to the editor: The Trump administration's decision to greenlight the expansion of Saudi Arabia's civil nuclear program is dubious, to say the least (“Confrontation with Iran leads to nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia” July 22). This deal gives up one of the key pieces of leverage we had in encouraging Saudi-Israeli normalization and potentially undermines a long-standing U.S. policy against nonproliferation in the Middle East.
The United States certainly needs Saudi Arabia's cooperation to contain the hostile Iranian regime, but security ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia were already of mutual interest to both countries before this agreement. It seems imprudent to make a gift of this magnitude, even to a strategic partner, without a tangible outline of the oversight mechanisms that will accompany it.
Furthermore, for the life of me, I cannot understand why American financing and investment should prioritize the expansion of nuclear energy on the other side of the world when the United States itself urgently needs to expand domestic nuclear infrastructure. Large fossil fuel projects remain as politically contentious as ever, and many renewables are too expensive or unreliable to be viable on the market without significant government subsidies.
Nuclear energy promises clean and reliable energy that our country needs now more than ever. It's time to take the “all of the above” approach when it comes to energy, and that starts with modernizing our approach to nuclear energy at home.
Charlie Henry, Palm Desert
..
to the editor: I was a little surprised to read that President Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced their agreement to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia.
This is the same Saudi leader who, How the CIA concludedordered the brutal murder of Saudi journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018. This is the same Saudi Arabia famous for the alleged mass killing of immigrants. This country also has a record number of executions.
Fifteen of the 19 9/11 hijackers He called Saudi Arabia his home before carrying out those horrendous acts. Saudi Arabia is known for its systemic speech suppression. And we are sending their leaders nuclear knowledge?
Trump doesn't do anything for free. What could he get out of this deal? And which country is on the waiting list for similar generosity? North Korea?
Jerry Lasnik, Thousand Oaks
