us considers nuclear strikes, page-13

azz...absolutely right

No one named...just "sources" and "well-placed" leaks...
C'mon....

Having said that virtually any advance miltary complex has gameing and strategic planning and scenario generation as a major part of their contingency planning. Battle plans dont just pop out of someone's head in the heat of battle.

In the modern world every imaginable scenario is played out in theory and based on the projected outcomes the plans are dropped, modified or included and then gamed again.

So of course...the scenario inclusive of a nuclear component would have been gamed and then if discovered can be made to look like the "plan"

Believe what you want but at least be honest with yourself.