Smaller population and much smaller density. On the contrary USA have most of its population on the ocean's shores - a few 100 Mt Poseidons nuclear super-torpedoes will be enough to wash away most of Americans.
You have a smaller population and mostly concentrated in major cities. And considering many bases are like cities in the wider world, you have to nuke those countries as well.
Were you the guy who gave the green light to nuke Japan in WW2?
Restoring and maintaining are two different things as we saw in Afghanistan and Vietnam.
I don't have to be the guy to give the green light since someone else did it for me.