[buckalfa]

If a terrorist nuclear strike comes down on the US or an
ally, how and against whom does Amercia retaliate?

[HipShot]

How about a retaliation against Ivan & the Chicoms when their "automated" systems detect the blasts here as a threat, and launch their own?

May be a stretch, but we've come VERY close before, without blasts being involved.

[appalachian_dweller]

>> how and against whom does Amercia retaliate? <<

Thermonuclear weapons. Tehran, Damascus, and any other nation/state that is even remotely suspected of supporting terrorism.

[jerseygirl]

That- is a supreme problem. I know we threatened Iran. However- IMO Russia would eventually take the hit because they gave the stuff to AQ and trained them in how best to use it.

[Quix]

BEEN MY QUESTION FOR A LONG TIME.

And if we don't say ahead of time, no deterrant value in our targeting.

If we do say ahead of time, give Russia and China umpteen days and ways to sabotage, prevent it.

Lovely contingencies /sar