--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once Iran gets nuclear weapons, they may…" description: "\"Once Iran gets nuclear weapons, they may believe that they are no longer vulnerable to either.\" — Kenneth M. Pollack" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48e/kenneth-m-pollack-34693_believe_once-iran-gets-nuclear-weapons-they-may_469118.jpg" --- # Once Iran gets nuclear weapons, they may believe that they… ![“Once Iran gets nuclear weapons, they may believe that they are no longer vulnerable to either.” quote by Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48e/kenneth-m-pollack-34693_believe_once-iran-gets-nuclear-weapons-they-may_469118.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48e/kenneth-m-pollack-34693_believe_once-iran-gets-nuclear-weapons-they-may_469118.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48e/kenneth-m-pollack-34693_believe_once-iran-gets-nuclear-weapons-they-may_469118.jpg) > “Once Iran gets nuclear weapons, they may believe that they are no longer vulnerable to either.” [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acquiring nuclear weapons may create a false sense of security, ignoring ongoing vulnerabilities and strategic risks. **In simple terms:** Nuclear arms give an illusion of safety, but risks remain. Key Takeaway Recognize that power does not eliminate danger. Themes security nuclear vulnerability Mood cautious analytical Type political strategic When to use this quote - policy making - defense planning - international relations Key Concepts politics strategic studies Questions to Reflect On - How does nuclear capability affect regional stability? - What alternatives exist to ensure security? A Different Perspective Deterrence can still fail despite perceived security. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Iran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iran/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Nuclear weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-weapons/) ## Related quotes > [We know he's been absolutely devoted to trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/we-know-he-s-been-absolutely-devoted-to-trying-to-acquire-nuclear/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [We have investigative staff who are charged by law and this committee under the Constitution of the United States has a responsibility, taxpayers' money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mica/we-have-investigative-staff-who-are-charged-by-law-and-this-committee/) [John Mica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mica/) > [We are in perilous territory the stronger Iran gets. And they're getting stronger. We should make them weaker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/we-are-in-perilous-territory-the-stronger-iran-gets-and-they-re/) [Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/) > [If Iran gets a nuclear weapon, its influence and that of Hamas and Hezbollah are strengthened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/if-iran-gets-a-nuclear-weapon-its-influence-and-that-of-hamas-and/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [It has to do with the incredibly dangerous place that this world is gonna be as a result of a deal in which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/it-has-to-do-with-the-incredibly-dangerous-place-that-this-world-is/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [If Iran becomes a nuclear weapon state it is the end of non-proliferation as we know it. If Iran gets a nuclear weapon you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-fox/if-iran-becomes-a-nuclear-weapon-state-it-is-the-end-of-non/) [Liam Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-fox/) > [Even if Iran did have a nuclear weapons capability, they could not use that to blackmail the United States or to attack; the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mearsheimer/even-if-iran-did-have-a-nuclear-weapons-capability-they-could-not-use/) [John Mearsheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mearsheimer/) > [If Iran obtains nuclear weapons, then almost certainly Saudi Arabia will do the same, as will Egypt, Turkey and perhaps others in the region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/if-iran-obtains-nuclear-weapons-then-almost-certainly-saudi-arabia/) [John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/) > [There is a Western world. There is America. There is Great Britain and Germany and France and Russia and China and other nations. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-olmert/there-is-a-western-world-there-is-america-there-is-great-britain-and/) [Ehud Olmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-olmert/) > [The other thing is going to be me being able to show not just the American people or the Israeli people but the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-other-thing-is-going-to-be-me-being-able-to-show-not-just-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The fundamental premise is that neither the United States or the international community is going to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/the-fundamental-premise-is-that-neither-the-united-states-or-the/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [The notion that we would condition Iran not getting nuclear weapons in a verifiable deal on Iran recognizing Israel is really akin to saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-notion-that-we-would-condition-iran-not-getting-nuclear-weapons/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Cold War philosophy of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD), which prevented the former Soviet Union and the United States from using the nuclear weapons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lewis/the-cold-war-philosophy-of-mutual-assured-destruction-mad-which/) [Bernard Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lewis/) > [Wasn't Saddam destroyed? Wasn't Gaddafi liquidated? Didn't Milosevic go to the Hague? All true. But Stalin survived. Kim Jong-un isn't doing too badly, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/wasn-t-saddam-destroyed-wasn-t-gaddafi-liquidated-didn-t-milosevic-go/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [A nuclear-weapons armed Iran is not in anyone's human-rights interests. That is a direct threat to the lives and the livelihoods and the stability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/a-nuclear-weapons-armed-iran-is-not-in-anyone-s-human-rights/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) ## More by Kenneth M. Pollack > [Most Iranians are sick and tired of revolutions. They've had one for the last 25 years, and they don't want another one. Those who've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-m-pollack/most-iranians-are-sick-and-tired-of-revolutions-they-ve-had-one-for/) [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) > [The US has just consistently tried to ignore Iran. And this is ironic because the Iranians believe that the United States is as obsessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-m-pollack/the-us-has-just-consistently-tried-to-ignore-iran-and-this-is-ironic/) [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) > [Our support for the Shah, the CIA coup in 1953 - has become infused into the Iranian political discourse. The regime that came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-m-pollack/our-support-for-the-shah-the-cia-coup-in-1953-has-become-infused-into/) [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) > [The Europeans are starting to show that they're finally serious about the Iranian nuclear program, and they appear to be willing to use sticks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-m-pollack/the-europeans-are-starting-to-show-that-they-re-finally-serious-about/) [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) > [Having a good constitution is far more important than having an immediate constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-m-pollack/having-a-good-constitution-is-far-more-important-than-having-an/) [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) > [I think if you could remove all of the baggage - all of the ideology, the history, whatever else - and look in purely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-m-pollack/i-think-if-you-could-remove-all-of-the-baggage-all-of-the-ideology/) [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) > [The Iranians are very skilled terrorist, and we'd have to expect that they'd hit at us as hard as they could. Especially in Iraq,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-m-pollack/the-iranians-are-very-skilled-terrorist-and-we-d-have-to-expect-that/) [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) > [More likely, there were probably some real divisions within the Iranian government - some groups wanted to ally with al Qaeda against us, others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-m-pollack/more-likely-there-were-probably-some-real-divisions-within-the/) [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) > [The basic problem with the Non-Proliferation Treaty is there's no teeth in it, no penalties for countries that don't comply. Worse, as you say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-m-pollack/the-basic-problem-with-the-non-proliferation-treaty-is-there-s-no/) [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) > [The real concern is that Iran would do what Pakistan did. Pakistan wanted nuclear weapons, like Iran, purely for defensive reasons - to defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-m-pollack/the-real-concern-is-that-iran-would-do-what-pakistan-did-pakistan/) [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) > [Iran uses terrorism very instrumentally as an element of foreign policy; they are not just intent on just killing as many people as possible,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-m-pollack/iran-uses-terrorism-very-instrumentally-as-an-element-of-foreign/) [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) > [It is unimaginable that the United States would have to contribute hundreds of billions of dollars and highly unlikely that we would have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-m-pollack/it-is-unimaginable-that-the-united-states-would-have-to-contribute/) [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) > [In the United States, Iran is nothing but a whipping-boy. Few Americans have any real use for Iran. Most of us, what we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-m-pollack/in-the-united-states-iran-is-nothing-but-a-whipping-boy-few-americans/) [Kenneth M. Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) [Explore all 14 Kenneth M. Pollack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-m-pollack/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. 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