Threshold for US use of nuclear option aka Russians in Paris

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phongn
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Post by phongn »

The USSR hated the idea of the neutron bomb since it provided an effective way to repel the Red Horde (conventional nuclear devices being much less effective against things like tanks). They probably pressured the US into removing them from the arsenal (perhaps with various concessions).
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Sea Skimmer
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Post by Sea Skimmer »

salm wrote:
ok, so why are weapons banned that are mainly useful against military targest and other weapons which can destroy entire cities not?

how is "they´re tactical weapons" an argument for that?
Tactical nuclear weapons where never banned. What was banned was theater nuclear weapons like the SS-20, Pershing II and land launched Tomahawk cruise missile, but also a few other things. The Soviet greatly hated them, because they could both strike hard against there armies rear areas, and threaten cities as far away as Moscow (using a Pershing II in West Germany) while sitting too far behind the front lines to be quickly overrun or destroyed. However the presence of those US nuclear wastes in NATO countries was very unpopular with many local elements and, some in the US as well. That, combed with a campaign of pro nuclear disarmament propaganda from the Soviets, basically made it impossible for the US to turn down the USSR's offer to eliminate that entire class of nuclear weapon.
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HemlockGrey
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Post by HemlockGrey »

The mullahs in Iran on the other hand...
I think we can trust the mullahs to want to keep power for as long as possible, and like everyone else who has been able to achieve a position of global power they're smart enough to realize that using nukes is not a path to prolonged life and good health.

And who would they use them ON, anyway?
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