I find this a stunning admission of fear on the part of the so-called elites. As long as Western military power was seen as invincible, this simply wasn't an issue. Now that the fundamental helplessness of conventional forces (of whatever provenance) has been demonstrated, the superannuated savants can think of nothing better to do than trumpet to the world that the West has only one recourse remaining to it (and one that - whatever doctrine says - the West will always be more reluctant to use than conventional forces).

This admission, together with the reduced incentive from the abandonment of MAD ("If you don't blow me away, I won't... aw hell, maybe I will at that.") may well end up promoting proliferation than otherwise.

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman