[Mark Felton]

"The Islamist world and its allies need to know there will be an unprecedented nuclear response to any attack on the United States with weapons of mass destruction. We don't need to be specific about which major cities and installations will be vaporized. ""

hhhmmmm....

If the US says that Syria or Iran will be nuked then it provides incentive for small-time enemies of Syria or Iran to launch a WMD attack against the US (anthrax, sarin, ricin or radiological bomb, all fairly available to smaller countries...) and then provide clear evidenc it was Syria or Iran.

Otherwise how does the US know for sure the origins of a WMD attack. There is no missile trail.

[AntiGuv]

You are applying rationality to a Joseph Farah screed. Cut that out!

[OldSmaj]

...how does the US know for sure the origins of a WMD attack. There is no missile trail.

Ah, who cares?

We'll just poke and hope.

Kill 'em all and let their Moon God sort 'em out.

Note the absence of a sarcasm tag.

[Quix]

The particular nuke materials used can be traced to their origins.

If Russia and/or China or even South Africa . . . the plot would thicken considerably.

[R. Scott]

Otherwise how does the US know for sure the origins of a WMD attack.

We have enough nuke missiles to kill them all and let God sort them out, but I doubt our response would be that major.