But in response to bruce, there is evedence that MAD works.
The cuban Missiles crisis ended when Kruschev realised that Kennedy wasn't going to back down.
He was prepared to risk being a big brash bully, but not to actually take the plunge and call kenedy's bluff.
He pulled out.
Why?
Because it would have been suicide not to.
I think only the most egotistical intellect would bother rebutting this view and I would have little patience to engage with such a rebuttal.
The issue now is deluded kids who think they represent Islam and thnk they have a relationship with God that means that the purpose of their life should be to commit suicide and kill as many random people as possible in the process because they will be rewarded for it.
In which case I agree that the threats of the future may come from small devices smuggled over borders or manufactured in secret labs in the ountry they are intended to destroy.