Pakistan got nukes for decades, Kayani do not want to remind it as USA knows, the whole world knows it.
Let the perception go thru US eyes. They do not want to invade Pakistan for sure. In fact nobody wants. Whats their aim? To stop attack originating from NW for all and exit from Afganistan.
For them, NW should be cleanlised for the purpose. Pakistan is not allowing it, neither they will do it and let others do it.
As a military option, what US has in their hands. They are not aiming Rawalpindi or Lahore.
IMO, they may move in to NW to get thing done with air support, typically like Kargil --- where a limited conflict ...
In that scenerio, what role nukes will play? remember Pakistan had nukes at the time of Kargil war too. That did not prevent India to throw the intruders out.
Even US might press for a limited conflict by them and pressure Pakistan to keep a low profile in the public eyes, just like drone attacks.
and One more point, USA a super power, they might be in weak position coz of supply routes. But they have 100s of other routes if they want to harm Pakistan interests.
Kargil war remained within that region and didnt go into a full blown war, just like many other aggressive deployments by India and nukes on both sides ensured that the leaderships saw sense in not going for "M.A.D" option.
Nukes play their part in the diplomacy thats why they form the essential part of any discussion, article, interview and media briefing done by the people across the globe whenever they mention Pakistan. its their own networks speaking to their experts, former ambassadors and diplomats, and servicemen who say that America cant just launch an attack on Pakistan like it has done on other countries (whether limited or full blown ) because of these Nukes.
It is strange that you are commenting on Americas invasion of North Waziristan like Kargil, look at their track record in the Afghanistan they currently hold, add another restive part with one of the most difficult & punishing terrain and logistical nightmare and a hostile nuclear country. How do you think that will play? While Afghan Taliban virtually roaming unopposed occupying key places almost all along the Waziristan belt, how would this taskforce sustain itself after the initial assault?
Read more here if you need to, this subject has had a fare share of discussion
http://www.defence.pk/forums/pakist...ys-troops-along-pak-border-3.html#post2199540
the whole premise of Pakistan having nukes is that we know that our adversaries are bigger and stronger than us in conventional weapons so we are going to loose anyway, so we will give a nasty bite to the aggressor that it would make it think many times if the gains from attacking Pakistan outweigh the eventual nuclear response from Pakistan on its cities or military bases.
It doesnt mean in any way that we are threatening you that we will nuke you.. Its just a friendly reminder that please dont mess with us go bully someone else if your appetite for war and more destruction is insatiable. Go impose your freedom on other countries that dont have a nuke. Its just like an animal bears its fangs or thumbs its chest to ward off the likely predators from itself or its calfs. we all do it, and our military parades on the national day are also a part of that. They are not just a moral booster but also telling the likely hostiles to watch their step.
as far as harming Pakistan through 100 other options is concerned its an assumption based on open hostilities, its a hypothetical discussion and I will leave it for now but will add what Chogy has said, he is an Ex USAF fighter pilot, please read and dont speak on their behalf.
"Hundreds of troops" couldn't seal 1 kilometer of the border.
The title of the article itself is a total impossibility... an amazing leap to a false conclusion. What we have is a simple troop movement/operation in a particular area that happens to be close to the border.
Before Desert Storm, Schwartzkopf wanted hundreds of thousands of troops before he was ready to roll. I don't know what the mission is for these soldiers, but it is neither to seal the border, nor invade Pakistan.
