[quote=So Boerd]
So if Russia does not nuke London and Paris, but nukes the others, the Anglo-French response should be...My purpose is that people should stop thinking every nuclear war will be a life-extinguishing global extinction event. Such that if Russia or China use tactical nuclear weapons, we should not fear a response in kind. If they and other nuclear states ever get that there is almost nothing save an impending attack on our countries to warrant a nuclear response, they are more likely to step out of line.
[/quote]

We are all safer if we believe the lie that a nuclear weapon's use results in the end of the world. We don't need nuclear bombs to dismantle most rogue-state armies. Nukes don't help against ISIS. All we need are JDAMs, hellfires, and maybe a MOAB or two, just to make a point. [i]There is no reason to pave the road for easier nuking.[/i] Nobody wins. Especially when you start talking about China or Russia -- there is *no such thing* as a good reason to nuke China, Russia, or the USA. None.

The idea that we're supposed to employ nukes to keep other nations from 'stepping out of line' is pretty Bond-villain-y. That doesn't make it wrong, per se, but I'm not crazy about it.