Iran warns of 'consequences' if referred to UN re uranium

[fishertrop]

I dont think we should under estimate the power of the status-quo to perpetuate itself.

Similarly tho, there have been great tensions building in the world since the end of the cold war.

It's irresistable force meets imovable object

Few world leaders are prepared to precipitate a world economic crisis in order to shift the balance of power a bit, but those leaders least accountable to their people are probably best placed.

Russia maybe has the least to loose and the most to gain by brining this to a head.

If Russia trades both ways significantly more with Europe than witth the US, and it sells things that people can't do without (such as oil and gas, in contrast to tv sets...) and it has a long term strategy (which most democratic countries rarely have) then a viable plan for Russia might be possible - any such surely has an eye on the middle-east with various methods employable to encourage them to follow suit.

[fishertrop]

Ooooops

see http://www.powerswitch.org.uk/forum/vie ... =9490#9490 for how I posted an very out of date link for the Russia-euro story!

[mikepepler]

Ooooops

see http://www.powerswitch.org.uk/forum/vie ... =9490#9490 for how I posted an very out of date link for the Russia-euro story!

I guess the rest of us should have noticed that too though!

Still, it will be interesting when someone does do it. There might be a good side - if someone crashes the US economy, that will cut a substantial percentage of the world's oil consumption, both there and elsewhere!

[fishertrop]

Israel readies forces for strike on nuclear Iran
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... _1,00.html

ISRAEL?S armed forces have been ordered by Ariel Sharon, the prime minister, to be ready by the end of March for possible strikes on secret uranium enrichment sites in Iran, military sources have revealed.

(And yeah, it's dated today !!)

[DamianB]

Nice move by the Iranians...

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran on Sunday offered the United States a share in building a new nuclear power plant in an apparent effort to curb U.S. opposition to its atomic program.

"America can take part in international bidding for the construction of Iran's nuclear power plant if they observe the basic standards and quality," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said at a news conference.

Asefi was apparently talking about a 360-megawatt light water nuclear power plant in southwestern Iran, which the head of the country's top atomic organization announced plans to build on Saturday.

http://apnews.myway.com//article/200512 ... 4KNO0.html

Thanks to tinnerman @ downstreamventures for this link

[PowerSwitchJames]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0, ... 34,00.html
Is he just itching for a fight with someone

[grinu]

http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/news_s ... e_id=10301

Tensions are definitely quite high. I'm sure there's a good bit of 'stoking' of the fire going on though which will exacerbate things.

[grinu]

Selection of recent news - paints a somewhat muddy picture of how things may play out...

http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=ne ... &id=358617

Bush calls Iran 'real threat'

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005 ... 1759.shtml

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice declined on Wednesday to rule out the possibility that Israel might launch a preemptive air strike against Iran's nuclear facilities in response to repeated threats from Iranian leaders to use nuclear weapons against the Jewish state.

http://context.themoscowtimes.com/story/158356/

Iran itself is but a stepping-stone to the ultimate goal: putting U.S.-controlled hands on the spigots of Middle Eastern and Central Asian oil, thus providing a brake to control the political rise of China and India, and ensuring a "new American century" of unchallenged profit and privilege.

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2005/773/re7.htm

The controversy over Ahmadinejad's verbal attacks against Israel has cast a shadow over crucial negotiations between the EU-3, Britain, France and Germany, and Tehran over Iran's nuclear fuel programme that is taking place on 21 December.

Meanwhile, Tehran is rallying behind the Iranian president, with Iranian officials expressing their surprise that the international community has so vehemently condemned Ahmadinejad's remarks.

[fishertrop]

Iran Warns Israel Of "Destructive" Response To Any Attack
http://framehosting.dowjonesnews.com/sa ... 004&Take=1

State TV quoted the minister, Gen. Mostafa Mohammad Najjar, as saying that Iran's defenses were strong enough to thwart any attack, but were Israel to try, "the answer of the Iranian armed forces to any attack would be quick, sharp and destructive."

[fishertrop]

Speculations over US attack against Iran
By J?rgen Gottschlich

http://www.informationclearinghouse.inf ... e11373.htm

Are the USA planing a rocket attack against targets in Iran? In secret discussions Washington was preparing the Allies for appropriate air strikes in 2006, agencies disclosed to day. Especially in the NATO country Turkey, speculations about an attack against Iranian nuclear facilities are taking place.

[Bozzio]

Speculations over US attack against Iran
By J?rgen Gottschlich

http://www.informationclearinghouse.inf ... e11373.htm

Worrying!

Maybe the US's move to pull out several thousand troops from Iraq is in preparation for this. I hope not.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle ... 553030.stm

[Totally_Baffled]

I thought the troop pull out was for the mid term elections?

Any action against Iran involving deploying troops only just relieved from Iraq would be political suicide for Mr Bush and the republicans.

[Bozzio]

I thought the troop pull out was for the mid term elections?

When it comes to believing any story from Iraq at the moment we should do so with caution.

Any action against Iran involving deploying troops only just relieved from Iraq would be political suicide for Mr Bush and the republicans.

If our own media is to be believed then I think you are right here. Bush is not flavour of the month right now and I think the tide is turning slightly against him and his cronies. I guess from Bush's perspective, if public support is waning, then he has nothing to lose. Not that full public support is entirely necessary in the eyes of a Neo-con anyway.

[Totally_Baffled]

I guess from Bush's perspective, if public support is waning, then he has nothing to lose. Not that full public support is entirely necessary in the eyes of a Neo-con anyway.

True.

Bush as a second term president may not have anything to lose , but the Republican party has EVERYTHING to lose.

If the US invades Iran (air strikes they may get away with ), then the Republicans will not only lose the next election , they will also lose control of congress and the senate.

IOW, the party will tell Bush NOT to do anything militarily that may worsen the Republican parties popularity.

Thats the way I read it , but then I am wrong quite a lot!

[MacG]

Bush as a second term president may not have anything to lose , but the Republican party has EVERYTHING to lose.

Just about everyone have everything to lose from messing with Iran. The reason is spelled: "Strait of Hormuz". Some 15 million barrels of oil per day pass trough the strait of Hormuz. The strait is completely controlled by Iran. It would just take that the guys in charge in Iran declare that "no traffic is allowed and all traffic will be fired upon" to make the insurance companies revoke policies for tankers passing the strait. No insurance - no traffic. 15 million barrels per day.. *pfhuh* I guess the bankers will have GWB assassinated if they thought he was up to something against the bearded guys in Iran...