Why?????

Posted by: PissedOffAmerican | Nov 30 2011 14:22 utc | 4

A recent Ron Paul essay….
http://original.antiwar.com/paul/2011/11/29/the-folly-of-sanctions/
Excerpt…..
“Many people have the misconception that sanctions are an effective means to encourage a change of behavior in another country without war. However, sanctions and blockades are not only acts of war according to international law, they are most often the first step toward a real war, starting with a bombing campaign. Sanctions were the first step in our wars against Iraq and Libya, and now more sanctions planned against Syria and Iran are leading down the same destructive path”
“According to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s latest report, just out this month, there is no evidence that Iran has diverted enriched uranium from the peaceful and lawful generation of power toward building a nuclear weapon. According to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran has every right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Unfortunately, U.S. foreign policy has boxed Iran into a corner where they may view development of a nuclear weapon as the only way to maintain sovereignty. They are surrounded by unfriendly nuclear powers, and history has shown that having a nuclear weapon is the best way to avoid being bombed or invaded. The unintended consequences of our confrontational policies toward Iran may be to actually encourage them to seek nuclear weapons capabilities. We should be using diplomacy rather than threats and hostility”

Posted by: PissedOffAmerican | Nov 30 2011 14:27 utc | 6

U.S. officials say the incident may mean that nuclear-related sanctions on Iran are beginning to have a serious impact.
a serious impact on the embassy anyway. it appears the students want them to leave.

Posted by: annie | Nov 30 2011 14:55 utc | 8

Familiar hypocrisy. Disliked regimes are supposed to crack heads only to protect Western interests. When there are rebellions against them, they are supposed to stand idly by and let the forces “freedom and democracy” do whatever they want.
Of course, if you happen to be a favored regime–like Bahrain–any amount of brutality is acceptable, because protecting the regime and Western interests are one and the same. Freedom and democracy mean nothing. They’re only talking points used to score points with the gullible citizenry against one’s enemy.

Posted by: JohnH | Nov 30 2011 15:06 utc | 10

What’s the point of saying “what did Mr. Cameron expect?”. “What did you expect” doesn’t justify the action. This is similar to how people have tried to justify Gadhafi’s summary execution by saying, “what did you expect to happen”?

Posted by: Inkan1969 | Nov 30 2011 15:58 utc | 12

PissedOffAmerican,
“Ron Paul is right. What do they expect? Britain imposes sanctions on Iranian banks which are going to hurt regular Iranian citizens. It seems America and Britain have never been able to understand that most of the Middle-Eastern enmity to the west is blowback from their own arrogant and interventionist policies on their part. As for the nuclear program, that is well within Iran’s right as a sovereign nation. Israel is stocked to the teeth with over 300 nukes, Iran wouldn’t dare attack them or risk mutual destruction. Besides the evidence is there that the international community has a lot more respect for countries which have nuclear weapons than those that don’t. Is it so wrong for Iran to seek the same treatment? Let’s get rid of this guilty until proven innocent mindset, it’s destabilizing the world and ruining lives.”
H/T: Barry Lyndon of Ireland

Posted by: Cynthia | Nov 30 2011 16:30 utc | 14

It seems America and Britain have never been able to understand that most of the Middle-Eastern enmity to the west is blowback from their own arrogant and interventionist policies on their part.

This is pure Bullshit. They understand it all too well, and are quite glad it happened. The sanctions are meant to make the sanctioned country desperate, and when it gets desperate, it makes the wrong move….a move that rationalizes an attack in the public’s eye. That’s what many, including the chap who wrote this shit above, fail to realize. The West knows Iran isn’t going to submit because of sanctions. They know there’s no chance of that. They know that’s not what the sanctions are about.

Posted by: Morocco Bama | Nov 30 2011 16:49 utc | 16

@17, show me where I said they were.

Posted by: Morocco Bama | Nov 30 2011 17:53 utc | 18

@POA Why won’t you let me post Ron Paul’s essay?
I didn’t do so. When you try to post a longer text and links the spam challenge wants you to type in some code. Unfortunately the code is shown below the comment. If your comment is long, you have to scroll down to see it and then fill it out. (I am trying to fix it but that “fast solution” I had didn’t work.)

