An End to the 'Mutual Annihilation' Policy, But Is It Worth It?

This should be simple. The Pentagon is proposing a stategy that will finally, permanently, put the Cold War policy of Mutual Annihilation on the backburner. The new policy, drafted by the Joint Chiefs, will allow for the use of a preemptive nuclear strike against even a vocalized threat of nuclear attack on the United States. The document still has a few heads to pass before it gets to Rumsfeld's desk, but even the concept of this plan may raise some serious points of debate. Do we, as a nation, have the right to attack on the basis of a mere threat? Well, we have to face the reality that a threat of nuclear attack may well be followed with an ACTUAL nuclear attack, something we, as Americans, must resist by every means necessary. There are problems, however, as to how this policy may be used by the government. There is always the possibility of falsification, as we have seen from the multiple, mostly debunked justifications for the conflict in Iraq. We will have to worry about this, not just from Mr. Bush, but from every Commander-In-Chief selected for office so long as this policy remains in effect. There are strong arguments to be made by both sides (and there WILL be sides), and this policy is one that may never be resolved within the American populace. If ever there was justification to accuse OR laud a government for playing at being God, this is, officially, it. Stay tuned for more information as your friend, the veteran, comes across it.