Originally Posted by WE Branch Fanatic
1. Some of the posters here seem to think that deterrence does not work - but fail to say why. <snip>
2. If you think nuclear deterrence does not work, then presumably you dismiss non nuclear deterrence <snip>
Just addressing those 2 points.
Deterrence is based on the existence of a credible threat.
There is no point in threatening retaliation with our orbital mass-driver because we don't have one and everybody knows we don't have one. It isn't a credible threat.
While we do have nuclear weapons, I believe that the majority of nations and organisations feel that we would be extremely unlikely to use them, therefore the threat is not credible unless we demonstrate our willingness.
The use of our conventional forces is credible and their effectiveness and our willingness to use them has been demonstrated regularly over a long period of time. I don't know how effective a deterrent it is though and we may never know.