mutually assured destruction

Difficult to define exactly, but it's not the actual *name* of a situation or doctrine. Rather, it describes the outcome of a given action in the circumstances:

In the case of the US and USSR, their shared determination to retaliate to an attack by the other - given the size of their nuclear arsenals - would've assured mutual destruction.

mutually assured destruction by Richter September 20, 2003

mutually assured destruction

The outrightly suicidal strategy of nations protecting themselves from nuclear (or, in more recent days, chemical or biological) attack by preparing enough weapons to reduce the attacking country to rubble even as they are themselves wiped out.

Basically, if you're going to be screwed over, make sure the rest of the world is, too.

During the Cold War, the US and the USSR built massive stockpiles of nuclear weapons while following a strategy of mutually assured destruction

mutually assured destruction by Sparky August 30, 2003

mutually assured douchebaggery

The point at which you and another person get so passive-aggressive to each other that it doesn't matter who started it, because at this point you're both just plain douchebags.

Person A turns down the thermostat. Person B waits for A to leave, turns it back up. Repeat until one has to leave out of frustration. This is the point of mutually assured douchebaggery.

mutually assured douchebaggery by thatguy20 July 8, 2012

Mutually Assured Destruction Fund 

A fund

The PPP scammers made-off like Madoff and they're no different than Mutually Assured Destruction Fund's like FTX or GBTC

Mutually Assured Destruction Fund by Jaaaay Thringus May 10, 2023

mutually assured destruction

The almost certain scenario that would occur after nuclear war. It says that the opposing forces would be utterly anihilated, leaving the Earth an uninhabitable, radioactive wasteland.

The only result of nuclear war, Mr. President, is mutually assured destruction.

mutually assured destruction by ZephyrAnima August 30, 2003

mutually assured destruction

(MAD) The Cold War strategic doctrine which made all-out nuclear war the only possibility for war between the super-power blocs (US & USSR). Like it or not (and who would?), it worked, at least in preventing the use nuclear weapons in war.

mutually assured destruction by lazarus51 August 31, 2003

mutually assured destruction

A Cold War idea that neither the U.S. or the U.S.S.R. would use nuclear weapons on the other, knowing attack would lead to a mutually devatating counterattack.

Mutually assured destruction kept Ronald Regan from pushing the button.

mutually assured destruction by card law September 2, 2003