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The article is dry recitation of polling numbers, but the geopolitical implications of this shift are staggering. For example, the Saudis have long relied on t
by decimalenough 6mo ago
The article is dry recitation of polling numbers, but the geopolitical implications of this shift are staggering.
For example, the Saudis have long relied on their alliance with the US for defense, allowing them to plow their prodigious oil wealth into vanity projects like ski resorts in the desert and 100-km-lomg skyscrapers. But if they feel they can't rely on the US anymore (and after the past month, can they?), they could easily invest in building their own nuclear weapons instead. Israel would obviously not tolerate this, but even they would likely hesitate to pick a fight with the one country in the region that can (and does) outspend them 2x on defence.
- benterix 6mo agoWhile I agree, nuclear weapons have their own drawbacks and unless you invest in the full triad, just having siloes may even make you more of a victim (that's their main function anyway). What they can and have started to do is to make deals with partners like Ukraine to diversify their defense systems so they are independent from the USA.
- nojvek 6mo agoSaudi funding Ukraine and making Russia collapse to gain their Nuclear Weapons would be quite the future timeline.
- pseudohadamard 6mo agoAs Iran has shown, you don't need nukes, just a means of cutting off, or at least severely restricting, the flow of oil. All Saudi needs to do is let the US and/or the world know that if they do/don't do X the taps turn off, as Iran has shown. That's a more powerful weapon than having a few sanctions-triggering bombs.