Nuke Mecca

{{islamophobia}}
{{hatnote|If you're looking for a "mecca" for all things nuclear, start with [[nuclear energy]].}}
'''Nuke Mecca''' is a popular refrain among the [[far right]],<ref>[http://gatesofvienna.net/2016/05/what-happens-if-the-someone-nukes-the-black-cube/ What Happens if Someone Nukes the Black Cube?] by Baron Bodissey (May 8, 2016) ''Gates of Vienna''.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20240223171029/http://www.wnd.com/2015/11/bomb-mecca-off-the-face-of-the-earth/ Bomb Mecca off the face of the earth. Exclusive: Burt Prelutsky says Islamists 'have been asking for it for over 1,400 years'] by Burt Prelutsky (11/19/2015 at 7:55 PM) ''WND'' (archived from February 23, 2024).</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120229205649/http://www.loonwatch.com/2010/02/pamela-geller-watch-5-israel-should-nuke-tehran-mecca-and-medina/ Pamela Geller Watch #5: Israel Should Nuke Tehran, Mecca and Medina] by Mooneye (February 24, 2010) ''Loonwatch'' (archived from February 29, 2012).</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-18032968 Pentagon condemns 'war on Islam' US training class] (11 May 2012) ''BBC''.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150219231351/http://www.faithfreedom.org/oped/VernonRichards50806.htm Consequences of Nuking Mecca] by Vernon Richards. ''FaithFreedom.org'' (archived from February 19, 2015).</ref> who seem to think that a "[[Moral equivalence|moral equation]]" resulting in justice and [[peace]] could look something like this: 6,852 [[United States|American]] armed forces personnel lost in the global [[war on terror]] + 2,996 lives lost from [[9/11]] = murdering the 2,000,000 civilians who call Mecca home and turning a cultural megalopolis into a [[radioactive]] crater.<ref>[http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/many-americans-died-u-s-wars/ How Many Americans Died US Wars] by Megan Crigger & Laura Santhanam (Updated on May 27, 2019 12:31 PM EDT; Published on May 24, 2015 4:19 PM EDT) ''PBS''</ref>

It certainly seems a surefire plan to defend America (and not the most insane act of [[genocide]] in history or something that would galvanize Muslims to demolish [[The Vatican]]/[[Washington D.C.]] or anything like that)!

==Origins==
The idea is briefly mentioned as a detail of the backstory in the 1985 Nebula award winning [[science fiction]] classic ''[[Ender's Game]]'' by [[Orson Scott Card]]. A similarly [[Inflammatory language|inflammatory concept]] is the nuclear bombing of The Vatican explored in Zoltan Istvan's ''{{wpl|The Transhumanist Wager||,}}''<ref>[http://www.kurzweilai.net/book-review-the-transhumanist-wager Book review: ''The Transhumanist Wager''] by Giulio Prisco (May 15, 2013) ''The Kurzweil Library''.</ref> while ''War in 2020'' by Ralph Peters has the atomic bombing of [[Israel]].<ref>''War in 2020'' by Ralph Peters (1991) Atria Books. {{isbn|0671676709}}.</ref>

Though it's not Mecca, in 2009 [[Turkish]] Prime Minister [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] also accused Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman of threatening to attack the [[Gaza Strip]] with a nuclear weapon, which Lieberman's media adviser called nonsense.<ref>[http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Lieberman-threatened-to-nuke-Gaza 'Lieberman threatened to nuke Gaza'] (October 26, 2009 07:22) ''The Jerusalem Post''.</ref> In 2024 during the war between Israel and [[Hamas]], Israel’s Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu,<ref>[https://apnews.com/article/israel-nuclear-weapons-gaza-iran-china-1e18f34dcec40582166796b0ade65768 China, Iran, Arab nations condemn Israeli minister’s statement about dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza] by Edith M. Lederer (Updated 12:10 AM PDT, November 14, 2023) ''AP''.</ref><ref>[https://www.vanityfair.com/news/michigan-congressman-appears-to-suggest-nuking-gaza Michigan Congressman and Former Pastor Appears to Suggest Nuking Gaza] by Jack McCordick (March 31, 2024) ''Vanity Fair''.</ref> [[Baptist]] pastor/US Republican Congressman Tim Walberg,<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2024/3/31/republican-congressman-suggests-nuking-gaza Republican congressman suggests nuking Gaza] (31 Mar 2024) ''Al Jazeera''.</ref> and Senator [[Lindsey Graham]] suggested dropping a nuclear bomb on the Gaza Strip.<ref>[https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/lindsey-graham-gaza-israel-hiroshima-b2544204.html Lindsey Graham suggests Israel should nuke Gaza and claims Hiroshima bomb was ‘the right thing’: South Carolina Republican told Israel: ‘Do whatever you have to do to survive as a Jewish state. Whatever you have to do’] by James Liddell (May 15, 2024) ''[[The Independent]]''.</ref>

