U.S. and Saudi Arabia agree landmark nuclear energy pact

Rosemary Kelanic, the director of the Middle East programme at Defense Priorities, a think-tank, said the U.S. has “never” before helped another country enrich uranium domestically due to concerns over proliferation.

“Producing fissile material is the hardest technological bottleneck towards nuclear weapons proliferation,” she said. “Once they produce the fissile material, they can divert it for nuclear weapons.”

Kelanic said Wednesday’s agreement could represent an effort by Washington to keep Saudi Arabia “on our side” because they “have been pummelled by the Iranians in the war . . . as the result of Operation Epic Fury.” But she added: “This is a really boneheaded way to do it because of the follow-on effects.”

Read at Financial Times

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Rosemary
Kelanic

Director, Middle East Program

Defense Priorities