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"...but simply according to the question, "Does this country intend to attack and kill our citizens?""

Oops. I should have read further before responding!

How do you have any idea whether "this country (sic..."countries" don't attack, government's do) intends to attack and kill our citizens"?

The fact that China has ICBMs...even if they are targeted on the U.S., doesn't mean they "intend to attack and kill our citizens."

We and the Soviet Union/Russia had/have ICBMs targeted at each other. They weren't used.

How do you determine intent?

"...but simply according to the question, "Does this country intend to attack and kill our citizens?" Oops. I should have read further before responding! How do you have any idea whether "this country (sic..."countries" don't attack, government's do) intends to attack and kill our citizens"? The fact that China has ICBMs...even if they are targeted on the U.S., doesn't mean they "intend to attack and kill our citizens." We and the Soviet Union/Russia had/have ICBMs targeted at each other. They weren't used. How do you determine intent?

Well, my first rule of thumb would be that any nation which has nukes targeted on us at all is automatically disqualified from the "friendly" list. The UK has a couple of hundred nukes, but they don't seem to feel it necessary to keep several targeted on Boston at all times "just to be sure". Nations which target the USA with nuclear weapons at all should be considered "Neutral Powers" at best.

They get down-graded to "Hostile Powers" if they openly threaten a nuclear First Strike, as the Chinese did a few years ago when they threatened to vaporize Los Angeles if we tried to defend Taiwan. Now, it's true that Taiwan, not being a US State, is not constitutionally-entitled to US Federal defense in the first place; and, in threatening to liquidate Los Angeles, it's entirely possible that the Red Chinese were trying to offer us a "win/win" deal -- they get to take Taiwan, we get to lose LA.

But, it was still a threat of nuclear First Strike against US soil. Bump 'em down to "Hostile" until they Recant the threat. No need to sell them stuff when they are openly threatening to Nuke us.

Just food for thoughts....