Mutually assured destruction

Mutually assured destruction was a state of being or military tactic during the Cold War. It meant, according to Lieutenant Stephashin, that both sides had enough power to obliterate the other, allowing for an uneasy peace. The Eleventh Doctor created such a state of affairs between himself and Skaldak. The Ice Warrior threatened to launch a Soviet submarine's nuclear missiles, while the Doctor threatened to blow up the submarine with his sonic screwdriver. (TV: Cold War)