If nuclear weapons are going to be used anywhere, it will be against an Islamic state or area. There were advocates after the 9/11 that the U.S. use tactical thermonuclear weapons to destroy Al-Kaida and the Taliban in their mountain caves and hiding places. It was dismissed, obviously, but it was considered. Tactical nuclear weapons would have annihilated the Taliban and Al-Kaida in a matter of days and being "clean" nuclear weapons the radio-active fall-out would have been minimal. The U.S. is gun-shy at present about using such weapons, but push her hard enough and give her reason to fight, as the Japanese did on 7 Dec. 1941, and she will and fight hard with every means at her disposal.