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Why Iran Should Get the Bomb
Nuclear Balancing Would Mean Stability
Kenneth N. Waltz
The past several months have witnessed of a nuclear weapon. But this outcome is
a heated debate over the best way for the unlikely: the historical record indicates
United States and Israel to respond to that a country bent on acquiring nuclear
Iran's nuclear activities. As the argument weapons can rarely be dissuaded from
has raged, the United States has tight- doing so. Punishing a state through
ened its already robust sanctions regime economic sanctions does not inexorably
against the Islamic Republic, and the derail its nuclear program. Take North
European Union announced in January Korea, which succeeded in building
that it will begin an embargo on Iranian its weapons despite countless rounds
oil on July 1. Although the United States, of sanctions and UN Security Council
the EU, and Iran have recently returned resolutions. If Tehran determines that its
to the negotiating table, a palpable sense security depends on possessing nuclear
of crisis still looms. weapons, sanctions are unlikely to change
It should not. Most U.S., European, and its mind. In fact, adding still more
Israeli commentators and policymakers sanctions now could make Iran feel
warn that a nuclear-armed Iran would be even more vulnerable, giving it still
the worst possible outcome of the current more reason to seek the protection of
standoff. In fact, it would probably be the the ultimate deterrent.
best possible result: the one most likely The second possible outcome is that
to restore stability to the Middle East. Iran stops short of testing a nuclear weapon
but develops a breakout capability, the
POWER BEGS TO BE BALANCED capacity to build and test one quite quickly.
The crisis over Iran's nuclear program Iran would not be the first country to
could end in three different ways. First, acquire a sophisticated nuclear program
diplomacy coupled with serious sanctions without building an actual bomb. Japan,
could convince Iran to abandon its pursuit for instance, maintains a vast civilian
[ 2]
Why Iran Should Get the Bomb
nuclear infrastructure. Experts believe begun to develop a nuclear weapon of
that it could produce a nuclear weapon its own. Yet so far, every time another
on short notice. country has managed to shoulder its way
Such a breakout capability might satisfy into the nuclear club, the other members
the domestic political needs of Iran's have always changed tack and decided to
rulers by assuring hard-liners that they live with it. In fact, by reducing imbalances
can enjoy all the benefits of having a in military power, new nuclear states
bomb (such as greater security) without generally produce more regional and
the downsides (such as international international stability, not less.
isolation and condemnation). The prob- Israel's regional nuclear monopoly,
lem is that a breakout capability might which has proved remarkably durable
not work as intended. for the past four decades, has long fueled
The United States and its European instability in the Middle East. In no
allies are primarily concerned with other region of the world does a lone,
weaponization, so they might accept a unchecked nuclear state exist. It is Israel's
scenario in which Iran stops short of nuclear arsenal, not Iran's desire for one,
a nuclear weapon. Israel, however, has that has contributed most to the current
made it clear that it views a significant crisis. Power, after all, begs to be balanced.
Iranian enrichment capacity alone as an What is surprising about the Israeli case
unacceptable threat. It is possible, then, is that it has taken so long for a potential
that a verifiable commitment from Iran balancer to emerge.
to stop short of a weapon could appease Of course, it is easy to understand why
major Western powers but leave the Israelis Israel wants to remain the sole nuclear
unsatisfied. Israel would be less intimi- power in the region and why it is willing
dated by a virtual nuclear weapon than to use force to secure that status. In 1981,
it would be by an actual one and therefore Israel bombed Iraq to prevent a challenge
would likely continue its risky efforts at to its nuclear monopoly. It did the same
subverting Iran's nuclear program through to Syria in 2007 and is now considering
sabotage and assassination-which could similar action against Iran. But the very
lead Iran to conclude that a breakout acts that have allowed Israel to maintain
capability is an insufficient deterrent, after its nuclear edge in the short term have
all, and that only weaponization can prolonged an imbalance that is unsustain-
provide it with the security it seeks. able in the long term. Israel's proven ability
The third possible outcome of the to strike potential nuclear rivals with
standoff is that Iran continues its current impunity has inevitably made its enemies
course and publicly goes nuclear by testing anxious to develop the means to prevent
a weapon. U.S. and Israeli officials have Israel from doing so again. In this way,
declared that outcome unacceptable, the current tensions are best viewed not
arguing that a nuclear Iran is a uniquely as the early stages of a relatively recent
terrifying prospect, even an existential Iranian nuclear crisis but rather as the final
threat. Such language is typical of major stages of a decades-long Middle East
powers, which have historically gotten nuclear crisis that will end only when a
riled up whenever another country has balance of military power is restored.
REST ASSURED
In 1991, the historical rivals India and
Pakistan signed a treaty agreeing not
to target each other's nuclear facilities.
They realized that far more worrisome
than their adversary's nuclear deterrent
was the instability produced by challenges
to it. Since then, even in the face of high
tensions and risky provocations, the two
countries have kept the peace. Israel and
Iran would do well to consider this
precedent. If Iran goes nuclear, Israel and
Iran will deter each other, as nuclear powers
always have. There has never been a
full-scale war between two nuclear-armed