Nawaf Obaid, "Actually, Saudi Arabia could get a nuclear weapon": The Middle East Nuclear Arms Race Begins

Do you recall Fareed Zakaria's ludicrous contention earlier this month that Saudi Arabia is too backward to build an atomic bomb? Well, Zakaria, who was trying to explain why Obama's forthcoming nuclear deal won't set off a Middle East nuclear arms race, now has his answer. In a CNN article entitled "Actually, Saudi Arabia could get a nuclear weapon," Nawaf Obaid, "a visiting fellow and associate instructor at Harvard University's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs," writes:

"Now that the Obama administration has largely given up its resistance to Iran's development of some kind of nuclear program, the Middle East is poised to see a change in the balance of power. As the Saudi Ambassador to the United Kingdom recently stated, should Iran acquire a nuclear weapon, 'all options' could be on the table when it comes to the Saudi response. That could include an indigenous nuclear program. And although some commentators remain skeptical about the Kingdom's ability to produce nuclear weapons, I would argue that it actually has the will and the ability to do so.

. . . .

The thinking in Washington seems to be that Saudi Arabia should remain a passive player in the Middle East, with even President Obama suggesting the Kingdom should not develop a nuclear program. Instead, there is talk of a 'nuclear umbrella' that would supposedly safeguard Gulf states including Saudi Arabia against a nuclear Iran. But this is completely unacceptable to the Saudi leadership. As with any important nation with global responsibilities, it is a matter of vital national security that the Kingdom be able to defend itself and its allies from hostile outside forces. A nuclear Iran is one such force. With the U.S. continuing to move in the direction of allowing such a development, the Kingdom can only look to itself to protect its people, even if this means implementing a nuclear program. And make no mistake, it has the scientists to develop the technology, finances, and national will to do so."

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia signed an agreement on Thursday to build up to 16 nuclear reactors with Russian assistance for "peaceful" purposes.

Thank you, Obama, for making the world so much safer.