since WWII on Iraq this week. ... it will send a message to our so-called allies that the "with us or against us" position has teeth." I think this qualifies as an understatement. What exactly is the message you're trying to send, Dave? That America is a nation of short-sighted thugs? Shame. Update - Fair enough. Your language was ambiguous and lent itself to a particular interpretation, but I will happily stand corrected. Even if it's not personal, though, the question remains. What kind of message does the United States send by using nuclear weapons as a means of persuading not just its enemies but also its allies?