[luckyme]

There are so many confused concepts mixed up in the scenario a meaningful answer isn't possible to the whole. So skip the time travel part and deal with the concept of 'potential X"

Today Switzerland has the potential to build a nuclear bomb and attack us. Are we justified nuking them tonight?
A cabinet at work has all the components needed to assemble a good computer worth several thousand dollars. An employee smucked them. Should he pay me $3000 or the $500 the parts are worth?
My neighbor planted a seedling of an exotic fruit tree. My iguana ate it. Do I owe him replacement cost ($300) or the $12,000 the tree will be worth in 10 years?

My answers are that only X's are X's. Y's that can be/willbe converted to X are Y's that can be/willbe converted to X.

So, Switzerland should be spared, my employee owes me $500 and I owe my neighbor $300.

If your answers are different, beware that I'll be leaving acorns scattered around my house when you're over with mega lawsuits in mind.

next question.

luckyme