# Bush threatens to use nukes.....again! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 12, 2002, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257 "2002-12-12T16:00:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/1 "2002-12-12T16:00:11Z")
'President George Bush has again threatened the use of nuclear weapons if Saddam Hussein used his weapons (scuds full of anthrax) against anyone. Is this just scaremongering or is Bush crazy enough to use these weapons which were described to be a DETTERENT.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/2 "2002-12-12T16:02:58Z")
I think Bush’s threat is the right way to use nukes as a deterrent. He’s trying to persuade Iraq not to use their WMDs. I don’t think Bush would actually use nukes against the Iraqi people. However, I’m not so sure about Israel… ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/3 "2002-12-12T16:04:54Z")
It’s nothing new. He is using them the they they always have been, as a threat. If you do this, I’m gonna use these. Would he if Saddam for some reason went nuts and decied to bomb/gas/whatever? Yeah, I think he probably would. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/4 "2002-12-12T16:06:13Z")
There seems to be a problem with nuking Iraq – wouldn’t the fallout make the southern oil fields unusable for some time? Or can fallout be controlled somehow (sufficiently small warheads/bombs)? ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/5 "2002-12-12T16:07:50Z")
**Ryan** : A) You’ve been here long enough to know… _Cite?_ B) A weapon’s not much of a DETTERENT (sic) if you don’t show WILLINGNESS TO USE IT. C) Having said that, if your quote is accurate _and_ reflects Bush’s policy, then such a policy is really really stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/6 "2002-12-12T16:13:44Z")
> **[News, sport and opinion from the Guardian's US edition | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us)** > > Latest US news, world news, sports, business, opinion, analysis and reviews from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/7 "2002-12-12T16:16:50Z")
Hasn’t the US long had a “no first use” policy on nuclear weapons? AFAIK, this is the first time the US has officially changed that stance. Isn’t this of historic importance? Why hasn’t anyone commented on this aspect of it ? ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/8 "2002-12-12T16:19:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ryan\_Liam \* > \*\*'President George Bush has again threatened the use of nuclear weapons if Saddam Hussein used his weapons (scuds full of anthrax) against anyone. > > Is this just scaremongering or is Bush crazy enough to use these weapons which were described to be a DETTERENT.:rolleyes: \*\* Um, **Ryan,** it appears that you do not know the meaning of the word “deterrence.” Here it is: > [@](#): > > Main Entry: de·ter·rence > Pronunciation: di-'t&r-&n(t)s, -'ter-; -'t&-r&n(t)s, dE- > Function: noun > Date: 1861 > : the act or process of deterring : as a : the inhibition of criminal behavior by fear especially of punishment b : the maintenance of military power for the purpose of discouraging attack “If you use your WMD, we will use our WMD,” is the _definition_ of deterrencen - don’t do X, because if you do, we will do Y. Sua ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/9 "2002-12-12T16:21:52Z")
I’m worried one day that threat might be challenged. What happens next should Saddam try to defy that? Seems to me that this time round he’s willing to take the high civilian casualties to keep his power. George W either has to nuke Iraq or shut up and it doesn’t look like this president would never do the latter. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/10 "2002-12-12T16:22:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bordelond \* > There seems to be a problem with nuking Iraq – wouldn’t the fallout make the southern oil fields unusable for some time? Or can fallout be controlled somehow (sufficiently small warheads/bombs)? Now there’s a problem :rolleyes: Never mind the innocent people killed and the years of horror that the survivors would have to live with. The neighbouring countries that may be effected depending on the wind. The destabilising effect this would have on the world. The almost certain enormous backlash from around the world. Yep the problem is about the oil all right. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/11 "2002-12-12T16:23:59Z")
Could you be more specific with that link? I can’t find the relevant story. I also conducted a Google search and can’t find a direct policy statement that we’ll use a nuke if Hussein “uses his weapons against anybody”. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/12 "2002-12-12T16:25:43Z")
It’s just scaremongering, intended to prevent the use of chemical or biological weapons against the US or Israel by Iraq. Similar warnings were issued before and during the Gulf War, and it appears that they were effective, as Iraq (officially, at least) only used conventional warheads in its Scud attacks during that conflict. On the part of the US, the specific phrase used was “overwhelming force”; since overwhelming force scould easily be applied against Iraq with conventional wepaons, chances this would be the option used in the scenario envisioned by the OP. I’d appreciate it if the OP would state what he believes would be the appropriate level of response to an attack with biological or chemical weapons. ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/13 "2002-12-12T16:27:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > \*\*Hasn’t the US long had a “no first use” policy on nuclear weapons? AFAIK, this is the first time the US has officially changed that stance. Isn’t this of historic importance? Why hasn’t anyone commented on this aspect of it ? \*\* The long-standing policy of the U.S. is that all WMD are the same. It has a “no first use” policy, and that is exactly what the policy (as described by **Ryan** - his link wasn’t to a story) is … If Iraq uses its WMD _first,_ the U.S. will retaliate. Sua ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/14 "2002-12-12T16:27:24Z")
Here ya go, **xenophon41** : [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39490-2002Dec11.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39490-2002Dec11.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/15 "2002-12-12T16:29:11Z")
Sure it’s [www.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,2763,858349,00.html](http://www.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,2763,858349,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/16 "2002-12-12T16:29:46Z")
Can I see a site that says Bush said that? As far as I can find Bush did not say that he would use nuclear weapons against Iraq or anyone. \*\* > [@](#): > > A version of the strategy that was released by the White House said the United States will “respond with overwhelming force,” including “all options,” to the use of biological, chemical, radiological or nuclear weapons on the nation, its troops or its allies. \*\* Nuclear weapons are one of our options but not the only one. You might as well say that we just threatened to drown all Iraqi citizens in a giant bowl of jello since that is overwhelming force and technically an option. If Iraq thinks that means we will use nuclear weapons if pushed then perhaps he will think twice on using WMD on us. What should the government say? “No matter what you do to us we will respond with minimum force using only a couple of options to protect or nation, its troops or its allies” ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/17 "2002-12-12T16:36:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SuaSponte \* > **If Iraq uses its WMD _first,_ the U.S. will retaliate.** Does that mean that, if an over-enthusiastic Iraqi soldier released a nerve gas canister in combat, the US would retaliate with nukes? ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/18 "2002-12-12T16:37:15Z")
Your link does not include a quote that says the report says we will use nuclear weapons. The quote is that we will use all our options. The reporters are the one who mentioned nuclear weapons. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/19 "2002-12-12T16:38:00Z")
From the Washington Post (thanks, **El\_Kabong** ): > [@](#): > > The six-page statement underscores long-standing policy that the United States “reserves the right to respond with overwhelming force – including through resort to all of our options – to the use of WMD (weapons of mass destruction) against the United States, our forces abroad and friends and allies.” Looks like muscle flexing, rather than a statement of new policy. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257/20 "2002-12-12T16:45:42Z")
> [@](#): > > Looks like muscle flexing, rather than a statement of new policy. Or possibly a rationalization for nuking Baghdad after al Qaeda uses Iraqi VX on a turkish airbase: > [@](#): > > The Bush administration has received a credible report that Islamic extremists affiliated with al Qaeda took possession of a chemical weapon in Iraq last month or late in October, according to two officials with firsthand knowledge of the report and its source. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42876-2002Dec11.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42876-2002Dec11.html) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-threatens-to-use-nukes-again/142257.md?page=2)