Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Iraq Meeting Will Decide War


May 21, 2012 - Greg Hunter

 



The meeting, this week, in Iraq to negotiate Iran’s nuclear program will decide whether or not the world will go to war.  The meeting is between the East (Iran, China and Russia) and the West (U.S., UK, France and Germany).   If the meeting goes well, war will be avoided.  If the meeting goes badly, the world will be heading for war.  If yesterday’s CNN interview with Iran’s Finance Minister, Shamseddin Hosseini, is any indication, the upcoming meeting will be a disaster.  When asked if Iran would allow inspectors to scrutinize all its nuclear facilities, Hosseini said, “There are conversations and dialogues taking place currently, but there cannot be a hegemony and a double-standard in the treatment of member countries such as Iran.  If these principles can be understood and applied with mutual respect, I think we will be in a much better place. If we don’t, we will witness an increase in international oil markets.” (CNN)  In other words, he sidestepped the question and gave no indication total access by inspectors would be a possibility.

The Iranian’s have long maintained their nuclear program is for the peaceful production of energy, but the West thinks otherwise.  After the G-8 meeting this weekend at Camp David, it was reported by Haaretz.com, “The G8 expressed “grave concern” about Iran’s nuclear program, which is suspected of being used to develop nuclear weapons, and called on Iran to “seize the opportunity” of the next round of meetings.”  The elephant not in the room remains Israel who is most fearful of the Iranian nuclear program.  After the last meeting in April when only another meeting was agreed upon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was clearly annoyed.  On Friday, his comments on the upcoming meeting in Iraq were less than optimistic when he said, “No evidence that Iran is serious about stopping its nuclear weapons program.  They may try to go from meeting to meeting with empty promises. They may agree to something in principle but not implement it.  They might even agree to implement something that does not materially derail their nuclear weapons program.” (Haaretz.com) 

An even tougher round of sanctions will kick in in July, and the U.S. Senate is preparing a fresh round of new sanctions.  According to Iran’s Finance Minister, Shamseddin Hosseini, the current sanctions are not working, and new ones could backfire in the Western world’s face as Europe is in a worsening debt crisis.  Additional sanctions will put upward pressure on oil prices, and that will sink already troubled Western economies. Hosseini quoted recent comments by the International Monetary Fund when he said, “. . . as a result of these sanctions, oil prices will perhaps reach and hover around $160 per barrel.”   If there is an all-out attack, then $160 per barrel will look downright cheap.  Many think Israel cannot attack without the help of the United States.  Others think no attack could possibly come until after the November presidential election because spiking oil prices would kill the economy and President Obama’s bid for reelection.  What if those assumptions don’t hold up?

According to one high ranking Russian official, war is definitely a possibility.  Reuters reported yesterday, “Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was speaking to reporters on a plane on his way back from the G8 summit in Camp David, where the G8 leaders signaled their readiness to tap into emergency oil stockpiles quickly this summer if tougher new sanctions on Iran threatened to strain supplies.  ‘It is one of many various signals coming from various sources that the military option is considered as realistic and possible,’ he said. ‘We are receiving signals, both through public and intelligence channels, that this option is now being reviewed in some capitals as more applicable in this situation.  We are very worried about this. We do not want the region and the world to fall into…new divisions and bitter political arguments,’ said Ryabkov.” (Reuters) There really is no other way to couch this optimistically.  The upcoming May 23 Iraq meeting will decide war.

