The Future Nuclear Powers You Should Be Worried About

Iran's and North Korea's nuclear programs -- not to mention the risk of loose nukes in Russia or Pakistan -- are worrying enough. But a number of other countries are looking to join the nuclear club, with terrifying potential consequences.

BY MORDCHAI SHUALY | OCTOBER 20, 2009

VENEZUELA

THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images

Status: Venezuela has a weak science infrastructure, little nuclear expertise, and limited funding. However, President Hugo Chávez's stated goal of developing civilian nuclear power may yet come to fruition with a little help from his friends.

Why you should worry: Despite a distinct lack of material progress, there's reason to worry about Venezuela's nuclear ambitions. Venezuela and Russia have had an increasingly close relationship, signing a number of economic, energy, and military cooperation agreements in recent years. Since 2005, Venezuela has purchased more than $4 billion dollars worth of Russian arms, and last month Russia provided a $2.2 billion loan for additional arms purchases. Venezuela has also become one of Iran's most active supporters; Chávez has taken to the international stage to cheer on Iran's own nuclear development and last month announced he would begin sending the Islamic Republic 20,000 barrels of gasoline a day to undermine sanctions efforts.

Those relationships seem to be paying off for Chávez's nuclear ambitions, which he first announced in 2005. Venezuela has created an atomic energy commission with Russia, designed specifically to jump-start its nuclear program. And Iran is now assisting Venezuela in detecting and testing uranium deposits; Venezuelan officials estimate that there are 50,000 tons of untapped uranium in the country.

"I say it before the world: Venezuela is going to start the process of developing nuclear energy, but we're not going to make an atomic bomb, so don't be bothering us afterward ... [with] something like what they have against Iran," Chávez has said. Given the Venezuelan leader's recent military buying spree and the escalating war of words with neighboring Colombia, such assurances might not carry much weight with his foreign critics or the IAEA. As the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Nima Gerami and Sharon Squassoni write, "Those states and companies that would contemplate nuclear cooperation with the Chávez government should consider whether they might help recreate the alarming history of Iran's nuclear program and subsequent international crises."

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Mordchai Shualy is an editorial researcher at Foreign Policy.

GRANT

7:36 PM ET

October 20, 2009

To think that the United

To think that the United States is accused of irresponsibly selling weapons across the world, at least when we do it we try not to put the planet at risk.

 

KATHLEENTAYLOR8

9:43 AM ET

October 21, 2009

What about Israel? Just

What about Israel? Just because the U.S. has a "special relationship" with that country does not mean it will not become a nuclear problem area.

 

FREETRADER

10:24 AM ET

October 21, 2009

Israel?

A nuclear problem area? How would that happen? I'm not a fan of everything Israel does, but I don't recall them ever threatening their neighbors with a nuclear strike, something all the other little tyrants do on a regular basis.

 

ALAM

12:23 PM ET

October 21, 2009

Israel, Unfortunately Yes

well threating to attack iranian nuclear installations(which i might add are all for civilian purposes thus far) does constute to a nuclear attack because of the radiation fallout and devastation etc etc. (threats)

Along with the fact that its one of 3 countries (india/Israel/pakistan) that have nuclear weapons and continue to develop more nuclear weapons i would say it deserves to be in the list.

Its also worth mentioning that two of these countries (India/Israel) are recieving help from the US to actually further enhance and develop nuclear technology even though they are not part of the NPT Treaty...so a little wierd that we are worrying about countries that are trying to develop nuclear energy within the international framework(mechanism to check and monitor countries intentions) and forgeting other countries that are consistently threatening there neighbourhood with surgical strikes (on nuclear powerstations etc) or because of religion/ethnicity (India/pakistan constant banter of MAD).