Saudi Arabia, the US and Pakistan united by interest in missiles that are nuclear capable.
Comments written Aug 20, 2012.
I suspect the Saudi's envisaged the Chinese (made CSS-2 and more current boosters such as the CSS-5 (DF-21)) would:
- be a
preliminary move towards indicating Saudi Arabia can build a nuclear weapons
system (obviously with continuing extended deterrence from the US as backup .
- form an initial test weapons system to accustom senior Saudi rulers to the value of deterrence against Iran or a future(?) Shiite dominated Iraq.
- form at least the
boost portion of a missile system but nothing else?
- even non-nuclear warheads might act as a limited deterrent. Other WMDs (particularly chemical) would be significant but not as effective as nuclear. Conventional warhead's, such as fuel-air, would also make an impression)
- even non-nuclear warheads might act as a limited deterrent. Other WMDs (particularly chemical) would be significant but not as effective as nuclear. Conventional warhead's, such as fuel-air, would also make an impression)
The Sino-Saudi Connection by Thomas Woodrow, ex DIA, provides some context.
Pete