US signs landmark nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia

BBC ^ | July 22 | BBC

[RandFan]

Summary

The US has signed a landmark nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia

The US Department of Energy says the "peaceful nuclear co-operation agreement" will provide "great access" for US firms to the Saudi nuclear energy programme

A "bilateral safeguards agreement" has also been signed as part of the deal, it says

US media reported before the deal was announced that it could potentially allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium itself - we're yet to see the full details

The fear is that if Saudi Arabia starts enriching its own uranium, hardliners in Iran could be encouraged to secretly race to build a bomb, writes our security correspondent

The deal follows years of stalled talks between the US and Saudi Arabia

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TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Conspiracy
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[RandFan]

The [alleged] 9/11 backers are going Nuclear 😳

[RandFan]

Middle East expert Rosemary Kelanic says it’s “quite shocking” that the US is potentially signing a deal that will allow Saudi Arabia to have facilities to enrich uranium.

She references reported details of the deal, including the prospects that it may contain “potential co-operation” in building uranium enrichment facilities within Saudi territory.

“The US has never done that before, we have never helped another country enrich on their own soil,” she tells the BBC.

She says the reason for this is that “if you can produce your own nuclear fuel, you become a much bigger risk” for building nuclear weapons.

[RandFan]

By the way, it’s fine to say if you’re not cool about this or skeptical.

Isn’t that what the checks and balances are for?

Can Congress stop something like this?

[jacknhoo]

“The fear is that if Saudi Arabia starts enriching its own uranium, hardliners in Iran could be encouraged to secretly race to build a bomb, writes our security correspondent”

_______

OMG, like Iran isn’t already doing that as we all sit here. Captain Obvious.

[Wayne07]

Weird that some people get super upset when a somewhat friendly country is going to pay the US billions of dollars for a civilian nuclear energy program, but merrily look the other way when an enemy country, sworn to destroy us is getting a nuclear bomb.

[jacknhoo]

Well said and it is so childish to pin this on Israel, as if Iran is not a serious and imminent threat to the whole world.

[BitWielder1]

The only way we allow a Middle Eastern country to have a classic nuclear power plant should be if:
Americans build it.
Americans fuel it.
Americans operate it,
Americans guard it.
Americans takes care of the waste.
They pay us. We can have a profit share. Maybe.
At no point in time should governments hostile to US have access to fissile material.

I hope these mini reactors will be available soon.

[EnderWiggin1970]

I said here at the outset of the Iran war that if the Iranian regime there survived it would be even more highly motivated to pursue nuclear weapons at all costs. And that that would force the Saudis to respond by going nuclear themselves. It looks like (A) the Saudis are assessing that Iran will win the war, and (B) that Washington is acknowledging this, and rather than lose another ally is going along with their plans to go nuclear. What could go wrong?... sigh.

[No name given]

And it won’t end well for anyone.

[Paal Gulli]

If MBS wants a nuclear reactor, he’ll find someone to sell him one. Period. Full Stop.

The only way for the US to temper what the Saudi’s uses for the reactor might be are to get in on it from the ground floor and see to it the US is in control of its operation and oversight.

[Reily]

Well said!
Better to be in the tent pissing out then outside the tent trying to piss in!

[minnesota_bound]

What is Donald J Trump smoking? !!
The Saudi’s have oil and natural gas to use.
They have ZERO need to nuclear power plants.

[chickenlips]

And it won’t end well for anyone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sure it will.

They get nuclear reactors and uranium enrichment and we get mega-mosques, jihadis and more Mamdanis. It’s at least 27D chess.

[Ditto]

She says the reason for this is that “if you can produce your own nuclear fuel, you become a much bigger risk” for building nuclear weapons.

Aside from The US, Russia and China and North Korea, what other countries can make their own nuclear fuel. Let’s see… Germany, France, The UK, Sweden, India, Pakistan, Israel, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. That’s a whole lot of “ risk” out there.