The Genie is out of the bottle.

[Griff]

Six Arab states join rush to go nuclearBy Richard Beeston, Diplomatic Editor

Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, UAE and Saudi Arabia seek atom technology


THE SPECTRE of a nuclear race in the Middle East was raised yesterday when six Arab states announced that they were embarking on programmes to master atomic technology.



The move, which follows the failure by the West to curb Iran’s controversial nuclear programme, could see a rapid spread of nuclear reactors in one of the world’s most unstable regions, stretching from the Gulf to the Levant and into North Africa.

The countries involved were named by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. Tunisia and the UAE have also shown interest.

All want to build civilian nuclear energy programmes, as they are permitted to under international law. But the sudden rush to nuclear power has raised suspicions that the real intention is to acquire nuclear technology which could be used for the first Arab atomic bomb.


I've considered the idea that you can judge an administration by how many years it takes to repair the damage done. This one is gonna stay broke. What are the implications? Israel is not where you want to invest. The mid-east will no longer be our sandbox.

[Spexxvet]

Does radioactive oil pack a bigger punch in the internal combustion engine?

[Radar]

Wow, we have 6 more countries the U.S. won't unjustly invade assuming they succeed. It didn't take them long to figure out that the United States doesn't invade nuclear powers.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Griff

Six Arab states join rush to go nuclear By Richard Beeston, Diplomatic Editor

Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, UAE and Saudi Arabia seek atom technology

Your list is missing Turkey. But the situation is rather more complex and interesting. Two previous posts include facts not stated or acknowledged elsewhere.

Nuclear Iran is now the world's #1 problem
What does Russia fear most - and for good reason? Pakistan. Pakistan had been one of if not the most destabilizing force in that region. Iran, on the other hand, has been very cooperative and very stabilizing to that region. Russia most appreciates that. Russia's one fear is that the entire region - especially due to American allies Israel and Pakistan - has become so unstable that all powers - even Turkey - need nuclear weapons.

Where are all those high explosives that disappeared from Iraq (because US forces did not guard them); explosive perfect for making bombs? Where are all those machine tools necessary for manufacturing bombs that completely dissappeared from an industrial complex while US forces moved on to Baghdad? These facilities were tagged and known to UN inspectors - and yet the US did not have sufficient forces to protect them? So where did all that material go? At least some metals from those facilities were discovered in a dump in the Netherlands. Where did all this bomb making material disappear to while not guarded by invading American forces? Unanswered questions that would make Russia nervous.

Best that Russia can do is keep accounting of what Iran is doing - ie process that fuel in Russia and build the Iranian nuclear reactor. Russia's proposals may have been some of the most stabilizing especially given that the United States has so destabilized the region using pre-emption, offering uranium to India without any strings, and not condemning Pakistan for proliferating nuclear technology.

Don't forget China's position. Pakistan (and India) both make China nervous. China also does not appreciate these instabilities created by US actions. It left me wondering why the President of China made that visit to the White House even without honors such as a black tie dinner. I suspect the Chinese leader needed to gauge George Jr because China is getting nervous about south central Asia,... From the perspective of this discussion, China also worries about instability created by United States actions including uranium to India without signing the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and without other restrictions such as inspections of their fast breeder project.

Nuclear Iran is now the world's #1 problem
An Iran that is not threatened would then have a strong reform movement that was opposed to nuclear bombs. An India that did not have a friend in George Jr then would not have uranium to build more bombs. A Pakistan that was treated accordingly would be punished - not rewarded - for proliferating nuclear bomb technology throughout the world. A Turkey would not have so much to fear - and not start a nuclear program. And a North Korea that once negotiated away their nuclear program in exchange for short term economic assistance and long term relationships with the world has now been forced back into a nuclear program

[xoxoxoBruce]

This just shows the middle east has come to the realization that Bush's their daddy and going to take all the oil, so they'll need nukes to power their electric grids.

Now, I'd like to show you this low mileage bridge, only used on Sunday by church traffic......

[lookout123]

now if we turn that whole region to glass... how long before we can get at that oil again?

[wolf]

Couple weeks at most. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were continuously occupied.

[lookout123]

anyone see a problem with this plan?

[Happy Monkey]

Only if we care about the health of the workers.

[Bullitt]

We got plenty of cheap/expendable labor coming from wayyy down south.. que es radiación?