Do you think Fareed Zakaria's prediction that Saudi Arabia will not be able to build an atomic weapon in ten years is plausible?

It's plausible, but it also misses a major point. Pakistan has nuclear weapons. Its nuclear program was funded, at least in part, by Saudi Arabia (or so reports say). It is generally assumed that if and when Saudi Arabia needs to get its hands on a nuclear weapon quickly, it can do so without having to go through the laborious process of building one.

Rumors have it that Saudi Arabia already has some Pakistani nuclear weapons within its borders. I doubt that as they'd likely be discovered or leaked about in some way or other. I don't doubt that they could be acquired quickly if the situation demanded.

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