Tactical nuclear weapons would be of limited value in use against the Islamic Terrorist State.
Mosul and Ramadi in Iraq have substantial civilian populations.
Ramadi is upwind of Baghdad and 60% of the city has been retaken by the Iraqi army.
Al Raqqa, Syria would be the only possible tactical nuclear (probably a neutron weapon) strike target but over 30K civilians would be killed. However, civilians left in Al Raqqa, Syria, the self declared capital city of the Islamic Caliphate, are either hostages or collaborators.
What's fair in warfare? What is legal under international law and under the doctrine of "proportionate response" in warfare by the belligerents?
Quote:
American doctrine does acknowledge the concept of proportionality.
Field Manual (FM) 27-10, The Law of Land Warfare , specifies, ?Those who plan or decide upon an attack, therefore, must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the objectives are identified as military objectives or defended places within the meaning of the preceding paragraph but also that these objectives may be attacked without probable losses in lives and damage to property disproportionate to the military advantage gained.?
The reference to the manual?s preceding paragraph (Chapter 2, Paragraph 40) is noteworthy. There the list of acceptable targets is rather broad, including defended cities and towns, factories, warehouses, ports, railroads, and other places that offer an enemy a military advantage or accommodation, all venues that by their very nature could have large civilian populations.
The proportionality rule does not negate attacks on such facilities so long as a reasonable military necessity exists and that necessity can be reasonably balanced against anticipated civilian casualties
http://strategicstudiesinstitute.arm...ing/keiler.pdf
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I would expect Russian army doctrine to be similar.
The Russians, US, France, UK and Israel all have nuclear capabilities and probably have contingency plans using this option to bring the Islamic Terrorist State to their knees -- and cut off their heads (metaphorically).
Putin is just stating the obvious ...