Are there any circumstances in which you would personally consider using WMDs to be the proper course of action?
Sure.
If I were a dictator.
Rush hour.
When the alternative is worse.
For some countries this would come down to; ‘when there is a setback’.
Personally? Almost every day.
When Mythbusters wants to test the origin of Godzilla and/or MAD for its epic finale.
Nukes, only if someone else is crazy or evil enough to use them first. That’s one bottle we don’t want to open.
When it’s the only way to be sure.
Preferrably from orbit, too.
(But yes, malevolent aliens would be pretty much a no-brainer justification…)
When only the best will do, and you want to show that you really care.
In all seriousness, no, never.
I could see some futuristic targeted bioweapons, say, that can be transmitted through a population but only actually harms somebody with the exact DNA of the evil dictator. Those might be justified.
But the defining aspect of a WMD, to me, is that they are indiscriminate, and that’s why they shouldn’t be used. Also, WWII-style bombing campaigns are right out.
Let’s say your country is facing an existential threat in the form of a massive invasion. The border defenses have been destroyed, and it is projected that the conventional forces will be unable to hold out for longer than the next few hours. At that point, your country will effectively cease to exist, and will be added to the conquered territories of the invaders. However, military leadership believes that with the usage of tactical nukes in several key locations, the invaders will be devastated and forced to withdraw. Would you consider the use of WMDs to be justified to ensure an individual nation’s survival?
If I had a vial containing a virus that would spread quickly and result in random sterility for about 90~100% of the human race, that is a bottle I could not keep a lid on.
Contrariwise, why should we send soldiers to die when we could eliminate our targets with nukes?
Out of the three parts of “NBC,” the “B” part is the scariest to me, because it can often mutuate and become uncontrollable, and potentially create a population of zombies that will assimilate the rest of us. I believe the “B” stands for “Broadcasting.”
It sure says something in favor of targeted assassination, at least.
A mass screening of a homemade porno flick featuring Tom Arnold and Roseanne Barr on their wedding night would have much of the same effect, without a pesky bottle lid to possibly misplace…
Nope. A nation that has to use WMDs to “survive” is a nation that doesn’t deserve to “survive”.
So we should probably stop research into creating the zombie virus?