[kabar]

Will it take a massacre of our forces before we “get it“…?

Use against our ships by a major power would trigger a nuclear war. By any other country, massive retaliation that would virtually eliminate the perpetrator.

[central_va]

Use against our ships by a major power would trigger a nuclear war.

Nope. We won't go nuclear over a ship loss. If a nuke wasn't used in Korea, Vietnam and Cold War then there is no chance one will EVER be used.