It seems counterintuitive, until you consider that all the Pentagon ever does is run wars and war simulations. They know pretty well what their shiny toys can do, and in the case of nuclear weapons it's not good at all. I fear that people think the US can drop a couple of bombs at Russia, at which point it will dutifully roll over and surrender, just like Japan. Japan was on its last legs in '45 and, most importantly, it had no nukes. I don't know what fantasy dreamland these people inhabit, but if Putin decides to use a tactical nuclear weapon to intimidate Ukraine and the US answers in any way, it's game over for everyone. So yes, we need to sit Russia and Ukraine on the negotiating table for them to reach some sort of compromise that will save Ukraine and the world.