I think the opposite is true. Countries afraid of US invasion already knew that only nuclear weapons could reliably protect them. The lesson for them here is that the US is apparently, at least in some cases, willing to go to war to overthrow them if they’re near to getting those nuclear weapons.
I do expect to see more nuclear proliferation, but by allies of the US no longer confident that the US would protect them, not by enemies who would not otherwise have built nuclear weapons.
Not just that. If a country knows they’re screwed, chemical and biological weapons could also be on the table. Imagine Iran blowing a bomb containing H2S in a Western city.
There are a huge number of Iranian expats across the west. Mostly scientists who fled the regime, hate Khameni, and are likely supportive of regime change in the abstract. But if one of those little girls was a niece or a granddaughter…
I think the opposite is true. Countries afraid of US invasion already knew that only nuclear weapons could reliably protect them. The lesson for them here is that the US is apparently, at least in some cases, willing to go to war to overthrow them if they’re near to getting those nuclear weapons.
I do expect to see more nuclear proliferation, but by allies of the US no longer confident that the US would protect them, not by enemies who would not otherwise have built nuclear weapons.
Iran has been “weeks away” from having a nuclear weapon since 1995.
Bless your heart
Not just that. If a country knows they’re screwed, chemical and biological weapons could also be on the table. Imagine Iran blowing a bomb containing H2S in a Western city.
There are a huge number of Iranian expats across the west. Mostly scientists who fled the regime, hate Khameni, and are likely supportive of regime change in the abstract. But if one of those little girls was a niece or a granddaughter…