"... Saudi Arabia has grown impatient "Waiting for Godot." ... In Saudi eyes, that's Iran and its secret nuclear weapons program. And eyedrop Western sanctions have done nothing to deter Iran's aging theocrats. ..... Saudi soldiers in Bahrain, now backed by police from the United Arab Emirates (a federated union of seven sheikdoms, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai), face indefinite security duty in another country. Some 70 percent of Bahrain's work force is on strike and clashes with police are now routine....
Prince Turki, in a little reported talk but clearly speaking for the kingdom at the annual conference of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies, called for a joint Gulf army "acquiring the nuclear might to face that of Iran." Between them - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain and Oman - there is no shortage of cash in their Sovereign Wealth Funds to bankroll a nuclear weapons program. They can pay top dollar for nuclear scientists and engineers from Western powers and Russia..... Qatar, the wealthiest Gulf state with a per capita income of $78,000, was the first non-NATO country to respond to the "no-fly zone over Libya" appeal from the 22-member Arab League. Qatar also has a global reach through Al Jazeera TV .... The next act in the Gulf sweepstakes won't be a walk in the park."
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