Ex-spy chief: Saudi may join nuclear arms race

[nrj]

Saudi Arabia may consider acquiring nuclear weapons to match regional rivals Israel and Iran, its former intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal said on Monday.

"Our efforts and those of the world have failed to convince Israel to abandon its weapons of mass destruction, as well as Iran... therefore it is our duty towards our nation and people to consider all possible options, including the possession of these weapons," Faisal told a security forum in Riyadh.

"A (nuclear) disaster befalling one of us would affect us all," said Faisal.

Israel is widely held to possess hundreds of nuclear missiles, which it neither confirms nor denies, while the West accuses Iran of seeking an atomic bomb, a charge the Islamic republic rejects.

Riyadh, which has repeatedly voiced fears about the nuclear threat posed by Shiite-dominated Iran and denounced Israel's atomic capacity, has stepped up efforts to develop its own nuclear power for "peaceful use."

http://www.yourmiddleeast.com/news/exspy-chief-saudi-may-join-nuclear-arms-race_3327

Abdul Ghani Malibari, coordinator at the Saudi civil nuclear agency, said in June that Riyadh plans to build 16 civilian nuclear reactors in the next two decades at a cost of 300 billion riyals ($80 billion).

 

[asianobserve]

Now this is getting really frightening. Saudi Arabia should not be allowed to get hold of any nuclear weapons. Iran however is the key for if the Ayatollah gets his toy we know that the Saudi's will not settle at anything less than the same kind of toy.

The complicating factor is that Iran is also hedging its nuclear arms effort on the Israelis. As long as the Israelis have the weapon then must also have one (Saudi reasoning). So how can this empasse be resolved? Two aletrnative ways: First, Israel silently abandon its nuclear weapons and a special nuclear arrabgement is enetered into with the US just to pacify the Israeli hawks (maybe a joint-crewing on a US boomer with implicit authority to retaliate in case Israel is threatened with nuclear attack), which is very unlikely; or second, Attack Iran's nuclear weapons development sight to stop its program then continue the containment so that Iran is not able to recover from the setback. Of this scenarios I think the US and Isreal are already pursuing the second option, but with less spectacular expolsions unlike the attack on Iraqi nuclear sites.

The question is can the Saudis be convinced that Iran's program has been halted or is being effectively sabotaged?

 

[Ray]

More the merrier?

 

[LETHALFORCE]

This is bad timing by the Saudis,it will validate Iran's nuclear program and their insistence to pursue it.

 

[SpArK]

If true you will see extensive support to Pakistan from Wahhabis since they know Pak will do anything to buck up to the arabs.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

If true you will see extensive support to Pakistan from Wahhabis since they know Pak will do anything to buck up to the arabs.

This will be another source of revenues for Pak and a chance to kiss more saudi ass.

 

[KS]

Bad news.

Frankly the whole of middle East must be nuked in one go and let the rest of world live in peace. That place is too fucked up

 

[SpArK]

This will be another source of revenues for Pak and a chance to kiss more saudi ass.

And showcase themselves as the leading Arab among the Arabs.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

And showcase themselves as the leading Arab among the Arabs.

It has been rumored Saudis financed pak nuclear program so indirectly they have nukes. What is Israel's view of this??

 

[civfanatic]

The only country with any sort of leverage over Saudi Arabia is the United States, and so it is completely up to America to decide whether or not the Saudis get nukes.

 

[pmaitra]

Eventually, this will force the US to either ditch the Arabs or ditch Israel. It will be good now, that the US will have to pick one of the two. Enough of riding on two horses simultaneously. The ambiguity needs to go. KSA with a nuke is very grim news for me.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

good album^^^

 

[civfanatic]

Ditching the Arabs is absolutely not an option for America, due to copious quantities of fossilized substances and who-knows-how-many-billions of bilateral investments. Ditching Israel is not much of an option either.

So yes, the U.S. will continue to ride both horses for the forseeable future, and will continue to arm both sides with the latest military equipment (though always giving the Israelis the leg up).

 

[KS]

Eventually, this will force the US to either ditch the Arabs or ditch Israel. It will be good now, that the US will have to pick one of the two. Enough of riding on two horses simultaneously. The ambiguity needs to go. KSA with a nuke is very grim news for me.

I don't think the US treats both Israel and the Arab countries as equals.

For US, it is is unambiguously Israel. Israel is considered a partner/ally. Arab's are just like Pakistan.A bit glorified though. Tools of convenience who will be ditched at the right moment..

 

[pmaitra]

Ditching the Arabs is absolutely not an option for America, due to copious quantities of fossilized substances and who-knows-how-many-billions of bilateral investments. Ditching Israel is not much of an option either.

So yes, the U.S. will continue to ride both horses for the forseeable future, and will continue to arm both sides with the latest military equipment (though always giving the Israelis the leg up).

Why does the US have to do anything at all? All they need to do is sit back and relax. Israel will do it and I bet the US will not do anything against Israel, except call for a dialogue, if Iran-style explosions start happening in KSA. Just watch.

KSA with nukes is not in USA's interests.

 

[civfanatic]

Why does the US have to do anything at all? All they need to do is sit back and relax. Israel will do it and I bet the US will not do anything against Israel, except call for a dialogue, if Iran-style explosions start happening in KSA. Just watch.

KSA with nukes is not in USA's interests.

Considering the United States did not prevent Israel from carrying out Operation Opera, although they had a negative reaction to it IIRC, I don't think there will be anything stopping Israel from carrying out a similar strike of Saudi Arabia. But again I don't think the U.S. will let the situation get to that point in the first place.

It's not in USA's interests to have two of its client states fight each other.

 

[pmaitra]

Considering the United States did not prevent Israel from carrying out Operation Opera, although they had a negative reaction to it IIRC, I don't think there will be anything stopping Israel from carrying out a similar strike of Saudi Arabia. But again I don't think the U.S. will let the situation get to that point in the first place.

It's not in USA's interests to have two of its client states fight each other.

Please clarify. What point? KSA getting nukes or Israel attacking KSA, overtly or covertly?

 

[civfanatic]

Please clarify. What point? KSA getting nukes or Israel attacking KSA, overtly or covertly?

Probably Israel attacking KSA. Israel would probably try to launch a preemptive strike before KSA obtained nuclear capability.

 

[pmaitra]

Probably Israel attacking KSA. Israel would probably try to launch a preemptive strike before KSA obtained nuclear capability.

But then that would mean US stopping Israel from stopping KSA from acquiring nukes? Do you think the US will stand by and watch while the KSA acquires nukes?

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Maybe it is a bluff against Iran??