History PlayingWith / MutuallyAssuredDestruction

* '''Subverted''':
** After Bob puts the AssInAmbassador, Tropestan threatens to [[DisproportionateRetribution nuke Wikistan if they ever send someone like that again]].
** Tropestan launches a nuke at another country.
* '''Double Subverted''':
** If only for pragmatic reasons, Tropestan never intends to follow through with that threat, even if Wikistan ''does'' later send the worst diplomats ever.
** It's not Wikistan; it's a country that either does not have nukes, or has ''much'' less powerful ones, not a superpower with the same (or better) weapons.

* '''Deconstructed''': With the ever surmounting forces of nuclear proliferation, both countries tend to leave themselves open to other problems besides Tropestan invading Wikistan and vice versa: terrorist groups, nuclear meltdowns, giant monsters, and even rogue superhumans getting their hands on either country's arsenal.

* '''Reconstructed''': It may not stop all of the crazies, but as long as there's enough sane (or sane...ish) people in command who are afraid of this, a possibility of peace still exists.

** Wikistan has invested greatly in its nuclear program... [[CripplingOverspecialization but that's]] ''[[CripplingOverspecialization all]]'' they have in terms of military force. When Tropestan occupies parts of their country, the leadership ends up being unable to respond since they wouldn't want to risk mutual annihilation for the loss of territory.

* '''Straight''': Tropestan ''hates'' [[{{Wiki/Wikipedia}} Wikistan]], but will never launch a nuclear warhead at them, because Tropestan knows that Wikistan ''also'' has nukes... and would not hesitate to retaliate.

* ''Played For Horror''': [[MikeNelsonDestroyerOfWorlds Why stop at having any of them be used by adults when a child could build one and/or use it all by oneself?]] Aside from enviromentalists, pacifists, and one's [[Creator/HideoKojima Kideo Hojima]] with the optional rabid fanbase, [[EvenEvilHasStandards even warhawks and terrorists would tremble at the thought of the world ending at the hands of a child!]]

%% Optional items, added after Deconstructed, at your discretion:

** Tropestan and Wikistan [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything show each other increasingly large...dildoes]].

* '''Exploited''': The government of Wikistan gradually downsizes its military spendings (apart from the units that service its nukes, and some other crucial ones like the Air Force or the Border Guard), being sure that as long as they have their nukes no one is going to invade them.

** [[GeneralRipper General Bob]] takes over the military of Tropestan, and the first thing he does is to launch all the nukes it has at Wikistan. So his own country is gonna get bombed to kingdom come as well -- what about it? As long as at least ''two'' Tropestan soldiers survive (and him to command them) and ''no'' Wikistanies survive at all, [[WeHaveReserves he's okay to call it a "victory".]]

** Tropestan starts its campaign military campaign to expand by attacking Dictionaryland to kingdom come with its nukes instead, because this latter country doesn't has nuclear measures in place (or maybe it does, but it's a variation of TheMoscowCriterion and [[ArmiesAreEvil Tropestan's military]] decides it can afford to lose its capital).

%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:

%%* '''Deconstructed''': ???

* '''Straight''': Tropestan ''hates'' [[{{Wiki/Wikipedia}} Wikistan]], but will never launch a nuclear warhead at them, because Tropestan knows that Wikistan ''also'' has nukes...and would not hesitate to retaliate.

* '''Downplayed''': ???

** [[GeneralRipper General Bob]] takes over the military of Tropestan, and the first thing he does is to launch all the nukes it has at Wikistan.

* '''Straight''': Tropestan ''hates'' [[TheOtherWiki Wikistan]], but will never launch a nuclear warhead at them, because Tropestan knows that Wikistan ''also'' has nukes...and would not hesitate to retaliate.

* '''Exaggerated''': Tropestan will never send any branch of its military to Wikistan, because Tropestan knows that they have soldiers/sailors/airmen/SpaceMarines/etc. too.

** [[NukeTaboo Nuclear weapons don't exist]] InUniverse.

* '''Invoked''': Tropestan and Wikistan develop some kind of rivalry or hatred for one another...and both develop nuclear weapons, and are aware of their rival/enemy doing likewise.
* '''Exploited''': The government of Wikistan gradually downsizes its military spendings (apart from the units that service its nukes, and some other crucial ones, like the Air Force or the Border Guard), being sure that as long as they have their nukes no one is going to invade them.
* '''Defied''': [[GeneralRipper General Bob]] takes over the military of Tropestan, and the first thing he does is to launch all the nukes it has at Wikistan.
* '''Discussed''': ???

* '''Zig Zagged''':

** Nuclear weapons don't exist InUniverse.

* '''Exploited''':
* '''Defied''': Tropestan launches all the nukes it has at Wikistan.

** Tropestan and Wikistan [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything show each other]] [[FreudWasRight increasingly large...dildoes]].

* '''Basic Trope''': A country with [[AtomicHate nukes]] (or other serious weapons) will not attack another country that has similar weapons.

* '''Subverted''': After Bob puts the AssInAmbassador, Tropestan threatens to [[DisproportionateRetribution nuke Wikistan if they ever send someone like that again]].

* '''Double Subverted''': If only for pragmatic reasons, Tropestan never intends to follow through with that threat, even if Wikistan ''does'' later send the worst diplomats ever.

* '''Parodied''': Tropestan and Wikistan [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything show each other]] [[FreudWasRight increasingly large...dildoes]].

* '''Averted''': Tropestan and Wikistan don't threaten each other with nukes, and may not even ''have'' them.

* '''Conversed''': ???

Lampshaded: ???
Invoked: ???
Exploited: ???
Defied: ???
Discussed: ???
Conversed: ???