“Attempts to secure nuclear materials and prevent their sale or transfer to, or theft by, terrorist groups are worthy efforts. Unfortunately, the just-concluded nuclear security summit’s non-binding communiqué and work plan is silent on the most pressing nuclear threat facing the world today—Iran.
“Iran was barely addressed at the summit and once again dodged by President Obama at his concluding press conference. Yet another “serious discussion” of a sanctions regime with Russia and China—two countries with deep commercial, political and military ties with Iran—will go nowhere. The past several years have conclusively shown that Russia and China will agree to any sanctions guaranteed not to work and will water down or veto any sanctions that have real teeth.
“We know what failure looks like. The prior two administrations tried a similar approach with North Korea. That country has since tested two nuclear weapons, built a nuclear reactor in the Syrian desert, and remains one of the world’s leading arms merchants to rogue states—including Iran.
“The President candidly admits that his effort to stop Iran may end in a similar failure but intends to pursue the same policy anyway. The President needs to be straight with the American people. Is he truly committed to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon? Or is he just going to give it his best shot, and accept failure with a shrug?”
Michael Anton
Policy Director
Keep America Safe
Michael Anton served in the National Security Council in the administration of President George W. Bush and was deputy foreign policy advisor to Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s 2008 Presidential campaign. He writes on nuclear weapons and other security issues for The Weekly Standard, the Claremont Review of Books, the Wall Street Journal, and other publications.
