[Poohbah]

If, for instance, a country such as France or Germany used a very low yield nuclear weapon in the 1 kt range, what could the United States do about it?

B-2 arrives, deposits a 200kt care package, and leaves. President asks new leadership "Y'all sure you want to play another hand?"

Use a B-52 and drop 500 lb bombs with minimal effect, or fire off ICBMs and cause a global nuclear war?

False dichotomy.

Your enemy has already started a "global nuclear war" by attacking the US with a nuke.

We wouldn't cause it. We would simply end it.

[Monty22]

Besides, we have lots of B61 Dial-A-Yields that can go from 1.5kiloton up to a lot. I think B83's go from 1.5kt to 1.2megaton.

So we have lots of flexibility now. But I am all for more r&d of them.