Keep your eyes open

In earlier entries on this site I talked about our change in policy on nuclear weapons ... that we were 1) willing to use them, 2) consider them part of our strategic arsenal, and 3) were willing to use them preemptively. All of this was clear from both the Nuclear Policy Review and the Strategic Defense Review (I know not a whole lot of folks read these documents).

If you are watching the media, you will see that there is growing concern that the strategists for the war with Iraq have put nukes on the table as part of the "standard" arsenal. This is BIG and this is SCAREY. The military is nervous, but the strategists (who are generally not military) are apparently not to be budged.

You really need to read this article by William Arkin (1/26/03) The Nuclear Option in Iraq. This is possibly more dangerous to the US than any unfettered terrorist could be 1) because of the precedent it sets, 2) it could ruin any coopertaion with the UN and 3) it could ruin relationships with our allies.