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Saudi crown prince is plotting to get US nuclear secrets by playing the White House, Russia, and China off against each other, report says

Business Insider Tom Porter ,Mar 15, 2023,

• Saudi Arabia’s de-facto ruler is seeking to pit major powers against each other, a report said. 
• Mohammed bin Salman reportedly believes it will help him secure US nuclear technology. 
• Saudi Arabia has snubbed the US and drawn closer to rivals including China. 

Saudi Arabia’s de-facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, is trying to get better access to US nuclear technology by playing global powers against each other, Saudi officials told The Wall Street Journal. 

In recent months, Saudi Arabia has provoked the ire of the US, traditionally its closest international ally, while drawing closer to US adversaries including China and Russia.

Analysts have told Insider that the move appears to be part of a power play by Crown Prince Mohammed, amid perceptions that US influence in the region is waning. 

According to The Wall Street Journal, Crown Prince Mohammed may be using its relations with China and Russia to establish a closer US security relationship…………………………………………………………………………….

The balancing act appears to be based on the calculation by Saudi Arabia that the US will be forced to offer concessions to the Saudis in order to maintain the alliance and offset the growing influence of China. 

A civilian nuclear program and better access to US weapons have long been core Saudi objectives, and Riyadh said last week that they would be the price for normalizing its relations with Israel.

US officials are wary of providing nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, The New York Times reported, as they believe the Saudis could seek to develop nuclear weapons, amid fears that Iran is again gearing up its nuclear program.  https://www.businessinsider.com/mohammed-bin-salman-playing-us-secure-nuclear-technology-saudi-report-2023

March 17, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, Saudi Arabia