever want to watch.
In a horrible way, can you blame North Korea? Kim Jong Il sees Hussein say, "I don't have any WMDs" and the US goes in anyway. Now North Korea detonates a nuclear device and the US's response is, well... not much of anything. I think, from his point of view, if the US is going to march in regardless, might as well have a weapon. Because if you do, the US clearly won't go in to attack. How stupid do we look now?
Well, a rational person would count noses...or at least warheads...lets see, I can build 4-8 nukes without long range missiles to reach the US, I can do damage locally for sure but then I'd face the US nuclear arsenal of what? Thousands of bombs each 10x more powerful than mine...more like 100x maybe...hummm, doesn't seem like those few bombs would be much good! He's not building for defense but for blackmail!
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