The attention Iran has been receiving in the USA media lately is interesting, I commented just the other day here we go again! Has it always been this transparent?
Iran is an international asshole. It likes being in the news, and if they aren’t in the news, they’ll grab a bunch of westerners, hold them hostage and threaten them with execution until they’re back in the news.
Its all about Iranian internal politics. The fanatics are hoping for a war, whilst those with cooler heads are biding their time, hoping that there will be a popular revolt against the mullahs.
I predict that nothing will happen-the surge in the price of oil (brought on by this) has given the Iranian Government even more power.
A unified, orderly leadership of Iran will not start a war just before they are getting a nuclear weapon. My guess is that the mullahs are just that and will use the economic sanctions as a comfortable excuse to kick Ahmadinezad out. What they do about the sanctions is another issue. Of course, that the president of the republic is in opposition is an argument against a unified, orderly leadership.
The surge in the price of oil doesn’t help Iran if they can’t sell any of it- that’s what the whole kerfluffle is about. For decades it’s been the case that nobody bought “Iranian” or “Saudi” oil- they bought oil from the world oil market. That’s why the new sanctions are so significant- they cripple the ability of the Iranian banks to receive money for putting Iranian oil on the world oil market.
I find it odd that the American Civil War didn’t make that list, but Panama did.
Leaving aside the question of sanctions and the price of oil, this is an insightful post. “All politics is local,” as they say.
I would argue that the Iranians CAN sell their oil-suppose you ship your oil to Russia-it gets labelled “Product of Russia” and gets sold. Or suppose it gets out via pipeline to Kirgyzistan-who is to say it isn’t from there?
Some of the years are screwy, too:
The War of 1812 extended into 1815 with the Battle of New Orleans.
The Mexican War was just two years long, from 1846-1848.
The Spanish-American War was fought, won and over in 1898.
The U.S. only fought in World War I from 1917-1918.
Military operations in Grenada were limited to a few days in Oct. 1983.
Military operations in Panama were just from Dec. 1989-Jan. 1990.
*Caveat emptor. *
That oughta do it.