With the Saudi Deal, Trump Risks Aiding and Abetting a Nuclear Arms Race
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TL;DR
- A U.S.-Saudi nuclear cooperation agreement, subject to congressional review, has faced significant criticism regarding nuclear proliferation risks.
- President Trump's stance on the deal has been inconsistent, initially linking it to Saudi normalization with Israel and later questioning its terms, particularly regarding uranium enrichment.
- Nuclear nonproliferation experts like David Albright have raised concerns about Saudi Arabia's potential pursuit of nuclear weapons, especially given its relationship with Pakistan and Iran's nuclear program.
- The agreement's details are largely unknown, but reports suggest it may not include an outright ban on uranium enrichment, a departure from long-standing U.S. policy.
- Critics fear the deal could set a precedent, leading other Middle Eastern countries like Turkey and Egypt to seek similar nuclear capabilities, thus upending the nonproliferation regime.
- The U.S. has historically sought to slow or halt the spread of nuclear weapons, and this potential agreement challenges that strategic objective.