===Republican use===
[[File:Bomb Mecca Kookmobile.jpeg|thumb|200px|right|''Somebody'' needs to be kept as far away from explosive devices (especially nuclear explosive devices) as possible.<br/><br/>Also note that, just under the F-150 logo, he says God is (or was) a pig.  Classy.]]
Talk show host Pat Campbell for WFLA-AM in Orlando, [[Florida]] asked the [[Colorado]] Republican Congressman [[Tom Tancredo]] how the country should respond if [[terrorists]] struck several [[U.S.]] cities with [[nuclear weapons]]; he responded, "Well, what if you said something like&nbsp;— if this happens in the United States, and we determine that it is the result of [[extremist]], [[fundamentalist]] [[Muslims]], you know, you could take out their [[holy]] sites." "You're talking about bombing [[Mecca]]," Campbell said. "Yeah," Tancredo responded. The Congressman later said he was "[[JAQing off|just throwing out some ideas]]" and that an "ultimate threat" might have to be met with an "ultimate response." "What is near and dear to them? [[Martyr|They're willing to sacrifice everything in this world for the next one.]] What is the pressure point [[Deterrence|that would deter them]] from their murderous impulses?" the representative asked, his spokesman stressing he was [[Just asking questions|only speaking hypothetically]].<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/2005/07/18/tancredo-if-nuke-us-bomb-mecca.html Tancredo: If They Nuke Us, Bomb Mecca] (July 18, 2005) ''Associated Press'' via ''Fox News'' (archived from March 7, 2018).</ref>

The [[Council on American-Islamic Relations]] (CAIR) has demanded that Tancredo apologize to Muslims.<ref>[https://www.cair.com/press_releases/co-muslims-seek-mtg-with-tancredo-over-bomb-mecca-remark/ CO Muslims Seek Mtg with Tancredo Over ‘Bomb Mecca’ Remark] (July 18, 2005) ''Council on American-Islamic Relations''.</ref>

==How come they didn't nuke Korea or Vietnam?==
{{main|1=Korean War|3=Vietnam War}}
At a press conference on 30 November 1950, President [[Harry Truman]] was asked about the use of nuclear weapons:<ref name=Atomic>[https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/public-papers/295/presidents-news-conference The President's News Conference] (November 30, 1950) ''Hrry S. Truman Library and Museum, National Archived''.</ref>
{{cquote|'''Q.''' Mr. President, I wonder if we could retrace that reference to the atom bomb? Did we understand you clearly that the use of the atomic bomb is under active consideration?<br/>
'''Truman''': Always has been. It is one of our weapons.<br/>
'''Q.''' Does that mean, Mr. President, use against military objectives, or civilian—<br/>
'''Truman''': It's a matter that the military people will have to decide. I'm not a military authority that passes on those things.<br/>
'''Q.''' Mr. President, perhaps it would be better if we are allowed to quote your remarks on that directly?<br/>
'''Truman''': I don't think&nbsp;— I don't think that is necessary.<br/>
'''Q.''' Mr. President, you said this depends on [[United Nations]] action. Does that mean that we wouldn't use the atomic bomb except on a United Nations authorization?<br/>
'''Truman''': No, it doesn't mean that at all. The action against [[Communist]] [[China]] depends on the action of the United Nations. The military commander in the field will have charge of the use of the weapons, as he always has.}}
The implication was that the authority to use atomic weapons now rested in the hands of General [[Douglas MacArthur]].<ref>[https://history.army.mil/html/books/020/20-1/CMH_Pub_20-1.pdf ''Policy and Direction: The First Year''] by James F. Schnabel (1972) Office of the Chief of Military History, United States Army. {{isbn|0160359554}}.</ref>{{rp|288}}<ref>''Truman & MacArthur: Policy, Politics, and the Hunger for Honor and Renown'' by Michael D. Pearlman (2008) Indiana University Press. {{isbn|0253350662}}.</ref>{{rp|136}} Truman's White House issued a clarification, noting that "only the President can authorize the use of the atom bomb, and no such authorization has been given", yet the comment still caused a domestic and international stir.<ref name=Atomic/> Truman had touched upon one of the most sensitive issues in civilian-military relations in the post-[[World War II]] period: civilian control of nuclear weapons, which was enshrined in the {{wpl|Atomic Energy Act of 1946||.}}

