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From: rigney@uokvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: US Casualties - (nf)
Message-ID: <3719@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 8-Nov-83 01:08:44 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.3719
Posted: Tue Nov  8 01:08:44 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 10-Nov-83 00:47:46 EST
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#R:ihuxm:-66300:uokvax:5000009:000:1611
uokvax!rigney    Nov  2 11:36:00 1983

/***** uokvax:net.politics / rabbit!jj / 12:37 am  Nov  5, 1983 */

<seriously, what's the use in shooting?  We'll be dead and laid to
rest anyhow?    There! That should start an argument.>

/* ---------- */

In fact, some noted analysts have made the point  that  when  the
time  comes  to use our strategic weaponry, there's no longer any
reason to use it.  The chief virtue of massive  nuclear  weaponry
lies  in  deterrence, and if deterrence is to be credible then it
is vital that the  enemy  never  feel  that  the  U.S.  would  be
unwilling to reply in force.

On a more limited scale, that's one  of  the  reasons  presidents
don't answer what-if questions; they prefer to keep their options
open, and let the enemy have to guess.  The  greatest  danger  in
espousing  a  position  is  if  you're not willing to back it up.
Japan interpreted the anti-war  and  isolationist  statements  of
30's  America  as  an unwillingness to fight a prolonged war, and
based their plans on that.  But after Japan  attacked,  the  U.S.
changed  its  position  with  blinding  swiftness and went to war
anyway.

Perhaps if the U.S. had made clear  that  it  wouldn't  tolerate
Japanese Expansionism from the beginning, a lot of pain could've
been avoided.

		Carl
		..!ctvax!uokvax!rigney
		..!duke!uok!uokvax!rigney

P.S.  I wonder how much thought Presidents give to their response
to a nuclear strike, anyway.  It's clearly important, but just as
clearly less probable than the various other concerns that face 
them.  When (IF) the time comes to make the decision, there'll
be terribly little time to make it in.