‘Straight out of Dr Strangelove’: Analysts slam Trump’s plan to trade nuclear secrets with Saudis

“It is very, very alarming. It’s a terrible thing to spread this kind of technology to a totalitarian state like Saudi Arabia,” political consultant Lew Rockwell told RT.

His comments followed reports alleging that Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner had engaged in secret dealings for the transfer of nuclear technology to build dozens of power plants in the Saudi desert. He was accompanied by former national security adviser Mike Flynn, and Trump fundraiser Thomas Barrack.

“This is a very reckless thing to be doing,” added Rockwell.

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No limits to nukes

Experts were especially alarmed by a part of the report claiming that Riyadh refused to agree to restrictions on enriching uranium and processing plutonium.

“They want to produce plutonium so they can produce nuclear weapons,” Rockwell explained. “They want Saudi Arabia to have nuclear weapons so they can be threatened – or maybe used – against Iran, so Israel won’t have to use its nuclear weapons.”

Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), does appear to be serious about acquiring nuclear capability, according to US political commentator and academic Gerald Horne.

“MBS was just in Pakistan, which is a major nuclear proliferator, and that is very ominous, dangerous and suspicious that these two world powers have been huddling together, presumably with Iran in the crosshairs,” he said.

Capitalizing on possible war

Iran and Saudi Arabia are notorious regional rivals in a decades-long feud fueled by religious differences. Iran, a largely Shia Muslim country, has been challenging Saudi Sunni power across the region by supporting opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen. The rivalry also stretches to other parts of the Middle East, and their support for different political factions in Iraq and Lebanon. 

“There could be a huge war. So, for the US to be doing this… my guess would be [that] people are making plenty of money out of this,” Rockwell said.  

‘All part of Trump’s plan’

The experts also noted that allowing the kingdom to develop its own nukes is perfectly in line with the foreign policy objectives of Washington. Last year, it withdrew from a cornerstone non-proliferation agreement (JCPOA), and renewed sanctions on Tehran to the loud applause of Israel, which had bitterly opposed the 2015 nuclear deal. 

“This is all part of Trump’s plan… to destroy Iran,” Rockwell explained. “It is a huge risk because Mohammed bin Salman will be very capable of nuking Iran. The idea that they would arm Mohammed bin Salman with nuclear weapons is certainly something out of the science-fiction movie. It’s like Dr Strangelove,” he added.

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