Four-officer authorization is a safeguard, but it cannot substitute for agreed criteria. Against the Magog, refusing even to define circumstances for nova-bomb or negative-energy-bomb use leaves threatened populations exposed and prevents the fleet from exploiting its strongest capabilities. A continuous nuclear deterrent provides the comparison because its political purpose and broad conditions of use are stated in advance. Diplomacy gains leverage from credible hard power, while weapons that leaders cannot contemplate using become expensive symbols.
Notable Point · 1:52:27-2:05:42
Deterrence fails when weapon use is unthinkable
The Commonwealth deploys strategic weapons across its cruisers but weakens deterrence by making their use culturally and doctrinally almost unthinkable.