Posted on 10/18/2001 12:24:31 PM PDT by truthandlife
Emphasizing that his idea is just an option, Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind.) believes the United States should consider using tactical nuclear weapons against Osama bin Laden's terrorist network in Afghanistan if that network is linked to the recent anthrax incidents in the United States.
Buyer, a Persian Gulf war veteran and member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee thinks small, specialized nuclear weapons, not as powerful as the atom bombs that were dropped on Japan in World War Two, could be used on the caves where members of bin Laden's network have taken shelter.
However, Buyer emphasized that the use of the weapons would only be a proper response if bin Laden's people are linked to the anthrax cases in Florida, Washington, New York and elsewhere in the United States.
"Don't send special forces in there to sweep. We'd be very naive to believe that biotoxins and chemical agents were not in these caves. Put a tactical nuclear device in and close these caves for a thousand years," said Buyer in an interview with Indianapolis television station WRTV.
Buyer stressed that he doesn't advocate the use of full-power nuclear bombs, but acknowledged that much of the world wouldn't see the difference.
Buyer's press secretary, Laura Zuckerman, told CNSNews.com Thursday, "This is not an option that the congressman has called upon the White House or anybody of the military operations to take. He is just saying he would support it, if this an option that they would like to take.
"He's not advocating nuclear war. He's a gulf war veteran, he knows the horrors of war and he would never look to escalate something in this way. If they [were] quelled somewhat by the threat of a nuclear attack, then the threat itself might be enough," said Zuckerman.
Last Sunday on CBS' 60 Minutes, National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice said the United States would remain on high alert for some time although there were no specific terrorist threats, she said, nor any evidence that terrorists had gotten their hands on nuclear weapons.
"There are reports of all kinds of things, some true and some not. But there's no reason for the American people at this point to fear a specific threat of that kind. We have no credible evidence of a specific threat of that kind," Rice said.
America currently and indisputably occupies the moral high-ground with respect to Bin-Ladin and the Taliban regime in conducting its reponse to terrorism. No resonable criticism can be advanced against a US conventional military response to the death of thousands of civilians regardless of the amount of collateral damage it generates. Using nuclear weapons would instantly revoke this moral standing without necessarily advancing any military goal. Irradiating portions of the Afghan countryside for a few thousand years simply isn't a worthwhile endeavor.
As long as we're more concerned with what people think about us than we are with staying alive, we're screwed.
Good grief, I knew the country was in trouble the day I realized that they'd "marketed" boys into the same high-maintenance "how do I look?" BS that they used to manipulate girls since time immemorial. But I never knew it was this bad.
They're KILLING us, people. And they're going after our civilians where the work and where they live. And we're gonna worry about what they f'n THINK about us? UFB. Absolutely UFB... But hey -- we knew that much when they announced they wouldn't bomb the bastards on rammadan. Can't go offending the enemy, now can we. (And don't give me any of that shi'ite about "we don't want to offend the other moslem states". They hate us just as much, and they'll hit us too, if they think they can pull it off.)
Present tense, eh? Is that conjecture, or do you "know something"?
Hmm.. the other day, Fox's guy in the trenches with the video phone said that there was a blue light coming up from behind the mountain, and what sounded like loud thunder. That was from behind the mountain that was several miles away.
Hmm...
It has already been noted by the media, I'm sure: The Republican-led House ran home, while the Democrat-led Senate stayed and bravely confronted the terrorist threat.
You speak truth.
(pilot) ok...this is deathscythe im dropping the FAE
(loud explosion)
(pilot) uh...deathscythe to carl vinson...i hit the wrong button (pilot flies off with a smile on his face)
So what.
This isn't about what the enemy thinks about us. It isn't what anyone thinks about it. It's about people and countries being too damn scared of us to do anything to piss us off.
K-Mart special, Afghanistan style???
What I'm curious is, how far from the attack site the burst of radiation from such a blast can be detected.
Grab your shorts, cluetrain comin' through!
Are ya ready? OK, here it comes: it's already open. It's been open since 9/11.
Thanks for playing. Please count your change.
In the heat of the moment, they forgot they were the Republican House, and thought they were the Republican Guard.
That was just the local K-mart having a sale.
You are inserting your gonads in the thought process. This would open the door for WMD.
If the whole reason for this war was for America to punish the terrorists and the country that supported them, then withdraw back to America then there could be an argument for using Nuclear Weapons.
But that is not the case, America is a global power she has alliances and military formations on nearly every part of this globe.
The Middle east is one such place, America is in the Middle East for two reasons the support of Israel and to maintain a Cheap steady Oil supply.
If America started using Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Afghanistan it will cause large scale problems through out the Islamic and parts of the other world.
This is not just about liberal thinking, I am an ex military man I know what you fear you destroy.
Let me give you a small problem.
Let us say that there is such a thing as the NWO and it invaded and occupied America.
Let us say you are a partisan fighting the occupation. My last role in the Military was anti Terrorism, lets say they call me up to deal with the partisan problem in your area.
There are two ways to conduct a COIN operation, let us say I use your method.
I pick a town in your area and with no warning use artillery to fire chemical shells at the designated town.
The town with dead people is filmed with a warning any more partisan activity I will pick two town’s next time.
Will you cease all partisan operations.
Tony
I take it you are willing to be one of the first to go in.
So what is Anthrax, chopped liver?
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