>>113
I could say "an ultimatum has 0 value whatsoever, just look at Neville Chamberlain", but that would be a weak and flaccid argument, sometimes pre-emptive strikes are a good option, sometimes ultimatums are, sometimes both and neither are. In the situation I described a pre-emptive strike is optimal, in the situation you describe where you are in a position to inflict that sort of damage an ultimatum is also a good idea.
Let's look at my situation again, except ignoring the means with which to achieve them and focussing on the ends, which are the only thing that matters anyway.
1: Your opponent takes the opportunity instead of you.
2: Your opponent invades before you gaining the advantage.
3: War is averted, you are free to build mines, ports, roads, rail, plantations and light industries and turn the country into an egalitarian 1st world democracy.
Now let's change the situation to one where an ultimatum is useful, let's say an ultimatum for North Vietnam in 1957.
1: Do nothing, North Vietnam escalates hostilities leading to a grinding guerilla war.
2: Launch a pre-emptive strike, South Vietnam suffers heavily from corruption and inefficiency, the campaign is a disaster and the military suffers from mass desertions, North Vietnam takes advantage of the situation and wins a quick victory.
3: Issue an ultimatum, declare a defensive alliance with South Vietnam and Laos and that indiscriminate carpet bombing followed by a full scale invasion would commence if North Vietnam declares war on South Vietnam or Laos, flood the countries with UN inspectors and other diplomatic trifles to make it impossible for their activities to go unnoticed by the world. North Vietnam keeps funding the guerilla campaign but with the Ho Chi Minh trail gone and hope of total victory fading this gradually becomes a token measure. Laos and South Vietnam become asian tigers like South Korea, Taiwan and Japan.
And now without the means.
1: North Vietnam invades.
2: North Vietnam invades, your strategic blunder leads to their quick victory.
3: War is averted, you are free to build mines, ports, roads, rail, plantations and light industries and turns Vietnam and Laos into 1st world egalitarian democracies.
like your cock when looking at attractive females, you homosexual
Real mature, I'm not a homosexual but you are a homophobe, the last thing I'd expect from a lefty liberal.