Jordan and Algeria poised to develop nuclear programs

[lovuian]

http://english.pravda.ru/world/africa/24-01-2007/86736-jordan_algeria-0


Two Arab countries have recently unveiled their plans for the development of nuclear energy programs. King Abdallah II of Jordan announced the intentions to develop a national nuclear program. Russian Minister of Industry and Power Industry Viktor Khristenko spoke about Algeria’s similar plans following his recent visit to that country. Specifically, Khristenko mentioned plans for bilateral cooperation aimed at developing the Algerian nuclear power industry. It is understood that we are talking about the declaration of certain plans that yet to be implemented. However, those plans are worth talking about.


On the face of it, the nuclear intentions of Jordan and Algeria look very much the same yet the development of nuclear programs may bring about different consequences in the two countries. Jordan is likely to coordinate its nuclear ambitions with the United States and Israel, without taking any precipitate steps. In other words, Jordan would make every effort in an attempt to provide maximum security and transparency of its nuclear program. Algeria would probably try to follow suit. However, the government of Algeria is not capable of ensuring permanent security for its potential nuclear projects.

There is a lot of difference between political processes Jordan and Algeria have gone through. Despite Jordan’s rather complicated political history, the royal family has a way of preserving stability of a small Mideastern nation. All the neighboring countries are greatly interested in maintaining Jordan’s stability, especially in the light of recent developments in Lebanon, which is no longer dubbed a “Mideastern Switzerland.” These days Lebanon looks very much like some “Rwanda on the Middle East.” In comparison with Jordan, the history of Algeria is a string of coups d’etat. It is not democracy; it is the power of guns that serves a principal guarantee of stability in Algeria. The authority of the military hardly matters in this case. The military in Algeria tried to play democracy and conduct a fair election but had to put the political process into reverse and stage yet another coup d’etat shortly after the ill-fated attempt, otherwise the Islamists would have seized power in Algeria. Some time ago the situation in Algeria reminded that in today’s Iraq, only without any U.S. troops on the ground. The country was being ripped apart by terrorist attacks, killings and adductions on a daily basis. The current government managed to achieve stability only after making a titanic effort.
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Russia wants to help to The More the Merrier... Jordan reminds me of the Shah of iran getting Nuclear help from Poppy Bush History repeats itself