nuclear-news

Nuclear aspirations in Egypt

 Will Egypt Go Nuclear? Israel National News, , September 13, 2012  Though Egypt does not have a nuclear energy program, that reality could soon change. President Mohammed Morsi made clear that Egypt wishes a civilian nuclear energy program.The Muslim Brotherhood wants nuclear weapons. We may soon miss the riots…….
a July 2012 report of the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Energy
that argues for the creation of a nuclear program. …..
The report says that the nuclear plant in Al Dabaa, on the
Mediterranean coastline, will be the first off our nuclear power
plants around the country. Under the plan, Al Dabaa will become
operational in 2019 and will create jobs, giving the area a needed
economic boost. The last nuclear plant would become operational by
2025.

While Morsi has not yet announced his decision on whether to proceed
with the project, a number of international companies from Canada,
China, France, Russia, South Korea, and the US have already expressed
interest in bidding for them.

The Muslim Brotherhood and the Nuclear Issue

Although Mursi renewed Egypt’s long-standing call for a nuclear
weapons-free zone in the Middle East at the recent Non-Aligned
Movement conference in Tehran, the Muslim Brotherhood, his party, has
called on Egypt to develop a nuclear weapons program since 2005. In
that year’s parliamentary elections, the Brotherhood called upon the
government to develop Egypt’s “special national programs,” including
nuclear and armaments programs.

By 2006, members of the Muslim Brotherhood began advocating for a
nuclear weapons program. Dr. Hamdi Hassan,a Muslim Brotherhood
spokesperson, stated that Egyptians “are ready to starve” to obtain a
nuclear weapon. Similarly, Saad Al Husseyni, another Muslim
Brotherhood representative, suggested that Egypt develop a “strong and
deterrent military power,” arguing that developing nuclear weapons
would be more effective in protecting Egypt than promoting a nuclear
weapons-free zone.

In 2009, Muslim Brotherhood MP Dr. Ibrahim Al-Ja’afari called for the
militarization of Egypt’s nuclear program to confront the military
aspirations of various regional countries. In an appeal to Egypt’s
Defense and National Security Committee, he explained that Egypt must
pursue the acquisition of nuclear weapons, in light of the accelerated
arming of Israel and Iran.

Also in 2009, global Brotherhood leader Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradhawi said
that Muslim nations must possess nuclear weapons “in order to strike
terror in our enemies.” He also called on Muslims to “punish” the
Jews, as Hitler had done in the Holocaust.

It was in February 2011 that Al-Qaradhawi was invited by the Muslim
Brotherhood to lead the victory celebration for Egypt’s revolution at
Tahrir Square.It is still unclear whether the statements of
Brotherhood leaders like Al-Qaradhawi are personal views or if they
reflect the position of the organization and President Morsi…..The
call for nuclear weapons has been voiced by other prominent Egyptians,
even those not affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. For example,
retired general Abd Al-Hamid Umran recently called on Egypt to obtain
nuclear weapons to deter Israel.

“An Egyptian nuclear program – let’s call it peaceful for the sake of
argument – is about uranium enrichment,” he said. Taking such an
action would create global opposition, but would “prevent anyone from
insolently attacking us.”…..
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/12181#.UFQALrJlT4Y

September 14, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Egypt, politics, weapons and war