ON SAFE NUKES AROUND THE WORLD

THINK REALLY DIFFERENT

For a minute I thought it was a belated April Fool's headline and so re-read it to make sure:

"Oil-Rich Arab State Push Nuclear Bid with U.S. Help"

But it's a real story, and goes on to explain:

"The mating of the words "nuclear" and "Persian Gulf" normally sets off alarm bells in Washington. Yet this oil-rich Arab state just across the gulf from Iran is on a crash course to develop nuclear power with U.S. backing. Dozens of American engineers, lawyers and businessmen have converged on Abu Dhabi in recent months to help the United Arab Emirates get the Arab world's first nuclear-power program running by 2017."

It's part of a larger initiative to promote "safer" nuclear proliferation around the world..."

"The U.A.E.'s push represents a test for nuclear-power advocates who want countries across the globe to go nuclear -- so long as they play by the rules. The U.S. and United Nations officials are championing the U.A.E. as a role model for other developing countries and as a counterexample to Iran..."

"...To build support, the U.A.E. is agreeing to buy approved nuclear fuel on the international market, rather than enriching uranium or reprocessing plutonium, both of which can be made into weapons-grade material. It will also open its facilities to random international inspections."

"...Both Saudi Arabia and Egypt have recently announced their desire to develop nuclear-power programs with U.S. assistance.

Western and Asian companies are already salivating at the chance for lucrative contracts with the U.A.E., which has set the end of April as the rough deadline for bids. General Electric Co. and Westinghouse Electric Co. are among the U.S. firms interested in the initial $20 billion in reactor work, say officials familiar with the bidding process. GE and Westinghouse declined to comment."

It could be a win-win approach that could be a terrific model to use around the world if it works.  But we sure picked a non-intuitive place to start.

Comments

[Alex Tolley]

This may all backfire on us in a generation. Once you have enriched Uranium, it can be diverted to bomb use clandestinely, so I am not clear what the open market purchase really gains you in non-proliferation.

I'd be a lot happier if the UAE went for Thorium reactors as the fuel cannot be made into bombs.