Here a nuke, there a nuke

Bad enough that Iran is suspected of developing nuclear weapons, now the German magazine Cicero reports Saudi Arabia intends to join the club. The Saudis are the guys who, over the years, have been prime financiers of Islamic fundamentalism, including the zealots in Afghanistan. They are also reputed to have co-financed Pakistan's nuclear program. Now, according to Cicero, Saudi and Pakistani scientists are collaborating on a nuclear program for Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan has categorically denied the assertion. A Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson declared, "It is a fabricated and baseless story, motivated by vicious intentions." So there, Cicero.

If the story turns out to be true, it will be interesting to see if the United States, a close friend of the Saudis, will be as exercised about their chums having the bomb as they are about Iran having it.

If the U.S. and other Western powers want to somehow stuff this genie back into the bottle, they might try meeting the other half of the non-proliferation deal, namely Article VI of the Non-Proliferation Treaty,which reads:

Each of the Parties to the Treaty undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a Treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.

They haven't been doing much of that negotiating lately. If they don't start meeting their half of the bargain, they can hardly be surprised at non-nuke nations wanting to play with the big boys.