[dd74]

There definitely once was a place for nuclear weapons when we were threatened by the Soviets after WWII and up until their infrastructure collapsed. I agree with JP that right now, tactical nukes are more the battlefield de riguer. They can send a message. And I'm not entirely unsure we haven't used them already - some of those plumes in Afghanistan and Iraq were fairly large.

However, it could be that the need for nuclear weapons may diffuse itself, since the current trend of enemy, particularly with al Queda, no longer constitutes a single cohesive body or country, but disparate individuals all over the world. In short, because terrorism is our biggest threat, yes, one can nuke Iran. But terrorism and its ideology is widespread, even into our country. So while we nuke Tehran, I believe we'd have a problem nuking, say, Topeka, KS.