I know enough good people from the Mideast to know that Option Zero would have unacceptably high costs until a very significant triggering event occurred. I don't believe our enemies are so stupid as to cross that threshold or even push the edge.

I suspect that had they chose to they could have nuked us already but they choose not to. There could be many reasons why they chose not to but my favorite explanation is as follows. Rumors exist that certain prisoners were released from Club Gitmo even though we knew they would probably return to the fight and make contact with OBL. These prisoners were told that if WMDs were ever used in the US we would turn Mecca and the surrounding area into a very large glass lined crater.

The options Ringo overlooks are the non-military options. Destruction of a culture doesn't have to involve bullets and bombs, it's just that bullets and bombs accomplish the job more quickly.

I'm not familiar with the details of discussion on how to deal with Afghanistan but the rest of what you say sounds about right. The only issue is "the country responsible". But if it happens it probably won't be a "government" but a religious order. The individuals responsible will most likely have a greater bond to their fellow "church members" many of who do not share the citizenship affiliation. That isn't to say there won't be enough nukes and the will to use them on as many geographical locations as necessary to fully implement Option Zero. Just that there will be a lot of second guessing the decisions as the glass is cooling both thermally and radiologically over the following decades.