From: "Rich Gauszka" 

Well instead of sand we may now have a bunch of fused glass in the Middle East

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2436948,00.html
Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, UAE and Saudi Arabia seek atom technology
THE SPECTRE of a nuclear race in the Middle East was raised yesterday when
six Arab states announced that they were embarking on programmes to master
atomic technology.



The move, which follows the failure by the West to curb Iran's
controversial nuclear programme, could see a rapid spread of nuclear
reactors in one of the world's most unstable regions, stretching from the
Gulf to the Levant and into North Africa.

The countries involved were named by the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) as Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. Tunisia and the UAE
have also shown interest.

"If Iran was not on the path to a nuclear weapons capability you would
probably not see this sudden rush [in the Arab world]," he said.

The announcement by the six nations is a stunning reversal of policy in the
Arab world, which had until recently been pressing for a nuclear free
Middle East, where only Israel has nuclear weapons.

Egypt and other North African states can argue with some justification that
they need cheap, safe energy for their expanding economies and growing
populations at a time of high oil prices.

The case will be much harder for Saudi Arabia, which sits on the world's
largest oil reserves. Earlier this year Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Foreign
Minister, told The Times that his country opposed the spread of nuclear
power and weapons in the Arab world.

Since then, however, the Iranians have accelerated their nuclear power and
enrichment programmes.

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-5