US-Saudi deal prompts fears of a global nuclear arms race

It's the sign of times as the world returns to an era of nuclear hedging. — Agencies

WHEN US president Dwight D. Eisenhower went to the United Nations in 1953 to offer countries nuclear technology and know-how in return for a promise to use them peacefully, the policy went by a memorable shorthand, “Atoms for Peace”. Seven decades later, it could go by a less idealistic name: nuclear hedging.

US President Donald Trump’s civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, announced last week, reflects a volatile world in which America’s allies are seeking nuclear capabilities to hedge against predatory neighbours, harmful energy disruptions and the shrinking security umbrella of the United States.