Krauthammer on the Nuclear "Obama Doctrine"

"Either Insane or ridiculous"

As I have stated elsewhere, one element of deterrence has always been uncertainty. If a street punk isn't sure he can overpower you, if the house thief doesn't know whether or not there's an armed homeowner inside, if the car jacker doesn't think he can get away with it, or if a nation state doesn't know if a first strike can be carried out without "acceptable" losses, these can all have a deterrent effect. Uncertainly fosters deterrence will all but the criminally insane and certain religious clerics. To announce to your friends and foes alike exactly what your response will be under certain circumstances is to take the uncertainty out of the equation. It eases the ability of our foes to calculate what they may or may not dare to do under the "protection" of the Obama Doctrine.

I opt for "insane", Charles!


H/T theblogprof