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What Mr. Waltz Misses - Whose Finger Would He Put at the Button

Reader comment on item: Kenneth N. Waltz – The Stupidest Strategist?
in response to reader comment: Waltz was and remains ahead of his time

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Aug 8, 2012 at 11:21

Only in a narrow field of view might one take the circumstances presented here and derive the same type of conclusion; but one could do the same with the works of Orwell and Wells. But if one were to do a more detailed analysis on the assertion that Waltz was correct on all counts would proved to be disconcerting, probably not to anyone so enamoured of Waltz's posturing, but for others who have lived in these periods of global discontent and realize that all is not as it seemed then and the results of efforts at peacemaking are less than favorable even more so now.

Putting nuclear war making in the hands of just anyone is as reckless and irresponsible as if Chamberlain had said it would be OK to allow Hitler his nuclear tipped V-2s for 'defense.' Fortunately, Churchill did not share the confidence of Chamberlain and his delusion of the Third Reich and the world was spared the necessity to learn German under the nuclear umbrella.

The premise that major is less than likely if all were armed equally stems from either a naiveté of the true human condition or the delusion that refuses to believe that at some time someone will be induced to 'try their hand' at pressing a self-made agenda of domination after compiling a secret machine to accomplish just that task. How long did Hitler develop his war machine under the noses of the armistice partners before his open campaign of lebensraum unfolded before an astonished Europe? The aryanesque attitude of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Regime is doing just exactly the same; but this time the stakes are exquisitely more challenging.

Waltz's premise of a stable Iran is faulty by the first and most noticeable misjudgment of character; of thinking that the Islamically influenced desires of dominance of the Iranian ayatollahs is in the same arena of thought of the other nuclear powers. What holds the other powers in restraint for the moment does not drive the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary regime's agenda: a desire for a global caliphate does and strategic nuclear powered weapons provide the means otherwise not available for Muslim domination of the world.

The world that Waltz described from the time of Khrushchev to today is colored by his world view, one that is held by many, but to his frustration, not all. It is a world view that seems to have some following in the global political scheme of things and for that reason the delusion of an achievable world peace can be obtained by following some similar path of parity provides equality. History tells of the impracticality of holding to such thoughts, since by the very nature of mankind and its propensity for war, someone will always be looking for an edge of advantage and having a nuclear weapon capability provides just exactly that.

