Report: Saudi's "may" purchase nuclear weapons from Pakistan in response to Iran deal

[nik-]

http://nypost.com/2015/05/17/saudi-a...kistan-report/

References a Sunday Times article (both Murdoch owned)

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/...cle1557090.ece

SAUDI ARABIA has taken the “strategic decision” to acquire “off-the-shelf” atomic weapons from Pakistan, risking a new arms race in the Middle East, according to senior American officials.

The move by the Gulf kingdom, which has financed much of Islamabad’s nuclear programme over the past three decades, comes amid growing anger among Sunni Arab states over a deal backed by President Barack Obama, which they fear could allow their arch foe, Shi’ite Iran, to develop a nuclear bomb.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/report-...i-atomic-bomb/

“For the Saudis the moment has come,” a former US defense official told the UK’s Sunday Times. “There has been a longstanding agreement in place with the Pakistanis and the House of Saud has now made the strategic decision to move forward.”

The anonymous former official said the US did not believe that “any actual weaponry has been transferred yet,” but declared that “the Saudis mean what they say and they will do what they say.”

This should make the middle east a much more peaceful place.

[Johnny199r]

Probably not great for world stability, but I'm not sure what right any other country with nukes has to tell the Saudis that they can't posses them.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

Probably not great for world stability, but I'm not sure what right any other country with nukes has to tell the Saudis that they can't posses them.

From Wikipedia:

Saudi Arabia has been an opponent of nuclear weapons in the Middle East, having signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and is a member of the coalition of countries demanding a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in the Middle East.[1][2] Studies of nuclear proliferation have not identified Saudi Arabia as a country of concern.[3]

So, uh, they kinda said they wouldn't Buying one kinda admits they think the whole place is going to hell in a hand basket.

[Johnny199r]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

From Wikipedia:

So, uh, they kinda said they wouldn't Buying one kinda admits they think the whole place is going to hell in a hand basket.

I don't see why they should be stopped from changing their minds. Again, probably not great for world security, but I don't see why a small group of nuke holding countries can tell everyone else they shouldn't have them too.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

I don't see why they should be stopped from changing their minds. Again, probably not great for world security, but I don't see why a small group of nuke holding countries can tell everyone else they shouldn't have them too.

They see how well the non-proliferation treaty has worked out for Ukraine. Now that NATO's word has been shown to be worthless there's no way any nuclear nation will ever give up those assets again and you likely see more countries try to get their hands on some

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

They see how well the non-proliferation treaty has worked out for Ukraine. Now that NATO's word has been shown to be worthless there's no way any nuclear nation will ever give up those assets again and you likely see more countries try to get their hands on some

I'm willing to bet Japan noticed that as well.

[T@T]

Just what the world needs, a country who publicly chops off heads for sorcery and blasphemy to have nukes.

The USA,China and Russia need their heads examined if they let countries who's laws are ruled by spaghetti monster gods have weapons that could destroy the planet.

I'm actually somewhat shocked Pakistan and India haven't used one yet.

[Slava]

See, the Saudis are doing their part to boost the price of oil!

[agulati]

Originally Posted by T@T

I'm actually somewhat shocked Pakistan and India haven't used one yet.

Talk about ignorance. A country that has historically propogated non-violence being clubbed in the same group as a hot-headed state?

One of the major players in most UN peacekeeping missions

[nik-]

Originally Posted by agulati

Talk about ignorance. A country that has historically propogated non-violence being clubbed in the same group as a hot-headed state?

One of the major players in most UN peacekeeping missions

Propogated non-violence while being the first of the two to develop nuclear weapons.

[FLAMESRULE]

Originally Posted by agulati

Talk about ignorance. A country that has historically propogated non-violence being clubbed in the same group as a hot-headed state?

One of the major players in most UN peacekeeping missions

Is that the same India (and Pakistan) that have fought about a half dozen wars with each other in the 70 odd years it's been independent??

Those two countries HATE each other.

Supporting the UN peacekeeping does not equal peacemaker when you're constantly fighting your neighbor.

[blankall]

Meh...Saudi Arabia can buy these at any time...fail to see what the difference is between Pakistan making them available at all times and Saudi Arabia actually having them. The NPT is a joke. Half of its signatories are "nuclear ready" and could have nukes in a week if they really needed them.

[ikaris]

Originally Posted by FLAMESRULE

Is that the same India (and Pakistan) that have fought about a half dozen wars with each other in the 70 odd years it's been independent??

And how many wars have the US Been involved in during the same time?

Or Russia, or any other nuclear armed nation? Even Canada has been involved in almost as many conflicts.

Regardless, the point still stands in that it's pretty hard to tell countries to not have nuclear weapons when you have your own stockpiles and have no issues with Israel having them too.

[ikaris]

Originally Posted by T@T

I'm actually somewhat shocked Pakistan and India haven't used one yet.

Would suggest that you know nothing of foreign policy and anything outside what happens in the west. Ignorance is bliss.

[fulham]

Originally Posted by T@T

Just what the world needs, a country who publicly chops off heads for sorcery and blasphemy to have nukes.

I'm actually somewhat shocked Pakistan and India haven't used one yet.

Pakistan chops off heads for sorcery, and blasphemy, and is about as stable as Mason Raymond puck handling against the boards.... If Pakistan is allowed to have Nukes literally every country should be able to

[bysutter]

As brutal as this sounds sometimes I think we should just put up a fence and let all of that region go at it, get it off their chest. They seem to have a centuries old itch that they just have to scratch.