Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
2003 Saudi Arabia Special Weapons News
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- Is Saudi Arabia A Nuclear Threat?
(PDF, 489 KB)
Steven R. McDowell, LT, U.S. Navy, November 2003 - Authored in completion of master's degree requirements in the Naval Postgraduate School's Department
of National Security Affairs
Saudi Arabia may become one of the next states to acquire nuclear weapons.
The Saudis have the challenge of securing a large border area with a relatively
small populace against several regional adversaries. The 1979 Iranian Revolution
and subsequent overthrow of the Shah, a U.S. ally, sent shockwaves across
the Gulf states and prompted the Saudis to increase defense spending and purchase
the longest-range ballistic missile in the Gulf region: the Chinese CSS-2.
These missiles have since reached the end of their lifecycle and the Saudi
regime is now considering their replacement. This thesis examines the potential
for the Saudis to replace their aging missile force with a nuclear-tipped
inventory. The United States has provided for the external security of the
oil Kingdom through informal security agreements, but a deterioration in U.S.-Saudi
relations may compel the Saudis to acquire nuclear weapons in order to deter
the ballistic missile and WMD threats posed by its regional adversaries. Saudi
Arabia has been a key pillar of the U.S. strategy in the Persian Gulf. However,
a nuclear-armed Saudi Arabia would undermine the international nonproliferation
regime and would trigger a destabilizing arms race in the region.
- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia in secret nuke pact By Arnaud de Borchgrave The Washington Times October 22, 2003
- Saudis consider nuclear bomb Ewen MacAskill and Ian Traynor The Guardian Thursday September 18, 2003 - Saudi Arabia, in response to the current upheaval in the Middle East, has embarked on a strategic review that includes acquiring nuclear weapons.
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