The United States made the first use of a nuclear device in times of hostilities and one should think it would have been enough to never consider using it again. As we can see, that did not turn out so very well and soon we will see that it will become the ultimate bane of human existence. No Mr. Waltz, it is NOT such a good idea.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (89) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
3ad hominem [129 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
ChristopherMar 1, 2013 07:27203944
3Waltz was and remains ahead of his time [116 words]Waltz fanAug 7, 2012 09:48197724
1What Mr. Waltz Misses - Whose Finger Would He Put at the Button [542 words]M. ToveyAug 8, 2012 11:21197724
TIME [22 words]PROPHET AAASep 9, 2012 14:21197724
You can't be serious! [70 words]VincentJul 26, 2012 14:40197457
2Stupidity, Iran, And Nukes [178 words]CliffordJul 16, 2012 02:59197257
Iran [32 words]helenJul 12, 2012 20:12197201
8Waltz is a blithering Idiot!! [92 words]BamagujeJun 30, 2012 17:19196854
Deterring a non-state actor [100 words]apvMar 23, 2014 07:34196854
3Idiot [26 words]KerryJun 28, 2012 09:32196787
4I agree with Mr. Waltz [67 words]KarimJun 27, 2012 02:50196741
Hazards of Empathizing with Mr. Waltz's Assertions of a 'Peaceful Nuclear Iran.' [505 words]M. ToveyJun 28, 2012 15:36196741
1Dear Mr. Tovey [75 words]Debanjan BanerjeeJul 5, 2012 11:22196741
Saddam and The Bomb [79 words]DavodJul 7, 2012 07:16196741
Nuclear Weapons are NOT Tools of Peace - Nuclear Iran Does NOT Offer Peace [540 words]M. ToveyJul 9, 2012 11:52196741
Dear Mr. Tovey [221 words]Debanjan BanerjeeJul 12, 2012 10:25196741
Choice of Destiny Requires Knowledge of Whom One will Serve [262 words]M. ToveyJul 12, 2012 19:07196741
Dear Mr. Tovey [167 words]Debanjan BanerjeeJul 18, 2012 23:22196741
Personal Choices - Choosing the Love of Jesus Christ over the Control of the Caliphate [877 words]M. ToveyJul 19, 2012 19:06196741
3Our dear Deb and the Stockholm syndrome [537 words]dhimmi no moreJul 20, 2012 06:42196741
Dear Mr. Tovey [341 words]Debanjan BanerjeeJul 23, 2012 23:18196741
2Islamic hypocrisy [606 words]dhimmi no moreJul 25, 2012 06:42196741
1I have a few questions for our dear Deb al-tablighee [395 words]dhimmi no moreJul 25, 2012 10:18196741
Personal Choices Continued- Choosing the Love of Jesus Christ over the Control of the Caliphate [731 words]M. ToveyJul 25, 2012 18:02196741
2Muslims and reality [186 words]dhimmi no moreJul 27, 2012 06:48196741
peaceful muslims [172 words]trippsSep 30, 2012 20:02196741
peaceful muslims continued [172 words]trippsSep 30, 2012 20:18196741
The Time for Being 'Peaceful' Without the Prince of Peace is Closing [409 words]M. ToveyOct 1, 2012 19:25196741
mr tovey [172 words]trippsOct 21, 2012 08:03196741
Waiting Upon the LORD for His Will [1238 words]M. ToveyOct 23, 2012 16:59196741
confirmatiom [377 words]MRTrippsOct 25, 2012 15:10196741
Confirmation and Validation of the WORD of the LORD [1435 words]M. ToveyOct 30, 2012 19:35196741
2Kenneth N. Waltz - The Stupidist Strategist? [66 words]JudithJun 26, 2012 20:57196733
Academia??? [34 words]Jon C.Jul 15, 2012 16:55196733
3so much for intellectual observations of Islamic concepts [77 words]rodney allsworthJun 25, 2012 20:20196684
1Saudis desire tanks [63 words]mythJun 25, 2012 12:36196670
1The Inevitability of an Iranian Nuclear Situation [338 words]M. ToveyJun 25, 2012 11:07196669
Foreign Affairs Magazine [13 words]samsonJun 25, 2012 02:14196657
4This is the troubling trend [141 words]saraJun 25, 2012 18:08196657
1Incredibly theoretical [74 words]StasJun 25, 2012 01:01196656
1It's actually a reasonable article, once you understand the underlying logic [179 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
JohnboyJun 24, 2012 21:15196652
1Ignoring Iran's Real Intentions are Proximal to the Apoplexy Shown in the Middle East [439 words]M. ToveyJun 26, 2012 14:55196652
No doubt it does [90 words]JohnboyJun 28, 2012 01:19196652