http://usawatchdog.com/iraq-meeting-will-decide-war/

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

....part1/3...(....) Stop Imperialism - Episode 20, Apr 24th, 2012, by ericdraitser.In this week's episode: 1. Syria (On the Ground) - Fears of extremism taking hold in Syria as violence continues. 2. Syria (The US Role) - Assad's actions in Syria spur US to consider intervening. 3. Pakistan (Foreign Relations & Diplomacy) - Pakistan's top court to deliver verdict in PM case. 4. Pakistan (Balochistan) - Gilani announces initiatives for Balochistan. 5. Afghanistan - Afghan stability undermined by Pakistan, General says. 6. Iraq - Iraq does not need US anymore, Ahmadinejad tells al-Maliki. 7. Iran - Latest cyberattack on Iran targets oil export facilities. 8. Libya - Africa: Libyan govt must protect Kufra residents from militia clashes. 9. Sudan - Sudan hails 'victory' as South Sudan pulls out of oil zone. 10. Russia - Exxon, Rosneft unveil $500 billion offshore venture. 11. SCO - Chinese VP stresses defense co-op within SCO. 12. Central Asia Oil/Gas - Caspian gas and preferences of the European Union. 13. French Elections - French voters frustrated on eve of election day. 14. "Under the Radar" - Pentagon forms new spy service **********Stop Imperialism - Episode 21, May 3rd, 2012 by ericdraitser. In this week's episode: 1. Syria - Syria committed war crimes before truce - rights group. 2. Iraq - Trial of Iraq's fugitive Sunni VP to open Thursday. 3. Iran - Arab states hold war games as tensions with Iran mount. 4. Pakistan - Unrest in Balochistan: Four killed as saboteurs target infrastructure. 5. Afghanistan - Obama makes surprise trip to Afghanistan to sign key pact, mark bin Laden raid. 6. EU Economic Crisis - Austerity pain fills Europe with protests on May Day. 7. MF Global Conspiracy - MF Global conspiracy theory that might not be that far off. 8. May Day Report - no articles cited. 9. "Under the Radar" - Russia has the direct gubernatorial election returned.**********Stop Imperialism - Episode 22. May 10th, 2012 by ericdraitser. 1. Russia - Putin to skip G8 summit in US next week.2. Syria - Bomb strikes U.N. convoy escort in Syria. 3. Pakistan (Terrorism) - Clinton presses Pakistan on terror groups. 4.Pakistan (Economic Development) - Russia shows interest in exploring oil, gas. 5. Iraq - Interpol call for Iraq vice-president Hashemi's arrest. 6. Iran - Ahmadinejad's support crumbles in Iran runoff. 7. Afghanistan - U.S. confirms Afghan airstrike mistake. 8. European Elections - Hollande meets Van Rompuy to discuss euro, growth. 9.Financial Crimes - Banks on brink of swaps 'mis-selling' investi-gation. 10. Under the Radar - JFK awards for 3 Iowa Supreme Court justices, US ambassador to Syria for 'doing what's right'. ///

Anonymous said...

...part2....Stop Imperialism - Episode 23, May 16th, 2012 by ericdraitser.In this week's episode: 1. Syria - Syria observers safe after attack, stranding. 2. Russia - Putin's G-8 snub, could keep the U.S. and Russia talking. 3. Pakistan (Pak-US Relations) - NATO invites Pa-kistan to summit in Chicago. 4. Pakistan (Pak-Iran Relations)-9 killed in violence in Kara-chi,Quetta. 5. Iran - Ahmadinejad, Putin outline prospects for future contacts. 6.Yemen-'Pursuit of terrorists is irreversible,'Yemen's president says. 7.Libya - Thousands remain in secret Libya militia prisons: UN. 8.Africa (Military & Ter-rorism)- Americans train Ugandans, for Somalia mission. 9.Africa (Economic Development) - East Africa: Turkey turns to region - follows China. 10. US Financial Crimes - How JPMorgan made its multi-billion dollar blunder. 11. EU Economic Crisis - 'Merkel and Hollande will do anything, to save the euro'. 12. Under the Radar - Spain's indignados: The 'original' Occupy reemerges with force ..****************** Stop Imperialism - Episode 24, May 23rd, 2012 by ericdraitser. In this week's episode: 1.Syria (Under Attack)- US tells G8 Assad must go, cites Yemen as model. 2. Syria ("Opposition" News)-Analysis: Rifts widen in Syrian opposition. 3. Iran(Geopolitics)- Tug of war between weapon threats,crippling sanc-tions snarl Iran nuclear talks. 4.Iran (Econo-mics) -Moodys: Oil & gas companies to benefit from sanctions on Iran. 5.Yemen - Suicide bomber kills scores in Yemen as government pursues Al Qaeda group. 6.Pakistan (Geopolitics)-U.S. hopes for breakthrough in Pakistan NATO supply route talks. 7. Pakistan (Economics)- India, Pakistan sign landmark pacts to transport Turkmenistan gas. 8.Egypt: Ahmed Shafiq gets attacked as he casts votes. 9. Bahrain - Bahraini demonstrators protest US support of Manama regime. 10. Russia -Putin energy "tsar" named CEO of Russia's Rosneft. 11.EU Economic Crisis-ECB resists calls to give names of banks it funded, FTD reports. 12. Under the Radar - H.R. 4170: Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012************.....(....) In the midst of the withdrawal of US troops from Iraqi soil last December, a very rare event took place: a bomb exploded inside the heavily forti-fied Green Zone of Baghdad. Although the event garnered little international attention against the backdrop of the so-called "end of the Iraq War",it sent a very clear message to the leader-ship in Baghdad - toe the US line, or suffer the consequences. In the aftermath of the bombing, Maliki stated publicly that the plot was clearly an attempt on his life.However, instead of ca-pitulating to such threats, the Prime Minister immediately denounced the episode, and proceeded to meet with Iranian President Ahmadinejad. Un-doubtedly, this decision conveyed to the United States that idea that Maliki would not succumb to pressure and threats.

