King Abdullah Wants "Peaceful" Nuclear Program For Jordan

A good, trustworthy Muslim leader like King Abdullah of Jordan will doubtlessly have an easier go of it politically than evil freedom-hatin' Muslims like Ahmadinejad.

King Abdullah II said yesterday that Jordan wants to develop a peaceful nuclear program, joining Egypt and Arab Gulf countries in considering a nuclear option.

Arab nations are fearful over the West's failure to stop Shi'ite Iran's nuclear ambitions, which they worry will lead to Tehran having an atomic weapon.

The Arab countries have complained for years about Israel's nuclear program and reported arsenal, but it never prompted them to seek programs of their own. Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia -- nations where Sunni Muslims predominate -- have expressed concern over Iranian influence in Iraq and Lebanon .

But Iran's progress in building nuclear facilities has sparked a rush among Arab nations to look at nuclear programs, raising the possibility of a proliferation of nuclear technology -- or even weapons -- in the volatile Middle East. ...

"Jordan is trying to toss another log on the fire and . . . obliquely point out to the Iranians that the acquisition of such a weapon would create such pressure on the Arab neighbors [to respond] that acquiring the bomb would not be useful" for Iran, said Justin Logan, a foreign policy analyst at the Washington-based Cato Institute.

Abdullah announced his interest in a nuclear program in an interview with the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. He said his kingdom wanted nuclear power "for peaceful purposes" and has been "discussing it with the West."