U.S.-United Arab Emirates sign nuclear deal

U.S.-United Arab Emirates sign nuclear deal

www.cnn.com

The United States signed an agreement Thursday on civil nuclear cooperation with the United Arab Emirates.

Calling the agreement "a powerful and timely model for the world and the region," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed the deal, along with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed.

"We applaud the UAE's commission -- commitment to the highest standards of safety, security and nonproliferation in its pursuit of nuclear power," Rice said.

Congress has to ratify the agreement before it can take effect, and congressional critics fear it could spark an arms race and proliferation in the region. The UAE's ties to Iran also have caused concern.

Under the "1-2-3 deal," similar to one the United States signed last year with India, Washington would share nuclear technology, expertise and fuel. In exchange, the UAE commits to abide by the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

The small oil-rich Gulf nation promises not to enrich uranium or to reprocess spent nuclear fuel to extract plutonium, which can be used to make nuclear bombs.

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Wonderful.. China doesn't want to buy our treasuries anymore, so let's deal with the UAE.

We give them nuclear power, they buy our Treasury Bonds.

Our government is selling out, again and again

I can't help but conclude that this is going to lead to a huge militarization of the UAE in the coming years. Why? Here's my take....countries at greatest risk to Iran's growing strength and why:

No. 1. Iraq (majority population Shia). Waiting for the US to leave, will then extend complete control -- politically. Probably not a shot will be fired, with the exception of the Kurds, perhaps.
No. 2. Bahrain (about 70% Shia, but ruled by Sunni minority). Iran has already made overtones on this. May try to take power internally, by coup.
No. 3. UAE - primarily due to strategic importance. If the US does not step in, the Iranians will coerce power from the UAE (even though the indigenous population is almost 100% Sunni).
No. 4. Syria (after assuming control of Iraq, this is almost a certainty. Syria is majority shia population, ruled by Sunni Baathists). Look for coup here.

Somewhere in here is Oman and Qatar. Oman is just too big, I believe and there is not a lot to be gained. Qatar is virtually a US base and is also very very close (politically and geographically) to Saudi. So I think that Qatar is off the radar for the moment.

I have not yet mentioned Saudi. Certain regions of Saudi have a relatively large Shia population. This would be the Eastern province (oil source) and the Asir province near Yemen. The very south of the Asir province is already a virtual Afghanistan-like DMZ, with regular military activity between Saudi and the tribal forces in northern Yemen. These two regions may lead to significant internal problems -- the prize is big -- Mecca. Whoever controls Mecca becomes the custodian of the Islamic world. If Iran becomes strong enough then Saudi will be at risk. Only time will tell.

I can only see one outcome as this develops:

Regional Islamic cold war based upon the MAD scenario. This will pull in both India and Pakistan as well.


Can you imagine the impact upon the world energy supply as this evolves?

www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

So they are basically fearing the rise of a new Persian empire? It must suck, to be an American living in abject fear of all and sundry.

reply to post by The Last Man on Earth

Ah well just get Leonidis cloned and give him 300 men of his choseing, he'll stop those pesky persians.

That's okay then, I was getting worried for a moment.

But why bother with cloning? That is costly, and time-consuming. It'd be easier to get the chest-waxing ubermen of 300 and have them do it.