Will Saudi Arabia go nuclear?

Egginacup · 18-05-2015 11:18PM #1

In light of the ever fragmenting situation on the Arabian Peninsula, what with the Saudis having to send their forces to crush a popular uprising in Bahrain 3 years ago and now that they are also engaging ground and air forces against Yemen, it's come to light that the KSA are seeking to become armed with nuclear weapons. The source would be Pakistan who enjoy a very cosy relatonship with the KSA.

Since the KSA is allied, militarily to the US, and have a vested interest in killing anything that is Shia, namely Iran, do you think that Saudi Arabia could go "red" soon? They would do so only with the permission of the US and Nato:

http://nypost.com/2015/05/17/saudi-arabia-to-buy-nuclear-bombs-from-pakistan-report/

http://www.timesofisrael.com/report-saudis-may-purchase-pakistani-atomic-bomb/

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo · 18-05-2015 11:20PM

Don't think they'll be allowed tbf.

GerB40 · 18-05-2015 11:21PM

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

Don't think they'll be allowed tbf.

I don't think they'll ask for permission..

galljga1 · 18-05-2015 11:22PM

I really hope not.

él statutorio · 18-05-2015 11:22PM

They're probably nuclear already.

Junkyard Tom · 18-05-2015 11:24PM

Bluff.

strobe · 18-05-2015 11:28PM

I'd be very very surprised to find out there weren't quite a few nations, SA included, that weren't already nuclearly capable, that aren't on the official list.

Fleawuss · 18-05-2015 11:29PM

Only if nukes are on sale in Harrods.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo · 18-05-2015 11:30PM

GerB40 wrote: »

I don't think they'll ask for permission..

They're too small and have too many enemies for it to be let go imo.

The Backwards Man · 18-05-2015 11:34PM

Star Wars 7, Return Of The Jeddah.

Sheep Lover · 18-05-2015 11:35PM

Will Carlow go nuclear is the bigger question.

Alpha_zero · 18-05-2015 11:44PM

Saudi Arabia financed 60% of Pakistan's nuclear program and that benevolence may not have gone unrewarded, as this is believed to have been in return for a set number of nuclear armed missiles off the shelf, whenever they should require them.

fleet_admiral · 18-05-2015 11:45PM

If they do and loads perish it will be free tea towels for the rest of us

Streetwalker · 18-05-2015 11:47PM

fleet_admiral wrote: »

If they do and loads perish it will be free tea towels for the rest of us

Hilarious

ardinn · 18-05-2015 11:49PM

Sheep Lover wrote: »

Will Carlow go nuclear is the bigger question.

We went Nuclear years ago - Try to keep up!

Alpha_zero · 18-05-2015 11:54PM

strobe wrote: »

I'd be very very surprised to find out there weren't quite a few nations, SA included, that weren't already nuclearly capable, that aren't on the official list.

Also there are some nations that are on the nuclear threshold like Japan who have an advanced civilian nuclear infrastructure with the technological prowess to develop nuclear weapons within 6 months. They have put satellites in orbit so have a ballistic missile already.

Germany too have the resources and expertise to quickly develop nuclear should they chose to.

The first step in getting the bomb is building a civilian nuclear power plant.

Mint Aero · 18-05-2015 11:59PM

Fleawuss wrote: »

Only if nukes are on sale in Harrods.

Brilliant post

jank · 19-05-2015 02:14AM

Alpha_zero wrote: »

Also there are some nations that are on the nuclear threshold like Japan who have an advanced civilian nuclear infrastructure with the technological prowess to develop nuclear weapons within 6 months. They have put satellites in orbit so have a ballistic missile already.

Germany too have the resources and expertise to quickly develop nuclear should they chose to.

The first step in getting the bomb is building a civilian nuclear power plant.

Heard somewhere that in Japan, if push came to shove they could have nuclear weapons available in 30 days.

Regards Saudi, well they are concerned by recent events in bringing Iran in from the cold. What we see lately is them taking a more pro-active role in matters while the US take a step back. Tbh its almost inevitable that they will go nuclear, especially when Iran seems determined to do the same.

People seem to forget, the recent conflicts in the Middle East have largely nothing to do with the West but which two sects of the Islamic faith gets to dominate the other. Sunni vs Shia. It is not something the west can solve either. With the West backtracking after its failed intervention in Iraq, both main powers in the middle east will be playing the long game for the next 25 years to see who can achieve a regional hegemony.

Jesus Wept · 19-05-2015 02:34AM

It'd be a laff.

Arsemageddon · 19-05-2015 02:57PM

ardinn wrote: »

We went Nuclear years ago - Try to keep up!

So you've finally managed to split the turf atom?

Kept that quiet didn't ye, ya sneaky fvckers!

Skylinehead · 19-05-2015 03:01PM

Sheep Lover wrote: »

Will Carlow go nuclear is the bigger question.

That lot will try anything to keep up with Leitrim :rolleyes:

old_aussie · 19-05-2015 03:04PM

I think they'll stick with the sword, nice and clean, no fallout, rather than go nuclear.

There's plenty of low pay public service jobs available but I don't think nuke bomb makers is one of them.(thank ***)

the jobs were classified as “religious functionaries” and that they would be at the lower end of the civil service pay scale.”

