Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Israel

[David Atlee]

From my blog at http://theatleeappeal.com/

We've got some big news coming out of the Middle East over the weekend. As you are mostly aware of by now, Iran is very close to going nuclear. A nuclear Iran isn't exactly something that will help us sleep well at night. Israel is not the only country that would be in danger with a nuclear Iran. Saudi Arabia realizes the dangers of a wild dictator with nuclear capabilities in that area. Saudi Arabia, according to the TimesOnline.UK, will allow Israeli aircraft to use Saudi airspace if an air attack on Iranian nuclear facilities is needed. Boom.

How is Iran so close to having nuclear capabilities? Well, you need to go way back into the 1950s to where it all began. The US helped start a nuclear program for Iran under the "Atoms for Peace" program. The US had close ties with the Shah of Iran back then, and once the Shah was toppled by the Iranian Revelution in the late 70s, the program was basically discontinued. With remnents of that program still intact, Iran has been able to put itself in position to enriching Uranium.

Iran is in the middle of Islamic Extremist central. Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has vowed to "wipe Israel off the map" if he was ever given the opportunity. Ahmedinejad, and most Muslims in that region and around the world for that matter, hates Israel more than they hate pigs and women's rights. Maybe they should make pigs wear burkas as well. So put yourself in Israel's shoes in this issue. Here you have the leader of a country not too far from your home land vowing to eradicate your very existence. This same dictator is very close to acquiring nuclear capabilities which would allow him to build nuclear weapons. Now, we all know Obama doesn't want Israel to do anything, because if they do he might have to go on another world-wide apology tour. Actually, he'd probably like that. If you know for a fact that you have someone vowing to destroy you, and is close to getting the weapons capable of doing so, you must defend yourself.

The article from the TimesOnline.UK gives a brief but good reason why exactly Saudi Arabia would let Israel use its airspace:

Sources in Saudi Arabia say it is common knowledge within defence circles in the kingdom that an arrangement is in place if Israel decides to launch the raid. Despite the tension between the two governments, they share a mutual loathing of the regime in Tehran and a common fear of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “We all know this. We will let them [the Israelis] through and see nothing,” said one.

Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest oil producing countries in the world. The oil industry is its main source of income, wealth, and employment. It realizes the potential devastating affect a nuclear armed Iran would be on its oil. Could you just sit back and imagine for a minute what would happen to oil prices if Iran detonated a nuclear device in that region? The global economy would suffer major setbacks as well if this were to happen. We all remember a couple of summers ago when oil was around $150 a barrel. Multiply that by a few times and I'm sure that would be a safe estimate with the threat of nuclear war in oil country.

I think this is a bigger story than people give it credit for. Iran is run by a dangerous regime that obviously does not think twice about killing those who disagree with their views (remember the previous election riots). As for Israel, take the reactors out. If Iran truly wants nothing more than nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, it should have thought about that before their leaders vowed Isreal's destruction. You have been given the green light, Israel, to defend yourself and neighboring countries who hate you, but also hate the idea of a nuclear armed Iran. Godspeed.

source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article7148...