Are We Giving Saudi Arabia Nukes?
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on May 17th, 2008 4:37 am by HL
Are We Giving Saudi Arabia Nukes?
No no, not the bomb. Strictly a peaceful civil program, you understand, just like the Iranians say they’re developing.
No no, not the bomb. Strictly a peaceful civil program, you understand, just like the Iranians say they’re developing.
As Bush flew into Riyadh, the White House said the United States, the world’s largest energy consumer, had agreed to help protect the resources of the world’s top oil exporter and help it in developing peaceful nuclear energy.
“The United States and Saudi Arabia have agreed to cooperate in safeguarding the kingdom’s energy resources by protecting key infrastructure, enhancing Saudi border security, and meeting (its) expanding energy needs,” a White House statement said.
“The U.S. and Saudi Arabia will sign a memorandum of understanding in the area of peaceful civil nuclear energy cooperation.”
The announcement came as Bush ended a three-day trip to Israel where he vowed to oppose Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Tehran says its program is peaceful but Bush said it would be “unforgivable” if Iran were allowed to get the bomb.
So we’re giving Saudi Arabia nukes while still refusing to allow Iran nukes.
And for all that, Saudi Arabia isn’t even willing (though I question whether, at this point, they are able) to lower gas prices?
While Bush is likely to find common ground on Iran when he meets King Abdullah, the Saudi monarch is expected to rebuff for the second time this year Bush’s face-to-face call to get OPEC pumping more oil to world markets.
Wasn’t it just yesterday that Bush was decrying negotiations with evil dictators? Does giving them nuclear technology while getting nothing in exchange count as “appeasement”?
