Saudis consider nukes to achieve 'balance of terror' with Iran

Saudi Arabia is rethinking its rejection of a nuclear weapons arsenal in light of recent developments in Iran.

"A Saudi atomic bomb is not an option, which we were thinking of a few days ago," Abdul Rahman Al Rashed, a leading Saudi analyst, wrote in the London-based A-Sharq Al Awsat on Sunday.

"However, we know that there is no other option to deal with Iran, which is armed with nuclear weapons, except through the same balance of terror, which guarded the situation among Moscow, Beijing, and the West, and now between Karachi and New Delhi."

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have just completed the second round high-level defense cooperation talks this year.
Western intelligence sources said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a strategic defense agreement that could pave the way for Islamabad to help Riyad launch a nuclear program. The sources said Pakistan has already been helping Riyad prepare an infrastructure for the procurement and deployment of intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

Saudi Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz has met Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad in a wide-ranging session on defense and other bilateral cooperation. Sultan also met Pakistani Defense Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal in a discussion on defense and security.

For his part, Sultan called for expanding defense cooperation. He did not elaborate, but officials have termed Pakistan the closest ally of Saudi Arabia.

"Pakistan and the kingdom will have to modernize their people in accordance with the changing international situation and bring themselves to the level of developed nations," Sultan said on April 15.

"Saudi-Pakistani relations have witnessed steady progress, especially at political and economic levels," Musharraf said. "The government of Pakistan wishes to bolster its strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia, considering its pioneering role in reinforcing peace and security and strengthening Islamic solidarity."

Officials said Pakistan has offered Saudi Arabia a range of military platforms. They said the Saudi Army has begun trials of Pakistan's Khalid main battle tank.

This was the second round of high-level cooperation talks between the two countries. In February, King Abdullah visited Pakistan and signed five cooperation agreements, including in the areas of science and technology.

Officials said this was Sultan's first visit to Pakistan, a major importer of Saudi oil, since becoming crown prince in August 2005. As defense minister, Sultan visited Pakistan in 1981 and 1999.

Listen to Talk Show America 4/18/2006:

Iran deploys missles within range of U.S. in Iraq, Saudi's consider Nukes to counter Iran, Iran threatens to use 40,000 suicide bombers if attacked, Al Qaeda suspects to be held until war is over !