NERVOUS IN MECCA

It was certainly no coincidence that on the 4th anniversary of 9/11 last Sunday, front page headlines appeared in the nation’s newspapers entitled Pentagon Revises Nuclear Strike Plan .

It was a public shot across the Jihadi Terrorists’ bow, meant to make them and folks in Mecca nervous. You know why, since you read Mad in Mecca in To The Point back in October, 2004, and George Bush and the Sword of Damocles: Why There Hasn’t Been Another 9/11 last January.

It’s the clearest sign yet that Mecca is being held as a nuclear hostage.

The Pentagon’s “Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations” will now be revised from the last edition of 1995 to state that: “To deter the use of weapons of mass destruction against the United States, preparations must be made to use nuclear weapons and show determination to use them if necessary to prevent or retaliate against WMD use.”

Note carefully the word retaliate.

It was here at To The Point that you learned that the strategy of holding Mecca hostage was considered to be a form of “ultimate deterrence.”

This strategy of deterrence has been made more explicit in the revised doctrine, which states: “To deter a potential adversary from using such weapons, that adversary’s leadership must believe the United States has both the ability and will to pre-empt or retaliate promptly with responses that are credible and effective.”

Such a strategy aimed at Mecca is obviously enormously controversial, and will be vehemently denied by any Pentagon official if asked about it. However controversial and deniable, it has one massive advantage: it has worked so far in preventing another 9/11 or worse.

Announcing a revised nuclear use doctrine on September 11 is meant to increase the odds it will continue to do so.