How then, do we move backwards? How does a society, with most of the people having no clue of future events, move from being dependent on a vast and intertwined network of goods and services produced by the indigenous people of whereever, to a local resource and renewable energy based society, and do so in the timeframe available (20-30 years using the most liberal extimates, 10-20 with resonable estimates, 5-10 with worst case scenarios), all the while prices on everything increasing, world politics getting more militaristic, governments continuously reducing civil liberties, shortages of goods on the market and weather patterns resembling bad Hollywood movies?
Joined: May 27, 2007 Posts: 1071 Location: The Post Peak Oil Historian
Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 9:43 pm Post subject: British fear US is beating the drum for Iran strikes
British officials gave warning yesterday that America's commander in Iraq will declare that Iran is waging war against the US-backed Baghdad government.
A strong statement from General David Petraeus about Iran's intervention in Iraq could set the stage for a US attack on Iranian military facilities, according to a Whitehall assessment.
"Petraeus is going to go very hard on Iran as the source of attacks on the American effort in Iraq," a British official said. "Iran is waging a war in Iraq. The idea that America can't fight a war on two fronts is wrong, there can be airstrikes and other moves," he said.
"Petraeus has put emphasis on America having to fight the battle on behalf of Iraq. In his report he can frame it in terms of our soldiers killed and diplomats dead in attacks on the Green Zone."
link _________________ In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
- George Orwell
Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:02 pm Post subject: Re: British fear US is beating the drum for Iran strikes
I think we should get Iran and we can name it Operation Tony Blair Witch Project. Let Harry come in and mop up after words. It'll be a hoot from at least 2000 miles away. _________________ I return to you now at the turning of the tide.
Joined: Aug 11, 2005 Posts: 637 Location: Eastern NC
Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 7:44 am Post subject: Re: British fear US is beating the drum for Iran strikes
YEA!!!!
Wow, less than 4 months have past since the last "we are going to strike Iran tomorrow". Must be the spring in the air.
"Where are the drums for impeachment and removal?"
Where are your lovely spring pictures of you walking about in your garden with that new spring foil hat of yours?
Joined: Jun 13, 2007 Posts: 3261 Location: Minniesotuh
Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:17 am Post subject: Re: British fear US is beating the drum for Iran strikes
The problem, AISI, is that there exists more than one factor that could indicate an army positioning itsself for an attack on Iran.
An attack is plausible.
We will just wake up one morning to find we are involved in yet another stupid war. _________________ "RRrrruuuunnnn!!!" ~Apocalypto
Joined: Dec 04, 2006 Posts: 199 Location: End of the plateau
Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:45 am Post subject: Re: British fear US is beating the drum for Iran strikes
Last Friday, Dick Cheney was in Saudi Arabia for high-level meetings with the Saudi king and his ministers. On Saturday, it was revealed that the Saudi Shura Council -- the elite group that implements the decisions of the autocratic inner circle -- is preparing "national plans to deal with any sudden nuclear and radioactive hazards that may affect the kingdom following experts' warnings of possible attacks on Iran's Bushehr nuclear reactors,
But make no mistake. As of Thursday, March 20 the US is at war with Iran. So who made it official?
A unit within the US Treasury Department, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), which issued a March 20 advisory to the world's financial institutions under the title: "Guidance to financial institutions on the continuing money laundering threat involving illicit Iranian activity."
(snip)
So what does all this bureaucratic financial rigmarole mean?
What it really means is that the US, again through FinCEN, has declared two acts of war: one against Iran's banks and one against any financial institution anywhere in the world that tries to do business with an Iranian bank.
(snip)
f the US succeeds, an international quarantine on Iran's banks would disrupt Iran's financial linkages with the world by blocking its ability to process cross-border payments for goods and services exported and imported. Without those linkages, Iran is unlikely to be able to engage in global trade and commerce. As 30% of Iran's gross domestic product in 2005 was imports of goods and services and 20% was non-oil exports (World Bank and other data), a large chunk of Iran's economy would shrivel up. The repercussions will be painful and extend well beyond lost business and profits. For example, treating curable illnesses will become difficult. According to an Iranian Health Ministry official, Iran produces 95% of its own medicines but most pharmaceutical-related raw materials are imported.
(snip)
What about China, now one of the world's major financial centers (two Chinese banks ranked among the top 25 in The Banker's 2007 survey of world banks) and a major trading partner for Iran?
China and Japan "were the top two recipients of exports from Iran, together accounting for more than one-quarter of Iran's exports in 2006", according to an analysis of International Monetary Fund trading statistics contained in a December 2007 US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on Washington's anti-Iran sanctions regime. On the import side, the GAO found that in 2006 "Germany and China were Iran's largest providers of imports, accounting for 23% of Iran's imports". Airtight global banking sanctions imposed on Iran would presumably make the financial administration of this trade next to impossible.
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