This is why ballistic missile defense is still viable. People believe that a nuke attack will be terrorism oriented, and they're probably right. But a massive terrorist attack - five or more cities at once with 15 MT bombs - would definitely take us off the grid economically enough that we'd have to contemplate a ballistic missile counterstrike.
Our ability to launch that counterstrike without subjecting ourselves to one would be a definite benefit.
If we get hit by ANYBODY, I would think that China would be coming across the straight in bathtubs to invade Taiwan.
I'm sure (I hope) people in DC have thought of this, but they better be prepared to fight in 1 major and 1 minor world conflict while sustaining this kind of attack.
Oddly, the military infrastructure would not have suffered much at all under this kind of an attack.
Oddly still, the only country we can't afford to retaliate against is Russia, as they have Ballistic Missile Defense overwhelming ICBM capabilities. More oddly still, they aren't much farther along economically than they were when their empire fell.
I doubt the Russian AMB would even work over Moscow for a few missiles. I bet we have over 200 aimed at it, so that wouldn't be a big deal at all to take it out.
I seriously doubt Russia would deserve to get hit though from us. Depends on how big the exchange gets. If it starts spiraling out of control...
Agreed.
Except that I'm inclined to agree with the defectors who insist that Russia's fall is a planned trap and not what it's cracked up to be.