Potential Threats To Israel: Saudi Arabia
The Saudis have accumulated one of the most modern militaries in the Arab world. Although there is minimal threat to Israel from Saudi Arabia on its own, the Saudis have participated in previous Arab-Israeli wars, and the prospect that it could do so again, this time with its state-of-the-art weapons arsenal, must be taken seriously. An additional risk that cannot be dismissed is the possibility of a hostile, anti-western regime taking over the country. The Saudis also bankroll military purchases by some of Israelis more direct adversaries, such as Syria.
Saudi Arabia has amassed one of the region’s most advanced militaries. Israeli military assessments must account for the Saudi air force because the quality of Saudi aircraft and aerial missiles are on par with Israeli models, directly impacting on Israel’s vital qualitative military edge.
Saudi Arabia has reportedly transferred much of its advanced F-15 fighter-jet fleet to the Tabuk air base in violation of the kingdom's promises not to do so. As part of the Carter Administration's effort to persuade Congress to approve the controversial sale of F-15s to the Saudis in 1978, U.S. Secretary of Defense Harold Brown said in a letter to Congress that the planes would be based elsewhere in part because they would be too vulnerable at Tabuk.
From this advanced base, the jets could reach Israel's southern border in about six minutes. The United States requested that the Saudis return the planes to their original bases, but they have so far refused to do so. Consequently, Israel has had to increase its monitoring of Saudi Arabia.
In December 2005, Britain and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding to increase Britain’s involvement in modernizing the Saudi armed forces and to engage in joint training and exercises. In July 2006, Saudi Arabia is expected to sign a multibillion dollar contract with BAE systems in Britain, which would include the replacement of British-made Tornado jets with perhaps as many as 72 new Eurofighter Typhoon jets. The new fighter, which would not be delivered until 2008, had previously been sold only to countries involved in manufacturing the planes — Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain and Austria.
In 1981, the United States sold sophisticated AWACS radar planes, a controversial decision that was opposed by many members of Congress and only approved after some restrictions were placed on how the AWACS would be equipped and where they would be based. In 2007, Boeing announced it signed a contract to enhance the AWACS' capabilities by installing a secure, jam-resistant, digital data link that allows military aircraft, ships and ground units to exchange tactical pictures with each other in near real time.
Nuclear Ambitions?
Concern is growing that Saudi Arabia may also be interested in pursuing a nuclear option, particularly in light of rival Iran's secret nuclear weapons development program. Nevertheless, the International Atomic Energy Agency approved a deal June 16, 2005, that keeps nuclear inspectors out of Saudi Arabia. The IAEA approved the deal despite serious misgivings about such arrangements in this era of heightened proliferation fears.
The Saudis qualified for a “small quantities protocol, ” which frees countries from reporting the possession of up to 10 tons of natural uranium – enough to make a bomb – or up to 20 tons of depleted uranium, depending on the degree of enrichment, and 2.2 pounds of plutonium.
Saudi Stability
Saudi Arabia faces openly critical opposition forces. While Saudi Arabia is considered one of Washington's closest friends in the Gulf, opposition forces have been openly critical of the government and its close ties with the U.S. and the West. In recognition of this sentiment, the Saudi government has been reluctant to host American troops or stockpile American military equipment, which has led the United States to remove most of its troops from the kingdom and to shift its principal military base in the region to Qatar.
While Saudi Arabia is considered one of Washington's closest Gulf allies, several Saudi dissident groups, most notably al-Qaida, have attempted to overthrow the government. The opposition has been openly critical of the government and its close ties with Washington and the West. These groups justify the use of terror to rid Saudi Arabia of all Western influence.
Saudi Arabia was home to 15 of the 19 hijackers who perpetrated the atrocities of September 11 and has been uncooperative in investigating not only those terrorist attacks, but two others perpetrated against Americans on Saudi soil: the November 1995 bombing of the Saudi National Guard training center in Riyadh, which killed five Americans, and the June 25, 1996, attack outside the U.S. Air Force housing facility in Dhahran that killed 19 Americans.
Some Saudi individuals, as well as members of the royal family, have been accused of financing Islamic radicals within countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan. The monarchy also supports Islamic schools around the world that teach the most extreme interpretation of Islam.
Potential Threats To Israel: Saudi Arabia
