In fact, the example of Israel proves the opposite point. In the case of Israel, the Arabs did not see a need to build their own bombs because they knew, despite their rhetoric, that Israel was no threat to them.
In the case of Iran there is true anxiety in the Arab world and the likelihood of proliferation is very high indeed.
In sum, Iran is and should be seen as a threat by Israel, by the Arabs, by the Western world.
Waltz’s piece is a last-ditch and fairly pathetic effort to argue against international moves to stop an Iranian bomb. It is absurd on its face.
But because of where it was published and by whom, and because there are many in the elites who share at least some of his thinking, we probably haven’t heard the last of this.
Abraham H. Foxman is national director of the Anti-Defamation League.