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/executioners-wanted-saudi-arabia-posts-online-job-listing-for-swordsmen-to-carry-out-public-beheadings

conorhal · 19-05-2015 03:18PM

old_aussie wrote: »

I think they'll stick with the sword, nice and clean, no fallout, rather than go nuclear.

There's plenty of low pay public service jobs available but I don't think nuke bomb makers is one of them.(thank ***)

the jobs were classified as “religious functionaries” and that they would be at the lower end of the civil service pay scale.”

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/executioners-wanted-saudi-arabia-posts-online-job-listing-for-swordsmen-to-carry-out-public-beheadings

From experience, the Saudi's have a great distain for manual labour.

The reality is that if Iran get nukes the Saudi's will buy some of Pakistan to ensure that they remain the Sunni powerbrokers in the region.

BuilderPlumber · 09-06-2015 10:59AM

For such a rich, connected country, Saudi Arabia is very very backward, parochial, racist, voodoo-dominated, tribal and unequal. It is only marginally better than ISIS controlled Syria and Iraq as a society.

This place's bad behaviour and reverence to pre-Islamic animist/voodoo/pagan tribal religious traditions and practices would not look out of place in the more violent pages of the Old Testament. It is also the source of 99% of all Middle Eastern terrorism whether directly or indirectly. The religion there is Wahabism, a sect that gives pre-Islamic voodooism an 'Islamic' official status. This was the thing Mohammed fought against actually. Yet, it is a Western puppet and its arrogant, violent and medieval behaviour is tolerated so much.

Definitely not a country to get nuclear weapons. If this place became a nuclear armed superpower, god help the rest of us.

Zillah · 09-06-2015 11:03AM

Alpha_zero wrote: »

Saudi Arabia financed 60% of Pakistan's nuclear program and that benevolence may not have gone unrewarded, as this is believed to have been in return for a set number of nuclear armed missiles off the shelf, whenever they should require them.

This is the correct answer. Saudi Arabia is already effectively a nuclear power by proxy. It was actually a really clever way of doing it: get access to nuclear weapons without having to set up reactors or actually build nuclear bombs, and avoid all of the diplomatic fallout that would result.

LDN_Irish · 09-06-2015 11:05AM

I've read some stuff that states that the populace is far more extreme and conservative than the House of Saud and if they revolt and take over the country it will completely change the current geopolitics. No idea if it's true, anyone have any insight?

Amalgam · 09-06-2015 11:14AM

LDN_Irish wrote: »

I've read some stuff that states that the populace is far more extreme and conservative than the House of Saud and if they revolt and take over the country it will completely change the current geopolitics. No idea if it's true, anyone have any insight?

It is very very tribal, there's also quite diverse ethnic/social populations within the country, not as unified as you might think. Probably end up like Libya, with bands of the country controlled by distinct groups.

BuilderPlumber · 09-06-2015 11:20AM

LDN_Irish wrote: »

I've read some stuff that states that the populace is far more extreme and conservative than the House of Saud and if they revolt and take over the country it will completely change the current geopolitics. No idea if it's true, anyone have any insight?

I think that the opposition in all Middle Eastern states apart from Iran are either dominated by an ISIS or an al Qaeda style group inclusive of ISIS and al Qaeda themselves. The main opposition in Saudi Arabia is al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

I think the House of Saud is very much afraid of these and implements its tribal, fascist, repressive laws to appease these. Wahabi priests and police control things and these may well be part of AQAP. Members of the royal family live Western-style lifestyles in secret too.

A so-called 'Islamic Revolution' in Saudi Arabia would be the world's worst nightmare. If it was to happen, a rich and powerful anti-West terrorist state would emerge and Iran would become the West's new ally. Oil shortages, another war and terror would result and a Mad Max scenario could come out of it too. Saudi, Iraqi and Iranian oil would be restricted certainly.

Grayson · 09-06-2015 11:31AM

conorhal wrote: »

The reality is that if Iran get nukes the Saudi's will buy some of Pakistan to ensure that they remain the Sunni powerbrokers in the region.

That's fa more likely than building them.

Plus I don't think they really need to. They have oil and petty much can control what happens to it. So for the next 50 years they don't need to worry about it. Besides the fact that they are a counterweight to Iran. If they were in actual danger the US would step up to the mark.

elefant · 09-06-2015 11:35AM

strobe wrote: »

I'd be very very surprised to find out there weren't quite a few nations, SA included, that weren't already nuclearly capable, that aren't on the official list.

Like which? Why would they develop nuclear weapons and then not tell anyone about it? Surely it would defeat the main purpose of actually having them at all.

Amalgam · 09-06-2015 11:44AM

elefant wrote: »

Like which? Why would they develop nuclear weapons and then not tell anyone about it? Surely it would defeat the main purpose of actually having them at all.

..it's called, 'Nuclear ambiguity', if you have a quick read of the Wiki on Israel and nuclear weapons, it hits on that policy of nuclear ambiguity and goes into the rationale, not being recognised by the NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) very much has its advantages.

Nuclear weapons and Israel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_and_Israel

Will Saudi Arabia go nuclear?

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