POSEN AUDIT IRAN w pullquotes copy

M A S S A C H U S E T T S I N S T I T U T E O F T E C H N O L O G Y M A S S A C H U S E T T S I N S T I T U T E O F T E C H N O L O G YMarch 200606-05M I T C E N T E R F O R I N T E R N A T I O N A L S T U D I E Sof the Conventional WisdomThe Audit of We Can Live With Conventional A Nuclear IranWisdomIn this series of essays, MIT’s Center Barry R. Posenfor International Studies tours the MIT Center for International Studieshorizon of conventional wisdoms that animate U.S. foreign policy, and put them to the test of data and history. By subjecting particularly well-accepted ideas to close scrutiny, our aim is he intense concern about Iran’s nuclear energy program reflects to re-engage policy and opinion leaders on topics that are too easily passing Tthe judgment that, should it turn to the production of weapons, such scrutiny. We hope that this will lead to further debate and inquiries, an Iran with nuclear arms would gravely endanger the United States with a result we can all agree on: and the world. An Iranian nuclear arsenal, policymakers fear, could better foreign policies that lead to a more peaceful and prosperous world. touch off a regional arms race while emboldening Tehran to under-Authors in this series are available to the press and policy community. take aggressive, even reckless, actions.Contact: Amy Tarr (atarr@mit.edu, 617.253.1965). But these outcomes are not inevitable, nor are they beyond the capacity of the United States and its ...