The Trump administration is preparing to hand Saudi Arabia a nuclear cooperation agreement—and reportedly plans to leave out two of the most important safeguards against nuclear weapons proliferation.
The proposed agreement would not prohibit Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium or reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, both of which are critical pathways to building nuclear weapons. It would also omit an international inspection agreement allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency to conduct more intrusive inspections, including at undeclared locations.
(Pause for a moment, and consider just how big an idiot Trump is)
That would be dangerous under any circumstances. It is especially alarming because Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has openly said that if Iran obtains a nuclear weapon, Saudi Arabia will pursue one too.
If that name sounds familiar, he is also the same crown prince whom U.S. intelligence concluded approved an operation to "capture or kill" Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist who was brutally murdered by Saudi agents inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Saudi Arabia may have legitimate energy needs. But no nuclear agreement should give its authoritarian government the ability to enrich uranium while denying international inspectors the access needed to ensure that its nuclear program remains peaceful.
Congress will have approximately 90 legislative days to object once the agreement is submitted. It must act.
Add your name and demand that Congress reject any nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia that opens a path to a nuclear weapon.
