[Osborn F Enready]

Mr Vicchio said:
MAD worked during the Cold War, and it does today keep the Big Dogs from fighting real Wars.

This could just be bluff as was stated, a nuclear exchange is not something most sane people contemplate without the realization of the horror that would entail.

I say:
The cold war....

I don't particularly want to find out if it was a bluff, over Taiwan. Taiwan would be less sense than Iraq, and China is pretty much already the last major enemy of the U.S.

We saw the flak over Iraq, and I doubt even a boob like Bush would be willing to take that flak over Taiwan, especially since there isn't a lot of oil, or people who threatened his daddy in Taiwan.