Report: Saudi missile sites target Iran, Israel

[bananas]

Source: USA Today

Saudi Arabia has built missile launch pads that target both Iran and Israel with ballistic missiles, according to imagery and analysis by IHS Jane's, the British security consultancy.

While IHS Jane's analysts did not see actual missiles, the sites include command and control facilities and underground bunkers that likely conceal missiles and launchers nearby, said Allison Puccioni, a senior image analyst at IHS Jane's.

<snip>

"Saudi Arabia is likely to begin re-arming its missile stock with more modern and accurate Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBMs)," said Robert Munks, deputy editor of IHS Jane's Intelligence Review.

Former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal said in 2011 that his country would purchase "off the shelf" nuclear weapons if Iran developed its own supply. "For such short notice, the foundations for both nuclear-capable launch vehicles and for acquiring the warheads will need to be laid in advance," Munks said.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/07/14/saudi-missile-sites-target-iran-israel/2510157/

[PDJane]

1. I think this is probably more propaganda, frankly.

And I would look to the CIA as its creators.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. US has cried wolf too often to be easily believed..

even at a time when events ARE heating up in the ME.

[pampango]

3. Seems logical from a Saudi (illogical) perspective. Finally something that Iran and Israel share.

Antipathy (to put it mildly) from the Saudis.

[John2]

12. I doubt

the monarchs got anything targeted at Israel when you have the U.S. military as a host in the area and a large U.S. base in Qatar. Saudi Arabia is the main U.S. Arab Ally. If anybody will supply the monarchs with nukes, it will be the United States Government. I just wonder what Snowden is hiding that will embarrass the U.S. Government? It would be a good way to sneak some more nukes in the Middle East as a cover. Blame it on Saudi Arabia's fear of Iran even though Israel already has nukes probably. Why would they fear Iran getting nukes? The U.S. also shares nukes with Turkey, which they claim don't count. Just to give a heads up on another pre-empted strike in the media campaign if you hear something about the Assad regime accusing Saudi Arabia of supplying chemicals to the rebels. Apparently the Syrian Army claims they discovered another secret stash in their operations. This time the evidence involves the Saudis.

[7962]

13. Saudi Arabia fears Iran getting nukes because of several reasons;

theres the Shiite-Sunni hatred, the Persian-Arab cultural differences, the Islamic govt vs a monarchy, and not to forget Iraq was financed by S.A. during the Iran-Iraq war too.

[John2]

14. I don't disagree

with you Saudi Arabia wants to overthrow the Iranian regime. They lied about Iran using chemicals too, when they were financing Saddam and he was being supplied with chemical weapons. Iran doesn't need nukes to defeat the Saudis when they can overrun them. It took chemicals for Saddam to stop their advance.

[7962]

15. I don't know, I think S.A. would put up a heck of a fight

They are MUCH better armed and trained, and outside of the Republican Guard and Quds troops, the regular army is much like Iraq: cannon fodder. But there are a lot more of them, for sure. One thing for sure, Irans Air Force would definitely be no match for them.
I doubt we'll see a direct war between the two though. Unless we "need" to sell a lot more stuff.........

[Spitfire of ATJ]

4. HEY!!! LOOK OVER HERE!!!! REMEMBER THE MIDDLE EAST?? FEAR!!!!

[KareBear]

17. To be fair

This report predates the Zimmerman trial results. USA Today was slow on the uptake.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169812#.UeNfZxauG0g

[Angleae]

5. It would surprise me to find every country pointing missiles at every other country in that region.

[Posteritatis]

6. Makes perfect sense in normal geopolitical terms

Those are the only two countries in the region that Saudi Arabia's got chilly-at-best relations with, all three are regional powers to one extent or another, etc. The rational thing for any state in that position to do - well, the other rational thing beyond "chill the fuck out, everyone, gaaaah" - would be to plan its defense strategies with both of those countries in mind.

So yeah, utterly unsurprised by something like this. It sucks, much as anything involving a standard not-quite-war-footing sucks, but it makes sense.

[sulphurdunn]

7. What exactly is an "off the shelf

nuclear weapon?" What do you do, buy them at Walmart?

[Posteritatis]

8. Purchased from a nuclear power's arsenal, as opposed to designed at home or built to spec abroad. nt

[sulphurdunn]

10. I didn't know countries sold nuclear weapons.

[Posteritatis]

11. I imagine that'll come as a surprised to all the nuclear powers, actually

I can only think of one case off the top of my head where one country even briefly gave operational control of some of its arsenal to another, and none where they actually gave someone a nuclear weapon for keeps. That part's pretty much not going to happen, though the rest of the posturing is perfectly normal.

[roamer65]

16. Rumor has always had it that the Pakistani nuclear program...

...was funded mainly by Saudi petrodollars. The Pak nukes would pretty much be tailor fit to Chinese missiles.

The Saudis knew they couldn't have an overt program as keepers of the holy sites of Mecca and Medina, so the Pakistanis are their proxy.
Iran's program, however, is beginning to "force their hand".

[sulphurdunn]

18. The people gambling with our foreign policy

are mad. Nuclear wild card India is also in their deck.

[Sand Wind]

9. Perfectly normal, I'm surprise they are not more advanced . Nt