This is John Bachelor, conversation with colleague Henry Sikalski, the Executive Director of the

Non-Proliferation Policy Education Center.

About Proliferation.

Saudi Arabia is said to be in conversation with the U.S. to acquire a nuclear power plant

that is capable of enriching uranium in the kingdom.

This suggests, of course, the possibility of bomb making.

The question is how many other countries are interested in acquiring nuclear

energy power plants or bomb-making abilities or the bomb period.

And he speaks to that and speaks to the fact that proliferation is now a major topic after spending 40 years or so, no longer at the forefront of thinking

about strategic risk in the United States and in the world. It's back. Not only are the leaders of Russia

and Beijing talking about strategic forces, but so are allies in NATO. Here's Henry Sikalsky to explain.

Proliferation is back. More of this later.

Wrong. It's about to get worse and I think if there's one front where we're a little bit in a sleep

walking mode is here and we're in denial. I mean we're shrill about everything else. We're worried

about the Russians, we're worried about the Iranians, we're worried about the North Koreans,

we're worried about terrorists. You listed global warming. This front I think we have gone

dormant and we're about to get jostled by reality.

The reason I say that is there are so many countries now that are

questioning our commitment to defend them and wanting to get us to put nuclear

weapons on their soil or talking about getting a nuclear weapons option.

This includes everyone from Poland to South Korea, quietly, Japan, Indonesia.

I wouldn't be surprised if even the FENS will be interested in this.

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