Abstract
This text was written in November 2002 by John J. Mearsheimer, a professor of political science at the University of Chicago, and Stephen M. Walt, professor of international affairs at Harvard University. It takes part in the aftermath of 9/11, and the debate over the necessity of a war in Iraq, to prevent it from getting weapons of mass destruction. The authors contest the necessity of a preemptive war and stand up for a policy of containment. Most of the reasons advanced by the advocates of war are not convincing (" Saddam is a bloodshed tyrant, he backs terrorism, war will spread democracy?), as well as their belief that Saddam Hussein is too dangerous to be deterred or contained if he acquires nuclear weapons. Both history and logic undermine this argument.
