Would MAD work with Muslims?

A reader has thoughtful reservations about Rep. Tancredo’s MAD proposal:

Does MAD work with Islamists? I’m not sure that they would believe that a President Tancredo would nuke Mecca.

Moreover, how much would this comment help in recruiting more terrorists willing to do everything but use a WMD on us?

What would the result of bombing Mecca, Media, and/or Qom?

Would it shatter the faith of Muslims or lead to a new militancy? (I hate to bring this up, but Jerusalem was destroyed in 69CE, but Jews rebelled against Rome in 117, 135, and 617CE.)

If multiple U.S. cities where bombed, we would be weakened and dependant on European and Japanese support. Were we to nuke Mecca or Medina, the entire Muslim world would declare war on the U.S., sell off its U.S. currency reserves, and suspend oil sales. At what point would Europe and Japan be neutralized?

Frankly, until we end the world’s dependence on oil, we are a strategic disadvantage. Unless Tancredo sees this, his response is still shallow.

Sadly, it indicates a greater understanding of the threat than any statement by the other presumptive presidential candidates.

Cui bono; China. If I were the ChiComs, I might just launch nuclear tipped cruise missiles from an “Iranian” oil freighter, just to watch the West crumble. It’s not like they care about human life or even their short term wealth.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at July 27, 2005 03:38 PM | Send