With a backdrop of the Six-Day War, Teller looks at the relationship between military arms and the cause of wars. He believes war is not caused by arms, but where deep-seated hatred exists, the delivery of weapons can serve as a match on accumulated fuel. He argues that prohibiting arms trafficking and nuclear proliferation will not be accepted by many countries, but publicizing arms traffic would pinpoint danger spots and enable the development of long-range policies. While Teller spends most of his time focusing on Egypt, Israel, the USA, and the Soviet Union, he briefly mentions China trading arms to Egypt.

Teller's biography includes: Director and associate director, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, 1958-75; professor of physics, University of California, 1960-75; senior research fellow, Hoover Institution, 1975-2003.