Interesting news from Saudi Arabia

From the London Times:

Saudis give nod to Israeli raid on Iran
The head of Mossad, Israel�s overseas intelligence service, has assured Benjamin Netanyahu, its prime minister, that Saudi Arabia would turn a blind eye to Israeli jets flying over the kingdom during any future raid on Iran�s nuclear sites.

Earlier this year Meir Dagan, Mossad�s director since 2002, held secret talks with Saudi officials to discuss the possibility.

The Israeli press has already carried unconfirmed reports that high-ranking officials, including Ehud Olmert, the former prime minister, held meetings with Saudi colleagues. The reports were denied by Saudi officials.

�The Saudis have tacitly agreed to the Israeli air force flying through their airspace on a mission which is supposed to be in the common interests of both Israel and Saudi Arabia,� a diplomatic source said last week.

Although the countries have no formal diplomatic relations, an Israeli defence source confirmed that Mossad maintained �working relations� with the Saudis.

John Bolton, the former US ambassador to the United Nations who recently visited the Gulf, said it was �entirely logical� for the Israelis to use Saudi airspace.

Bolton, who has talked to several Arab leaders, added: �None of them would say anything about it publicly but they would certainly acquiesce in an overflight if the Israelis didn�t trumpet it as a big success.�

Arab states would condemn a raid when they spoke at the UN but would be privately relieved to see the threat of an Iranian bomb removed, he said.

Bolton summed it up perfectly: "but would be privately relieved to see the threat of an Iranian bomb removed" Iran is sitting on 40% of the known Middle Eastern oil reserves. The idea that they need nuclear power for electricity is absurd.