PN - my point was not that NK or Iran are deterred, merely that SSN clearly don't do that alone.
Impiger - A fleet of DD/FF has little in terms of balanced capability because it cannot go anywhere where there is an air threat, unless it has maritime air cover - something that has proved virtually impossible to supply from land cost-effectively. That air threat could be as low capability as a Thai carrier with AV8As, but because (relatively) it can command the maritime airspace, it trumps a T45 or a helo carrier because it can hold the helo at threat. A DD/FF force is therefore limited to an area of influence not much further than the horizon. There is no use for a DD/FF heavy force with no maritime air. The nearest example is the JMSDF and they are structured to defend the sea of Japan and not much else. We (allegedly) don't have a threat to home waters anymore, certainly not one that justifies hordes of DD/FF.
LBL - I don't think the basics quite stack up like that - we had that attitude in the 30s and it didn't work then either. Largely for the reasons outlined above. Works on a simplistic level, but falls apart when you ask questions like "OK air type, how long do you want to spend at sea?" or, "OK Jack, it's Firebase f8ckwit for you for the next five years".