Robert Butler says "As for Iran and other states that might be interested in large scale killing..(getting a nuke) .... Different question on a different scale." (statement in parentheses added by me)
Is it really a different question? For example replace the state (Iran) with an NGO (al Qaeda). Does that really change the question?
Now take it to it logical conclusion and replace Iran with the smalles possible scale, an individual (terrorist. Does the question really change? Isn't it the same question regardless of the size of the entity wishing to acquire a powerful weapon?
I submit that the issues is the scale of the weapon that the problematic actor is attempting to acquire.
Is it really a different question? For example replace the state (Iran) with an NGO (al Qaeda). Does that really change the question?
Now take it to it logical conclusion and replace Iran with the smalles possible scale, an individual (terrorist. Does the question really change? Isn't it the same question regardless of the size of the entity wishing to acquire a powerful weapon?
I submit that the issues is the scale of the weapon that the problematic actor is attempting to acquire.