bush wheels out the nukes

[Eric Cordian]

Tim writes:

>> Following the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon,
>> Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was questioned on ABC television's 
>> This Week program about the possible use of tactical nuclear weapons in
>> the expected conflicts to come.

>> The most likely candidate is a tactical micro-nuke called the B61-11,
>> an earth-penetrating nuclear device known as the "bunker buster."

>> The B61-11 was designed to destroy underground military facilities such 
>> as command bunkers, ballistic missile silos and facilities for
>> producing and storing weapons.

> Whoever it is you are quoting (I can't tell), this is nonsense.

> Bunker busters were used in the Gulf War...are you too young to recall 
> that?

> None of these bunker busters were nukes. Some were already-developed 
> earth-burrowing warheads. Some were quickly-developed weapons based on 
> converting large gun barrels (used on ships) into bombs.

Yes and no.  Rumsfeld won't rule out the use of tactical nukes.

Both conventional and nuclear "Bunker Busters" are available, and the
B61-11 is specifically designed for his purpose, and widely deployed
thoughout NATO.  We even have a bunch of them in Turkey just in case
Saddam gets uppity.

The defense department has suggested the possible use of tactical nuke
Bunker Busters both in the Gulf War and in this current conflict.  In the
last war, Yeltsin wasn't on board, and in this war, Putin is.

The junior Bush is very fond of small tactical nukes, and I firmly believe
that if Osama bin Laden was in a very deep cave, and the American public
was distracted by an engaging performance of Anthrax Theatre, that he
might use a single such weapon to vaporize Osama to a big round of
applause.

Is this likely?  No.  But neither is it impossible.  Bush thinks he is
on the side of God fighting Evil.  All bets are off.

So far, the Bunker Busters have been conventional.  Tommorow, who knows?

-- 
Eric Michael Cordian 0+
O:.T:.O:. Mathematical Munitions Division
"Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law"