Reply #43: Sometimes the best solution is the military solution...

[John BigBootay]

And sometime the military solution is a load of crap.

You won't get very good answers on DU, Silverhair, because I believe most people here are willing to pretend 9/11 was an aberation, an isolated case, and that Bushco is manufacturing the terror threat.

They probably are to some extent. I don't know what the REAL level of danger is, but I believe your scenario is possible and it's worth playing "what if" games if for no other reason than to prepare mentally for a possible occurance.

First of all, my Presidency would be aggressively seeking out alternative fuel sources, and I would be withdrawing interests and mending fences in the Middle East as rapidly as possible.

But if your scenario did occur under my watch I'd make damn sure I knew all the details: who did it, where the bomb was made, where the uranium came from, who harbored the terrorists, where any funding came from. And, after obtaining whatever coalition is this time willing to fight with us, ALL the people, groups and nations who were knowingly involved in the act would receive their turn in front of the might of the coalition army. I would spare no expense and I would make every effort to kill as many terrorists who choose to fight.

During this period of warfare I would make a promise to the terrorists that another attack with nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against the United States would be answered in kind on a city in a rogue nation-- the city determined to be most dangerous, threatening or guilty. And I would keep this promise, but I would give the residents of the doomed city 2 days to evacuate.

If there was a third attack against the U.S. with weapons of mass destruction, I would use in-kind weapons on another city, this time with no warning. And I would then continue to respond in kind, as warranted by the actions of the terrorists

I know that 98% of my DU readers are gasping, laughing hysterically or rolling their eyes-- but consider what the number one job of the President is to protect America and American lives.

As I said above, sometimes there is nothing else than a strict military solution.

That said, this is nothing more than a hypothetical "war game." Ultimately, it means nothing, but merely illustrates our differences of opinion.