"I wonder how many Americans would have to get vaporized before nuclear war was on the table... 1 million? 2 million? 20 million? 40 million?"
Nuking is a bit extreme. I like the idea of MOAB much better because it's more environmentally friendly (LOL), but could think of better targets... Tehran, for instance. That would be the only real slam against the Islamofacist movement, and quite well deserving, I might add.
There's absolutely no way to get controll of the terror problem as long as Iran is out there doing as it pleases with its purse wide open to so-call martyrs.
Martyr: One who makes great sacrifices or suffers much in order to further a belief, cause, or principle.
1 million would do it, I think.
If you take out one or two cities, it's like swatting a hornets nest. It's won't solve the problem, but it'll sure make your life miserable.
Solution: 10 Megaton air bursts from "clean" fusion bombs. Incinerates everything on the ground without kicking up too much radioactive fallout.
/ Atomic Cowboy