[FairOpinion]

I think what may be happening is sending a very strong message to the rogue countries and pressuring them to stop AQ from using WMD, since they have closer connections and may well have supplied the weapons to AQ. Now those countries have a vested interest in stopping the attacks.

By now they can also see that Bush doesn't bluff.

[oceanview]

that is true, and what we learn each day is that there is really only one Islamic nuclear program. Iraq, Libya, Iran, etc, it all comes from Pakistan. If we did have to use nuclear weapons in response to a similar attack in the US, it would have to be against Pakistan to be effective. Take out all their military facilities, and all of the tribal regions near the Afghan border where the Taliban remnants and AQ live.