Amy Dockser Marcus

About the author: Amy Dockser Marcus is a staff reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

The United States now faces as much danger from its Middle Eastern allies such as Israel and Syria as it does from its enemies such as Iran and Iraq. Allies frequently obtain nuclear weapon-making knowledge and technology from Western countries and pass them on to other Mideastern nations that are hostile to the United States. When the United States applies pressure on its allies to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology, however, the allies simply continue the proliferation clandestinely. Historically, the United States condoned efforts by its allies in the Mideast to develop nuclear weapons, but that policy has led to increased international danger of nuclear proliferation.

Addressing a congressional panel...