Archive for the Category » Iran «

January 25th, 2010 | Author: akagaga

I don’t really like Pat Buchanan, and I don’t often agree with him, but I think he’s nailed it in a new post on CNSNews. He looked at the reasons that Arabs in the Mideast are at war with us.

It won’t be a popular post, and it will probably be categorized as “un-American,” but after a brief run-down on the Mideast, he concludes this way:

But as long as we take sides in their wars, those we fight and kill over there will come to kill us over here.

This is payback for our intervention. This is the price of empire. This is the cost of the long war.

Hard to argue with that.

Category: Iran, Iraq, Islam, Obama, foreign aggression, foreign policy, terrorism, war | One Comment

Iran Diplomat Kidnapped in Pakistan

November 13th, 2008 | Author: akagaga

Here’s the Reuters lead:

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) – Gunmen abducted an Iranian diplomat in Peshawar on Thursday, a day after a U.S. aid worker was shot dead in the city on the front line of an Islamist insurgency sweeping northwest Pakistan and parts of Afghanistan.

Suspicion for the kidnapping will inevitably fall on the Taliban and affiliated Sunni Muslim militant groups such as al Qaeda, who hate Shi’ite Muslims and predominantly Shi’ite Iran almost as much as they hate the West.

Criminal gangs using religion as a cover are also active in the area.

It speaks either of my cynicism, or Washington’s lack of credibility, but my first thought was, “Option #3: special ops assigned to escalate our wars before Bush leaves office.” If you’re even thinking, “No, we wouldn’t do something like that,” go read some more fairy tales.

Category: Iran | 6 Comments

WMD Lies for Iraq … Nuke Lies for Iran?

November 11th, 2008 | Author: akagaga

Gareth Porter has published an in-depth article at Raw Story that’s worth reading. Here’s the lead:

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has obtained evidence suggesting that documents which have been described as technical studies for a secret Iranian nuclear weapons-related research program may have been fabricated.

The documents in question were acquired by U.S. intelligence in 2004 from a still unknown source — most of them in the form of electronic files allegedly stolen from a laptop computer belonging to an Iranian researcher. The US has based much of its push for sanctions against Iran on these documents.

What won’t these guys make up to start another war?

Category: Iran, Iraq, war | 5 Comments

Debating Real Issues

September 12th, 2008 | Author: akagaga

Instead of gnawing on Obama’s former pastor, or debating Palin’s skill with a gun, Ron Paul has placed real issues on the table. Not surprising. Will the media follow suit? Doubtful. Here’s Paul’s latest.

We Agree

The Republican/Democrat duopoly has, for far too long, ignored the most important issues facing our nation. However, alternate candidates Chuck Baldwin, Cynthia McKinney, and Ralph Nader agree with Ron Paul on four key principles central to the health of our nation. These principles should be key in the considerations of every voter this November and in every election.

Foreign Policy: The Iraq War must end as quickly as possible with removal of all our soldiers from the region. We must initiate the return of our soldiers from around the world, including Korea, Japan, Europe and the entire Middle East. We must cease the war propaganda, threats of a blockade and plans for attacks on Iran, nor should we re-ignite the cold war with Russia over Georgia. We must be willing to talk to all countries and offer friendship and trade and travel to all who are willing. We must take off the table the threat of a nuclear first strike against all nations.

Privacy: We must protect the privacy and civil liberties of all persons under US jurisdiction. We must repeal or radically change the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, and the FISA legislation. We must reject the notion and practice of torture, eliminations of habeas corpus, secret tribunals, and secret prisons. We must deny immunity for corporations that spy willingly on the people for the benefit of the government. We must reject the unitary presidency, the illegal use of signing statements and excessive use of executive orders.

The National Debt: We believe that there should be no increase in the national debt. The burden of debt placed on the next generation is unjust and already threatening our economy and the value of our dollar. We must pay our bills as we go along and not unfairly place this burden on a future generation.

The Federal Reserve: We seek a thorough investigation, evaluation and audit of the Federal Reserve System and its cozy relationships with the banking, corporate, and other financial institutions. The arbitrary power to create money and credit out of thin air behind closed doors for the benefit of commercial interests must be ended. There should be no taxpayer bailouts of corporations and no corporate subsidies. Corporations should be aggressively prosecuted for their crimes and frauds.

Category: Big Brother, Iran, Iraq, Ron Paul, abuse of power, human rights, libertarian | Leave a Comment

Iran’s Looking Tastier by the Minute

August 24th, 2008 | Author: akagaga

If you remember back to June, I posed the possibility that the real motivation for our invasion of Iraq was to regain American control of their oil fields, which Bush has finally accomplished. I’ve also been sounding off that Iran is just as good a target, for the same reasons, despite political rhetoric to the contrary.

Well, this article in the NY Times provides some additional motivation.

Oil production has begun falling at all of the major Western oil companies, and they are finding it harder than ever to find new prospects even though they are awash in profits and eager to expand.
Part of the reason is political. From the Caspian Sea to South America, Western oil companies are being squeezed out of resource-rich provinces. They are being forced to renegotiate contracts on less-favorable terms and are fighting losing battles with assertive state-owned oil companies.

And much of their production is in mature regions that are declining, like the North Sea.

The reality, experts say, is that the oil giants that once dominated the global market have lost much of their influence — and with it, their ability to increase supplies.

Bush has only got 148 days left to make big oil happy. Think he’ll get the job done?

Category: Bush, Iran, big oil, war | Leave a Comment