Still more dangerously, by treating nuclear weapons as just another explosive in the arsenal, rather than as a deterrent weaponoflastresort, America would dangerously blur the line against nuclear use by anyone.
"The way Syria configured its chemical arsenal was essentially as aweaponof strategic deterrence, not really to be used on the battlefield, but as an instrument oflastresort, " said Mr. Zanders of the EU Institute, likening Syria's capacity to use chemical weapons to how Israel treats its nuclear weapons.