This Is The Problem -- Digby

[NNadir]

5. Because of my interest in the only nuclear war that ever occurred...

...I have over the years made readings in the Japanese decision to surrender an extensive focus of my efforts to comprehend the morality of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaski. At different times I've come down on both sides of the still unsettled sides of the debate.

Even after the atomic bombings there were still elements of the Japanese government that wanted to fight on. There were efforts to have a coup and destroy the recording of the Emporer's speech announcing the surrender. Note that in terms of deaths and magnitude of destruction the damage done by the nuclear weapons, while qualitatively different, were not quantitatively worse than conventional weapons in terms of loss of life and destroyed infrastructure.

This was a sterling example of cult thinking. The orange mold in the White House is a cult object.