On Thursday the US sanctions Iran’s military Revolutionary Guard as Washington accuses the Revolutionary Guard, its elite Quds Force and several Iranian banks and companies of supporting nuclear proliferation and terror-related activities.
The sanctions measures, announced Thursday by U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, are the first time the U.S. has attempted to punish another country’s military through sanctions. As far as I know proclaiming a sovereign nation’s military as a terrorist organization has never been done before by any nation.
Russia and China were not pleased by the US action. “Dialogue and negotiations are the best approach to resolving the Iranian nuclear issue,” China’s foreign ministry said in a brief statement to The Associated Press. “To impose new sanctions on Iran at a time when international society and the Iranian authorities are working hard to find a solution to the Iranian nuclear issue can only complicate the issue.”
Russian’s President Vladimir Putin was more blunt in his comments. Putin said Thursday that the Kremlin would not back new international sanctions, AP reported. “Why worsen the situation and bring it to a dead end by threatening sanctions or military action?” Putin went on to say say in comments apparently directed directly at the U.S. “Running around like a madman with a razor blade, waving it around, is not the best way to resolve the situation.”
The US sanctions without a doubt ratchet up tensions between Iran and the US, as well as widen the growing differences between the US and China and Russia. The Bush administration doesn’t seem to care very much what other nations think. Mohamed ElBaradei, director-general of the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency, has criticized U.S. rhetoric on Iran and said last month that Iran’s declared nuclear material has not been diverted from peaceful use.
With 15 months left on their watch President Bush and VP Cheney are likely at their most dangerous. Here is why.
From the viewpoint of respecting the US Constitution, preserving freedoms in America, and in providing leadership that promotes policies that would enhance life for present and future generations of Americans the Bush Cheney team thus far has failed miserably.
Domestically Bush Cheney have failed on immigration reform, they have failed with the No Child Left Behind Act and the cuts in funding that make the act hopeless to fully implement, they have politicized the Department of Justice, they have broken the law with illegal wiretapping and spying against US citizens, they have sanctioned renditions of US citizens and subjected them to torture.
In general, Bush Cheney have expanded the executive branch’s powers to such an extent that the United States is no longer ruled by law but more so by the decrees of a man closer to being a dictator than a President and by his right hand man, a Vice President who without a doubt wields more power and influence than any VP in US history.
In addition, Bush Cheney and their Republican party have increased Federal spending to levels that are now causing a debasement and possible collapse of the US Dollar. Under Bush Cheney national debt has increased more on their watch than ever in US history with the total increase being larger than outstanding debt in all the previous years of the US combined. Under Bush Cheney spending for the military has soared while programs for children, veterans, the poor, and the elderly have suffered.
With a big thanks to Morteza Pourdanandeh and the “What’s Going On?” blog I would like to bring your attention to the funniest parody that I have seen of the messy situation that the US finds itself involved with in Iraq and possibly, although I certainly hope not, with Iran.
It is absolutely amazing how creative people can be with their video productions on Youtube and other video sites. You can find yourself laughing about the most serious of subjects because someone, somewhere, had the creativity and talent to frame the subject matter in a fresh, perhaps ridiculous, yet humorous and revealing way.
From IMac, Ipod, Irack, Iraq, to Iran, this video is worth watching. I expect that no matter what your views are on the war you will get a hearty chuckle from the presentation.
What’s Going On?, is a new blog site but already has a few entertaining, yet thoughtful videos worth watching. I expect that the number will quickly grow along with the blog.
With September fast approaching and General David Petraeus’s long awaited report on the effectiveness of the Iraq troop surge soon due the Iraq debate in the US Congress and among Presidential candidates is still focused on the level of the US troop presence in Iraq.
What a political sham the entire “troop level” issue has become. For one thing the US will have to draw down troops soon. The level of combat operations over the past five years has placed such a strain on the US military that the present level of troops deployed is not sustainable.
There are troops who are on their fourth tour of duty in Iraq over five years. These guy and gals are going to need a lot of help adjusting to life back in the States whenever they do return. How can you keep sending the same troops back to a war zone over and over again without serious consequences? There is already a large but unknown number of troops suffering from PTSD. Another deployment or two will send some of them over the edge.
In addition, great amounts of military equipment is just plain worn out. The time and money that it will take to refurbish our military is going to be a big number. So the US will have little option by next Spring. Forces can not be maintained indefinitely at current levels.
What the administration, congress, and Presidential candidates will not admit is that there is no plan or desire to bring all of the troops home. Not next Spring or ever. This is what the national debate should be about. Is it right for America to invade, occupy, set up a puppet government, and to permanently garrison troops in another nation? Are we as Americans comfortable in being an imperial power?
Alan Johnson, the well respected BBC news correspondent, who was kidnapped 16 weeks ago and imprisoned in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City in Palestine was released thanks to Hamas. Johnson was held by members of a much-feared family known for lawless behaviour who have a Jihadist character and are known for being ruthless.
Hamas took over Gaza by force from pro-Fatah Palestinian Authority security forces in mid-June 2007. Now with its successful intervention in the Alan Johnson affair Hamas is showing who the real boss is in Palestine.
The emergence of Hamas as a group that can establish law and order in Palestine presents a bit of a dilemma for Western governments, including the United States. Hamas is regarded as a terrorist group by the US as Hamas has not and probably never will state that it will not use force against Israel.
The role of Hamas in freeing Alan Johnson does seem to have helped its image with some governments, especially the British. Dealing with the reality of Hamas existence, strength, and popularity in Palestine is something Western governments may have to get used to.
