Did world avoid nuclear war 14 years ago?

Almost 14 years ago the world could have become a witness of a US nuclear attack on Afghanistan after the attacks on September 11th 2001. 

According to the diplomatic adviser to the ex-Chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schroeder, Michael Steiner, at that period of time the White House was seriously considering nuclear attacks on al-Qaeda.

Steiner told the publication Spiegel that the Bush administration even prepared the necessary documents after the terrorist attacks, which shocked the whole of America, in order to find the possibility of a ‘response.’ 

The diplomat admitted that the government of Germany in 2001 feared "excessive" US reaction after the shock.