The larger context of the conflict is what matters, not the minutia over the type of weapons we’re discussing… but this is one of the ways that war is often naturalized in our discourse - by reflexively focusing on the weaponry to the point of myopia rather than the impact OF the weaponry. When war in other places becomes a debate about this kind of stuff rather than the people involved, then we’re in danger of losing the thread that matters.
And the thing that matters is making sure that no nukes are ever used again. By anyone. At any time. Whether it’s a MOAB or a mini-nuke hardly matters in the moral scheme of things.
Yes… it is. I would mark an intolerable escaltion, whatever the type, as it signals a very clear genocidal intent, whatever the size of the nuke. The other powers in the region would feel more compelled to muster a military response, spinning this conflict way out of control. It’s nearly there now, and this kind of language is not helpful.
And if Israel dropped a nuke, I’m gonna guess that Putin would feel far more emboldened to use nukes in his war on Ukrainians.
Again, you’re making assumptions here about people, what they know, what they do, etc. How about maybe don’t do that?
