Today, as things stand, no leader (such as Ahmadinejad) takes the US nuclear deterrent seriously. Look at their behavior, his and Kim's, Hu's and Putin's. They know we will never again use the bomb even if it is used on us--unless something very radical happens in the meantime.
Fundamental Patriotism? We will not win this thing (meaning we will die) until/unless we have death squads of our own that can operate outside of any political accountability. I hear Boston is nice this time of year, but I wonder how much a hunting license costs there.