Theophilus wrote:While I suspect that it would take many such hits to actually destroy the USA, I don't think that it would take many to terrorize the American people into demanding massive retaliation or crippling our economy.
I think any non-zero number of devices would 'destroy' the USA.
The stupid Americans would demand a massive retaliation
and cripple the economy.
Look at last week's mass hysteria regarding billeting the former Club Gitmo guests '
on US soil'.
This nation is now governed by 'weak minded old women of both sexes'. (Churchill?)
Theophilus wrote:
Ed, would you say that the US reaction to the Japanese sneak was similarly more destructive than their actual Pearl Harbor, Wake Island, Philippines attacks?
Yes.
(There, I said it!)
Tojo's (not Hirohito) goal in the winter of 1941 was to cripple the US Navy's ability to interfere with the expansion of "The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere". (Their conquest of Manchuria, Korea and Indochina.) They were not trying to invade the US mainland. They wanted to shut down the advanced naval bases with the ability to dispatch squadrons of warships that would interdict the flow of steel and oil into the home islands.
In my mind, the question is
'How should the US have conducted itself in the second half of 1941, if, say, ummm, Jesus could see what we were up to?' (Oh, wait, He was watching! Adm Kimmel, Gen. Short and FDR will have to give account for their actions and be judged for them.)
1) A good case for self-defense can be made from the scriptures, even on a national level. If the battleships and AAC squadrons had been out patrolling that weekend, things would have gone differently.
2) If you (or your country) gets sucker punched (Sept 11, Dec 7, etc.), it is legitimate to be on your guard and be ready to beat back another attack. I cannot find justification for making war beyond my borders (personally or nationally) in my Bible. Can you?
On December 8th, FDR, Knox, Stimpson, Short and Kimmel should have been given a fair trial, then immediately strung up from the yardarm as punishment for their treasonous conduct and/or dereliction of duty. I cannot find scriptural justification for the actions by the US that ended with the firebombing of Tokyo and Yokohama (much more destructive than the nuclear bombing campaign).
To take a verse out of context, I think the US&A would have been better off if we had 'turned the other cheek' after the sneak attacks (12/7 and 9/11) and focused upon self-defense rather than killing millions of people. An unpopular position, to be sure, but I do believe that I have 'earned the right to be heard' on this issue, as you have, my Brother. (Theophilus is a veteran, so you slimey-civilians are to give him his due!)
To bring this back on topic, I'd like to put forth the idea that we would have done better in Iraq if, instead of sending in the US Army, we sent in the Salvation Army. (With a Marine Corps escort!)
The "War on Terror"? That sort of thing is best handled by Mitch Rapp and Christians In Action. (Yada described a good plan in POD.)