On 9 December 1950, MacArthur requested field commander's discretion to employ nuclear weapons; he testified that such an employment would only be used to prevent an ultimate fallback, not to recover the situation in Korea.<ref name=weintraub>''MacArthur's War: Korea and the Undoing of an American Hero'' by Stanley Weintraub (2000) Free Press. {{isbn|0684834197}}.</ref>{{rp|263}} On 24 December 1950, MacArthur submitted a list of "retardation targets" in Korea, {{wpl|Manchuria||,}} and other parts of China, for which 34 atomic bombs would be required, though other sources say only 26.<ref name=weintraub/>{{rp|263}}<ref>''Strategic Terror: The Politics and Ethics of Aerial Bombardment'' by Beau Grosscup (2013) Zed Books. {{isbn|184277543X}}.</ref>{{rp|78}}<ref>''American Airpower Strategy in Korea, 1950-1953'' by Conrad C. Crane (2000) University Press of Kansas. {{isbn|0700609911}}.</ref>{{rp|71}}<ref>''The Origins of the Korean War Volume 2: The Roaring of the Cataract 1947-1950'' by Bruce Cumings (1990) Princeton University Press. {{isbn|069102538X}}.</ref>{{rp|750}} According to Major General {{wpl|Courtney Whitney||,}} MacArthur considered a proposal by Louis Johnson to use radioactive wastes to seal off [[North Korea]], but never submitted this to the Joint Chiefs.<ref name=james>''The Years of MacArthur: Triumph and Disaster, 1945-1964'' by D. Clayton James (1985) Houghton Mifflin. {{isbn|0395360048}}.</ref>{{rp|578–579}} In January 1951, MacArthur refused to entertain proposals for the forward deployment of nuclear weapons.<ref>[https://www.jstor.org/stable/2538736 "Atomic Diplomacy during the Korean War"] by Roger Dingman (1988-1989) ''International Security'' 13(3):50-91. doi:10.2307/2538736.</ref>{{rp|68}} An increase in the atmospheric carbon dioxide that creates the [[greenhouse effect]] had only recently been quantified by {{wpl|Charles David Keeling|Charles David Keeling's}} {{wpl|Keeling Curve||,}} so the idea that [[climate change]] could disrupt the distribution of an uncontained nuclear wasteland through heavy rains contaminating the groundwater wasn't considered a foreseeable hazard for [[South Korea]] within the next six decades.<ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26658719 25 years on at America's most contaminated nuclear waste site] (11 June 2014) ''[[BBC]]''.</ref>

There has been debate whether MacArthur advocated the employment of nuclear weapons, including over whether his submission to the Joint Chiefs of Staff was tantamount to a recommendation.<ref>''Douglas MacArthur: Statecraft and Stagecraft in America's East Asian Policy'' by Russell Buhite (2008) Rowman & Littlefield. {{isbn|0742577392}}.</ref>{{rp|137}}<ref>''Nuclear Weapons and Coercive Diplomacy'' by Todd S. Sechser & Matthew Fuhrmann (2017) Cambridge University Press. {{isbn|1107514517}}.</ref>{{rp|179}} In his testimony before the Senate Inquiry, he stated that he had not recommended their use.<ref>Senate Committees on Armed Services and Foreign Relations, 15 May 1951—''Military Situation in the Far East'', hearings, 82d Congress, 1st session, part 1, p. 77 (1951).</ref> In 1960, MacArthur challenged a statement by Truman that he had wanted to use nuclear weapons, saying that "atomic bombing in the Korean War was never discussed either by my headquarters or in any communication to or from Washington"; Truman, admitting that he did not have documentation of any such claim, said that he was merely providing his personal opinion.<ref name=james/>{{rp|581}}<ref>"A-Bomb Blow at M'Arthur Only 'Opinion'" (24 December 1960) ''Chicago Tribune''.</ref> In an interview with {{wpl|Jim G. Lucas}} and {{wpl|Bob Considine}} on 25 January 1954, posthumously published in 1964, MacArthur said,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150928215003/http://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/09/texts-of-accounts-by-lucas-and-considine-on-interviews-with-macarthur-in-1954.html Texts of Accounts by Lucas and Considine on Interviews With MacArthur in 1954] (April 9, 1964) ''The New York Times'' (archived from September 28, 2015).</ref>
{{cquote|Of all the campaigns of my life, 20 major ones to be exact, [Korea was] the one I felt most sure of was the one I was deprived of waging. I could have won the war in Korea in a maximum of 10 days… I would have dropped between 30 and 50 atomic bombs on his air bases and other depots strung across the neck of Manchuria… It was my plan as our amphibious forces moved south to spread behind us&nbsp;— from the Sea of Japan to the Yellow Sea&nbsp;— a belt of radioactive cobalt. It could have been spread from wagons, carts, trucks and planes… For at least 60 years there could have been no land invasion of Korea from the north. The enemy could not have marched across that radiated belt."}}

In 1985, [[Richard Nixon]] recalled discussing the [[atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki]] with MacArthur:<ref>''The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb and the Architecture of an American Myth'' by Gar Alperovitz (1995) Knopf. {{isbn|067976285X}}.</ref>{{rp|352}}
{{cquote|MacArthur once spoke to me very eloquently about it, pacing the floor of his apartment in the {{wpl|Waldorf-Astoria Hotel|Waldorf|.}} He thought it a tragedy the bomb was ever exploded. MacArthur believed that the same restrictions ought to apply to atomic weapons as to conventional weapons, that the military objective should always be limited damage to noncombatants… MacArthur, you see, was a soldier. He believed in using force only against military targets, and that is why the nuclear thing turned him off, which I think speaks well of him.}}

==See also==
*[[Alt-right glossary#Remove kebab|Alt-right glossary § Remove kebab]]
*[[Henry Kissinger#Madman Theory|Henry Kissinger § Madman Theory]]
*[[Nuclear war]]

==References==
{{reflist|2|90%}}

[[Category:Far-right politics]]
[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Islamophobia]]
[[Category:Religious discrimination]]
[[Category:War]]

Categories: Far-right politics, Islam, Islamophobia, Religious discrimination, War