Anonymous said...

.. the United States and its proxies in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and elsewhere, came to recognize that Maliki and his Shiite base of support in Baghdad, had become more than just a thorn in the side of imperial ambitions.Rather, they were forced to admit that he and hisruling coalition, had become a legitimate nationalist force.. Secondly, those nations with designs to control Iraqi oil wealth, among other natural resources, were forced to admit that the traditional, strong-arm tactics of assassination and physical violence, would not be effective against the entrenched and popular Maliki.Instead, they had to change the strategy from overt attacks, to covert subversion. The Hashemi Affair. When the story of Iraqi Vice President Hashemi being implicated in the operation of an assas-sination death squad,first broke,it was immedia-tely apparent that the issue was going to become an attempt to divide the government and destroy Prime Minister Maliki. Not only was Hashemi a representative of the Iraqiya bloc, an integral part of the fragile coalition ruling the coun-try, but he was a Sunni.This meant that Iraq would be divided along political and religious lines. Naturally, the evolution of the crisis only furthered these initial conclusions. ..... Any lingering doubts about the role of Saudi Arabia andQatar in fostering this conflict,were erased,when Hashemi left Arbil in the semi-auto-
nomous Iraqi Kurdistan, for Qatar, followed by Saudi Arabia. It was during these trips where Hashemi metwith various power brokers,essen-tially receiving his orders,from the reactionary Sunni leaders, of those two nations.Hashemi had proven to be a useful pawn on the chessboard of the Middle East, in which the Gulf monarchies, always acting in the interests of their masters in Washington, seemed intent on exerting their dominance over Iraq, at all costs.The final stop on Hashemi's destabilization tour, was Turkey, where he resides today. Ankara, which has its own strategic interests in Iraq, for which Maliki presents an obstacle, ....has provided Hashemi with safe haven...(...)Of course, this demonization of Maliki is a last-ditch effort at destabilizing his government, in the wake of the string of failures already mentioned. ... we must see Maliki and his relations with Iran, as having infected the imperial body, and, as anti-imperialists... interested in peace, prosperity and freedom for all, not just some, ....we must support Maliki and the Iraqi people, in their ongoing struggle for true independence.
from: The New War in Iraq: US Occupation Shifts to Proxy Subversion, 05-23-12. May 23rd, 2012 by ericdraitser. ALSO:Rape and Torture: Weapons in the Propaganda War, 05-29-12. Syria, Yemen, and America’s Quest for Imperial Dominance, 05-25-12. http://www.stopimperialism.com/ ...for more..