The response is not to blow up 1/4 of the planet. Fighting terrorism is hard and the answers not easy."
Nor would I suggest such a thing. But you remember, bin Laden made no secret of having sponsored 9/11/01. So it's just as likely some terrorist group would claim responsibility, and that group would have state sponsors.
Also, you remember, after 9/11 (and other attacks as well), there were riots in Muslim cities, supporting bin Laden's victory over the Great Satan, and chanting "death to America."
The 9/11 attacks cost about 3,000 American lives. Suppose the next attack takes 300,000 or 3,000,000 lives. And suppose that many of those are your friends and relations.
Do you suggest the appropriate response then would be to send off a few more thousand marines to some other far-away mountains, to spend more years and years chasing chimeras?
A nuclear detonation in the US would require a response. That response is not to flatten every Islamic country, but it would require something more than a strong letter that Obama would send.
I don’t know what I would do. I think it would depend on who claimed responsibility, or whether you could tie it to a country of origin.
Let’s say you have strong indications of an Iranian influence. Do you nuke Tehran? There are a lot of innocent pro-western civilians there who oppose their own government, not to mention the embassies of numerous allies.
I hope it’s a decision we’ll never be forced to make.