---
born: 1938-06-13
category: Nuclear Scientists & Programs
location: Brooklyn, New York, USA
summary: Close aide to Kissinger on the NSC staff who recalled Kissinger's belief
  that Israel and Japan would be better off with nuclear weapons.
tags:
- Person
- Nuclear
- Israel
---

Morton H. Halperin was a close aide to [Henry A. Kissinger](/people/henry-a-kissinger/) on the [National Security Council](/organizations/national-security-council/) staff. He recalled that Kissinger believed it was good to spread nuclear weapons around the world and that if he were the Israelis, he would get nuclear weapons. Kissinger did not believe that the [United States](/places/united-states/) should try to talk them out of it. Halperin also noted that Kissinger believed [Japan](/places/japan/), as well as [Israel](/places/israel/), would be better off with the bomb than without it, viewing nuclear weapons as essential to their national security.[^1]

[^1]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991. Chapter 16.