“The concerns of a nuclear-arms race in the Middle East are very serious and real, indeed,” 

“The question is whether the U.S. sitting on the sidelines, crossing its arms and scolding countries in the region for pursuing civilian nuclear energy is a more effective strategy than starting a discussion that aims to build trust and confidence among key actors in the region like Israel and Saudi Arabia.”

“The risk of some hostile leader getting these capacities is one we’ve seen and managed in a number of places around the world, including Pakistan.”

“It’s not an ideal situation in those instances,” he said, “but the risks can be managed.”