X-Message-Number: 18773
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 18:21:32 -0800
From: "John Grigg" <>
Subject: Pax Americana via nukes?

George Smith wrote:
Rome maintained a civilized world for a thousand years called the "Pax
Romana" (The Roman Peace) through the ruthless use of superior force.  It
was certainly not a time of peace pre se, but it was unquestionably a period
of civilization.  The scornful barbarians who later stood upon the ruins of
the Roman Empire could not even read the words carved in marble under their
feet......

later on he also wrote:
Practically speaking, the Western world lacks the manpower to conduct a land
war in Asia and the use of tactical nukes levels the playing field (no pun
intended).
(end)


George, I see the wisdom in what you are saying.  But the problem is that while 
we are in a position to intimidate weak or nonnuclear powers like Iraq or North 
Korea, to go about dealing with mainland China is a WHOLE other story!  If only 
we were the only ones with nuclear weapons in the world! lol  


Yes, we sure do "outgun" them, but they have enough nukes and adequate delivery 
systems to put us in a world of hurt whether in tactical or strategic conflict!
And it will be a long time before we can put our faith in the ABM systems 
being developed.


I don't see China wanting to confront us militarily for a long time, but if it 
came to that, don't you think they would respond with tactical nukes to take out
our fleets or landbased targets in Taiwan if we started nuking first?  And we 
might just have too, since they have massive bunkers along their coastline to 
launch vast numbers of anti-ship, air and ground missles!  Our technologically 
superior naval forces would simply be overwhelmed by such firepower.  


I could even see them using a mega nuke on Taiwan and then saying, "we will 
destroy a land which we see as a part of us with further detonations if you do 
not fully withdraw your forces and to let us occupy it."  And you can see how it
could result in ICBM's being launched at each other's home cities if things 
really did get out of hand. 


Russia would be an even worse case then China.  But we have already played the 
game of brinksmenship with them, and they fully realized what the stakes were.  
It's sad to me that the older generation which remembers the devastation of WWII
is dying off.  I think they may have been part of the reason we never had a 
WWIII.  


Again, I think there was much insight and wisdom to what you said.  I just want 
to see the little schoolyard bullies dealt with first.  And it very much looks 
like that is what U.S. leaders are thinking.  

best wishes,

John


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