Saudi Arabia 3-8-2018

8, March 2018                                             Saudi Arabia

Desperate to enter the exclusive nuclear club and assert its declining role in the Middle East Saudi Arabia, the epicenter of world-wide terrorism, is planning to erect as many as 16 nuclear reactors.

There are growing signs that the Saudis want the option of building nuclear weapons to hedge against their archrival, Iran. They claim that the reactors would be strictly used for the peaceful purpose, only to generate energy for domestic purposes only. However, the reactors could easily be weaponized to generate nuclear bombs which would plunge the Middle East into further chaos. The Trump administration must insist the Saudis purchase enriched fuel at lower-cost than to produce it domestically.

 But contrary to his false claims to be a tough negotiator Trump is prone to vacillate and be influenced by flattery and his vast business interests which include Saudi Arabia which was excluded in his predominantly Muslim countries ban.

Furthermore, Trump is desperate to bolster his weak resume and is seeking a major distraction from the scandal infested White House and the Stormy Daniels fiasco. 

If he fails to cement a US contract with Westinghouse, the Saudis are likely to seek agreements with France, China, Russia or South Korea who don’t insist on nonproliferation safeguards.