Superior nuclear capability? (And no, I don't think this sets a great precedent. Then again, it's not really something new to perform war crimes against "3rd world nations" -- but it does seem horribly out of place in our (thankfully) more educated times (as in, all of us are far more educated now, than previously)).

The worst part, is that with all three big players lobbying warheads around in Syria, we might be closer to a third world war than we've ever been before.