That's a whole lotta words when only a single sentence is needed [132 words]JohnboyJun 29, 2012 19:55196652
And Yet Words Sometimes Fail to Explain the Insanity of the World Peace Process [1304 words]M. ToveyJul 2, 2012 12:13196652
4Kenneth N. Waltz's motives [180 words]PrashantJun 24, 2012 14:05196641
3Stupidity at its absolute best! [46 words]Nelson D'SilvaJun 24, 2012 08:08196628
1Regarding Mr. Waltz [24 words]Prof. Paul EidelbergJun 24, 2012 07:33196626
1Stylish Chapeau [39 words]J. MeschJun 28, 2012 11:06196626
2this might surprise you, too [168 words]Nora A.Jun 24, 2012 01:26196620
1This is what happens when we ignore [85 words]steveNJun 23, 2012 21:46196618
2Ridiculously naive [58 words]stanley bJun 23, 2012 21:35196613
8Waltz-ing Matil-Dupe ( Mearsheimer & Walt's endorsement is like a "Seal of Approval" from Hitler and Muhammed) [476 words]RonJun 23, 2012 17:20196601
2K Waltz! [13 words]Steven LJun 23, 2012 16:59196599
4The reason for publishing is clear [46 words]JP GolbertJun 23, 2012 16:20196595
2Brilliantly Stupid [125 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Richard B.Jun 23, 2012 15:10196590
Waltz article [170 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Gil BindelglasJun 23, 2012 14:51196587
3If you don't know what you are talking about, keep your mouth shut [96 words]alanJun 23, 2012 14:46196585
2Truth is a very difficult commodity to protect [260 words]PrashantJun 23, 2012 14:37196583
1Prashant, you are optimistic [61 words]steveNJun 23, 2012 21:39196583
In support of insanity [76 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
EthanPJun 23, 2012 14:01196578
kenneth Waltz in Foriegn Affairs [17 words]ronnie PleetJun 23, 2012 13:36196577
1Kenneth N. Waltz - The stupidest Strategist! [169 words]Nenette GrunbergJun 23, 2012 12:45196576
Why not? [58 words]stanley bJun 23, 2012 21:42196576
Bad Calls [60 words]jay1Jun 23, 2012 12:21196575
I can agree with the author on only one point [145 words]Abu NudnikJun 23, 2012 11:52196573
Islam is a political philosophy as well. [96 words]PrashantJun 24, 2012 14:15196573
2Threats to wipe Israel off the map. [162 words]David GoshenJun 23, 2012 11:22196572
Iran gets the bomb the world become a bum [as bad – poor] [214 words]NuritGJun 23, 2012 11:18196571
Earth to Waltz, please come in! [24 words]Arnold ServaisJun 23, 2012 10:44196570
1Foreign Affairs Magazine is the problem here [183 words]Richard H. ShulmanJun 23, 2012 10:12196568
2Waltz Doesn't Dance Alone! [30 words]Barry BlackJun 23, 2012 09:52196566
there a many dopes in the US [11 words]alanJun 23, 2012 20:24196566
Stupid [131 words]Dean WestridgeJun 23, 2012 08:13196565
1Stupid, perhaps , but [212 words]JudithJun 24, 2012 13:13196565
Kenneth Waltz [17 words]Lou VanDelmanJun 23, 2012 07:39196564
Kenneth N Waltz- The Stupidest Strategist? [80 words]AnneJun 23, 2012 07:37196563
2The article [46 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
NickJun 23, 2012 06:31196560
If Israel has nukes, they maintained peace in the middle east for as long as they may have had them [51 words]alanJun 23, 2012 20:22196560
1many factors are lacking-by choice? [107 words]Michael Hanni MorcosJun 23, 2012 05:08196558
1When Iran gets the bomb (nevermind Alabama, Tom Lehrer.) [64 words]JohnBJun 23, 2012 04:15196557
1Altering the balance of power in the Middle East [208 words]Ralph DavisJun 23, 2012 03:47196556
The key problem here [102 words]Dvar DeaJun 23, 2012 03:27196555
1Ill thought out and assinine comment [93 words]ChaimJun 23, 2012 02:24196553
1it is true then.Humanity is unable to learn anything from History [18 words]Constantinos KalotarisJun 23, 2012 01:26196549
1Mr. Waltz must be joking [135 words]JosephJun 23, 2012 01:17196548
1Iranian Nuclear Lobby Shows Its Face [223 words]CanaanJun 23, 2012 01:09196547
I expect more mainstream articles like this. [213 words]Pinchas BaramJun 23, 2012 00:47196545
2Kennedy was wrong to object Cuba's Nuclear aspirations. [72 words]IamJosephJun 23, 2012 00:18196543

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