Saudi Nuclear Pact Replaces Inspections With Confidence

Congress began preparing to review President Donald Trump’s 30-year civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, a 90-legislative-day ceremony designed to confirm that lawmakers have carefully considered the decision Trump already made for them. The pact could permit Saudi uranium enrichment without the “gold standard” prohibition on enrichment or the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Additional Protocol for intrusive inspections. Administration officials described the missing safeguards as an advanced nonproliferation system called trusting the customer, under which potentially dangerous nuclear activity is prevented by declining to look for it.

“You don’t need inspectors everywhere, opening doors and asking questions, because questions create uncertainty,” Trump said. “The Saudis are very successful people, and successful people don’t make dangerous nuclear decisions unless somebody starts inspecting them and puts ideas in their heads.” Energy Secretary Chris Wright is expected to submit the agreement to Congress, triggering a rigorous process in which lawmakers may object, pass a joint resolution, overcome a presidential veto and assemble a two-thirds majority. They may also select the streamlined option of praising the deal on television before reading it.

Sen. Tim Kaine has raised concerns that the agreement could fall short of established nonproliferation standards, reflecting the obsolete view that safeguards should guard something. Supporters responded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has already supplied the strongest guarantee available in modern diplomacy: the United States would prefer that nothing go wrong. American companies could help build Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear industry, creating jobs, generating revenue and ensuring that any future proliferation anxiety carries a “Made in America” label. Congressional leaders promised classified briefings, public hearings, grave facial expressions and an orderly discovery that they lack the votes to interfere. The absence of safeguards is now the safeguard.

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