Saudi Arabia says Israel nuclear arsenal biggest threat to Gulf security

[bemildred]

(With photos) MANAMA, Dec 8 (KUNA) -- Israel's nuclear arsenal is the biggest strategic threat, at the short and medium-terms, against security of the Gulf region, chief intelligence official of Saudi Arabia Prince Mijren bin Abdulaziz said here Friday.

He said Israel's possession of nuclear arsenal forced some countries in the region to enter the nuclear armament race thus increasing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), a matter that will further complicate security matters.

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He said the armament race of WMD "will give the regional countries the right to adopt policies and establish alliances with countries with nuclear technology.

"This will also force moderate countries in the region, who adopt a WMD-free policy, to establish clandestine or declared nuclear programs to create a military balance in the region to defend their interests and beliefs, " said Prince Mijren.

This is all in the context of weakened US hegemony in the region, which means that we can no longer be relied on as a guarantor of stability and order.

KUNA

[IntiRaymi]

1. Perhaps it is what is needed.

M.A.D. in the Middle East?

I mean, if Israel were to contend with a nuclear Egypt, what would happen then? One nuke, and 50% of Israel is uninhabitable.

[Tom Joad]

2. The only hope is calling for a Nuclear-Free Middle East, and

real nuclear disarmament world-wide. The choice is survival, or not. I think nukes imperil that. Israel's introduction of nuclear weapons to the Middle East certainly makes matters very much worse.

[IntiRaymi]

3. That it does, but Israel's nukes will not go away.

What I think is needed is an escalation in the region. Such a thing would put one-sided abusiveness to rest.