Posted on 05/08/2010 8:39:09 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Saudi Arabia, concerned over Iran's nuclear weapons program, could turn to Pakistan for the kingdom's own nuclear project, a report said. The Institute of National Security Studies said Riyad has been working to prepare a nuclear infrastructure meant to deter neighboring Iran. In a report by researcher Yoel Guzansky, the institute cited Pakistan as the most likely developer of a Saudi nuclear option.
"Therefore, should Saudi Arabia find itself in a sensitive security situation, it may well be that it would seek to capitalize on its investment in the Pakistani program," the report, titled "The Saudi Nuclear Option, said.
The report said the Saudi royal family has sought an alternative to the U.S. defense umbrella over the Gulf. Guzansky said Riyad has become skeptical over U.S. promises to defend Saudi Arabia from an Iranian attack.
"However, the steady progress made by Iran in its nuclear program and the fact that so far America's policy on the matter has failed to prove itself have caused concern in Riyad about relying exclusively on possible American defense guarantees," the report said.
The report said Saudi options included intensifying cooperation with the United States, appeasement of Iran or nuclear deterrence. A key option was the Saudi alliance with Islamabad, which has received billions of dollars from the Gulf Cooperation Council kingdom for strategic programs.
"Despite Saudi Arabia’s relative transparency and cooperation with the international community on nuclear issues, there are more than a few doubts as to its credibility, given that in the past it had very close relations with Pakistan," the report said. "More than once the claim has been made that Saudi Arabia was in fact behind the financing of Pakistan's nuclear and missile programs. After the Islamic revolution and throughout the 1980s Pakistan stationed military forces in Saudi Arabia and
(Excerpt) Read more at geostrategy-direct.com ...
Great job Obama.
Even our Muslim Allies don’t feel safe.
The Messiah’s own Nuclear Proliferation Journal. Yes I can! Start the next Nuclear War! Yes I can!
Thanks for the proliferation Obama. The Saudi’s will put their nuclear weapons near Mecca.
Thanks to the O we are now staring at a nuclear arms race in the middle east. We are sooo screwed after just 1 1/2 years, what is it going to look like after 2 1/2 more years?
I hope the Saudis recognize that yes, the Taliban can stab them in the back too.
GREAT.........just what we need. Another group of radical ragheads with a big bomb.
They already have the missiles. All they need is the nuclear warhead.
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