War by Executive Order

[SF18C]

So who is kitting up for Iran?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f23uQr7TIMo

[cat in the hat]

I'll go.

I got a couple of A CO boys here in Utah running through SFAUC and they are doing pretty well.

[Richard]

Meh...

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-...ian-financial-

I saw the same kinda EO issued against Libya under Reagan back when and we used to chuckle whenever we went to Dobbins and saw the bought and paid for Libyan C-130s in desert camouflage sitting out there in the sun deteriorating because the EO, along with its other provisions, had blocked their delivery...

And so it goes...

Richard

[SF18C]

So I am not the geo-political mastermind so I will admit up front I am not really sure where this is headed. But I think the root cause is the fact Iran is willing to accept gold for oil and NOT the US$. Several countries...India, China, Russia to name a few, are ready to dump the $ as the international trading currency, which has been theorized would throw our crappy economy straight down the shitter, as our paper dollar would be worthless in the global economy…made even worse due to the non-stop printing by the Fed over the last 3 or 4 years.

Obama knows this and is now trying to find a way to stop other nations from buying Iran’s oil with gold (and dumping the Dollar) by using this order, declaring a national emergency and directing all Federal Agencies to join in. So is this how WWIII starts?

Someone help me understand this.

[Richard]

And...? Iran is a crude oil exporter and refined petroleum importer - just something else to consider.

Richard

[SF18C]

Richard, I got that part, but money still changes hands at each end of the transaction.

Maybe I am starting to feel a little Ron Paul-ish! Either that or it might be time for Texas to secede!

But can anyone tell me - where did all those ultra-libs & hippies go that were calling a Bush II a fascist neo-con?

[Richard]

IMO - Iran is but a Norma Desmond within the international community's social register...

Richard

[BOfH]

Originally Posted by Richard

And...? Iran is a crude oil exporter and refined petroleum importer - just something else to consider.

Richard

Thats one more piece of the puzzle. Iran wants a bigger piece of the oil profits pie[1][2], and of course the Saudis don't want to give it up. Iran sells cheap crude to Russia, China[3], and Japan[4], and buys refined product(s) in return, cutting the Saudis out of the loop entirely, all while still making some profit in light of the embargo; over time this will cut into Suadi oil profits. This puts the current administration in very tough position as the Saudis will either increase price, triggering deeper economic woes, or increase pressure for higher demand, which is completely against Obama's radical environmental policies.

IMHO: This might also explain part of his reasoning on the Keystone XL veto, demand for Saudi oil needs to stay constant for him to attempt reelection, by keeping the economy and the radical environmentalists happy for now...

[1]http://www.nasdaq.com/article/iran-fires-warning-at-saudi-arabia-over-oil-output-20120117-00333
[2]http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/considering-us-iranian-deal
[3]http://blogs.wsj.com/corruption-currents/2012/01/26/chinese-traders-poised-to-profit-from-iran-oil-embargo/
[4]http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-internal-matter-japan-buys-iran-oil-094219088.html

My .02, oh and coffee at Starbucks is still under $5...for now...

[afchic]

Originally Posted by SF18C

Richard, I got that part, but money still changes hands at each end of the transaction.

Maybe I am starting to feel a little Ron Paul-ish! Either that or it might be time for Texas to secede!

But can anyone tell me - where did all those ultra-libs & hippies go that were calling a Bush II a fascist neo-con?

Into the Obama administration?

[Ret10Echo]

Originally Posted by SF18C

But can anyone tell me - where did all those ultra-libs & hippies go that were calling a Bush II a fascist neo-con?

They were hired by the Administration

[BOfH]

Originally Posted by Brush Okie

When I give my opinion the price goes up.

With that in mind do you think the Saudis are stirring trouble between the US and Iran under the table? IMHO the Saudis are not above playing both sides against each other but I am far from an expert. The scary part is with everyone playing their little games there and with oil being as important as it is one idiot in the mix or even one stupid decision and the place will light off like a sparkler on 4th of July.

I think my wallet just groaned

MOO: The Saudi's want their perceived threat from Iran neutralized, from oil profits to Sunni/Shia relations, Saudi Arabia is no friend of Teheran (well, except when it comes to destroying Israel, and us too I suppose). Geographically, they are too big for the Saudis(and Israel) to take on, hence the hot air and sabre rattling from both. I would not put it past them, but there is no real indication that they are, aside from their usual rhetoric of demanding that the US take action. In the short term, the embargo, if the EU follows through, will increase their profits; long term, cut rate Iranian crude is going to hurt their pocket(s). Time will tell...

ETA: This article is mostly on Syria and AQ in the region, however, IMHO it has a decent analysis of all the moving parts: http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/jihad...tunities-syria

[Sigaba]

Originally Posted by SF18C

But can anyone tell me - where did all those ultra-libs & hippies go that were calling a Bush II a fascist neo-con?

As Red said to Smokie and Craig in regards to standing up to Deebo, But that was different.*








__________________________________
* Friday (1995) <<IMDB entry>>

[18C4V]

Originally Posted by cat in the hat

I'll go.

I got a couple of A CO boys here in Utah running through SFAUC and they are doing pretty well.

ha ha......good to know, I'll tell thier Team Daddy.

[BOfH]

Is it two steps forward, one step back; ratcheting up the pressure until someone does something stupid? Or is all the saber rattling just a facade of a very scared, isolated Teheran? Either way, Iran is pretty damn good at whatever game they're playing, of course the MSM coverage helps their cause...

US and European officials weighing Iran's offer to talk on nuclear program

BRUSSELS -- A call by Iran for a quick resumption of nuclear negotiations with world powers drew a cautiously receptive response from US and European officials late Thursday, opening a potential avenue for reducing the mounting tensions between Tehran and the West.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, sent a letter to the European Union's foreign-policy chief, Catherine Ashton, dated Feb. 14, which requested "to resume our talks ... for sustainable cooperation" at the "earliest" possible time, according to a copy of the letter.

US and European officials who viewed the letter said it was vague and did not allay serious concerns in Washington and Brussels that Tehran would seek to use any new talks to buy time to advance its nuclear work and stave off new sanctions.

But these officials also said their governments were closely studying Jalili's position and that they believed they needed to further test Iran's willingness to re-engage in direct talks after a hiatus of more than a year.

The officials said Washington and Brussels are holding consultations and would need about a week to decide whether to set a date and location for new talks. They said they are not interested in conducting new negotiations with Tehran without assurances that Jalili will discuss the nuclear issues.

Western officials noted that Jalili did not lay out any of the preconditions, such as a lifting of sanctions, that have scuttled earlier negotiations. He also mentioned a willingness to discuss Iran's nuclear development, which he evaded in past correspondence with Ashton.

The letter "remains in our eyes ambiguous, but it seems to be the start of an opening from [Iranians] who are saying they are ready to talk about their nuclear program," French foreign minister Alain Juppe said.

The Obama administration did not publicly respond to the letter. Senior US officials said Iran appeared to be getting closer to convincing the West that is willing to return to direct talks.

"The letter today [Thursday] is something that, obviously, we need to consult ... to determine what the next step should be, but we have always maintained that it's in our interest to try to resume talks with Iran, assuming that those talks are constructive," Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said.

In a sign the US was not easing pressure on Tehran, the US Treasury sanctioned Iran's Ministry of Intelligence on Thursday for alleged human-rights abuses, support for terrorist groups and for Syria's internal crackdown.

Iran acknowledges support for some groups the US says are terrorist, such as Hizbollah and Hamas, but denies aiding Syria.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/interna...DBydRCWCsNTvUO