Posted by: b | Nov 30 2011 18:06 utc | 20

@19, I don’t think that’s the case here, though. Contrary to what somebody inferred, I don’t believe Iran is desperate. They have shown incredible calm and composure throughout all of this. This “attack” appears strategic and premeditated…..a cover, if you will. It mentions that documents were seized during the attack, and I suspect that was the purpose. Perhaps to reveal the compromised connections between Britain, Israel and the U.S. If it was otherwise, it would have been much worse, and potentially hostages taken, so this is all very calculated. Their chess skills have come a long way in thirty years, and they appear to be playing the game better than longstanding champs at this juncture….or in the least, I a much better fan than I used to be.
No that such a strategy will do any good. You can scream to your heart’s delight that you’re being cheated and conspired against, but if the audience you need to reach has no ears, or eyes, or any sense at all, it’s a futile effort. Not flinching whilst staring into the barrel of a very powerful gun can be seen as noble and brave, but you’re still staring down the barrel of a gun.

Posted by: Morocco Bama | Nov 30 2011 18:39 utc | 22

@22–
Yes, the Iranians are staring down the barrel of a gun. But, on the other hand, they have their own version of MAD (mutually assured destruction).
The 2002 US war games demonstrated that a Persian Gulf power could sink the US fleet in the Gulf using chaotic mass swarm attacks with small, fast boats. If the US has since developed counter-measures they are keeping them very secret (as well they should! but actually it is extremely rare that an important new tactic leaves no evidence in its development).
For half a decade now Iran has supposedly been in the process of buying advanced Russian torpedoes. If true this gives them two good tactics for shutting down the Persian Gulf indefinitely.
It further seems likely the Iranians have the ability to shut down the Saudi oil terminal for the Gulf.
All of which means that the US can afford this war only when it can afford for Saudi oil to go indefinitely off-line.
Now who needs Saudi oil most? The Chinese? But what about the US supposed ally India? Also this would crash Europe, and put what would be left of the European economy in the hands of the Russians.
When the US is ready to do those things, the war will happen.
–Gaianne

Posted by: Gaianne | Nov 30 2011 20:53 utc | 24

There is a great deal more history of foreign malfeasance, duplicity and exploitative interference intertwined with the ‘Great Game’, well before the overthrow (MI6/CIA Coup) of Iranian democracy re Mohammad Mosaddegh, much more.
A brief snapshot of some of the forgotten history of the wily ‘Old Fox’ in the decades ‘prior’ to 1900, whose enlightened, principled, democratic policies of today, are in fact a consistent unbroken, continuation of those of its, ‘Colonial’ era … Britain has nothing to be proud of and certainly has no right to the ‘high ground’ … a diplomatic uproar, indeed …

Irans Tobacco Protest Of 1891
Sir Henry Drummond Wolff (1830 – 1908)
British mission head who gained economic concessions from Iran.
Exclusive economic concession to Baron Julius de Reuter

Posted by: Outraged | Nov 30 2011 22:00 utc | 26

I believe they actually taught courses on it at Eton Outrage. Top marks were given for duplicity.

Posted by: dh | Nov 30 2011 22:12 utc | 28

@ Cynthia
Not exactly a declarative statement by Chinese government, however, governments have many means to indirectly ‘send’ messages.
However, a war in Iran, the likelihood of exclusive dominance and control of the ME and Central Asia by US is an issue beyond Iran itself.
Such has been and is US policy objective for decades in terms of seeking to cripple other world powers in order to retain global dominance, pre-eminance and bluntly, US economic survival in its post WWII form (unsustainable otherwise ?).
If other powers assessed that goal was likely to be achieved, then WW3 tragically becomes something more than a fictional notion … and that is entirely preclusive of Muslim/Arab/Persian(Uzbeks&Tajiks) explosive reaction to yet another war/conflict on an Islamic nation by a western cabal.
A little more forgotten history pre 1900:

Iran–United Kingdom relations – Qajar era
Fath Ali Shah was forced to sign the notorious Treaty of Gulistan in 1813, followed by the Treaty of Turkmenchay after efforts by Abbas Mirza failed to secure Persia’s northern front against Imperial Russia. The treaties were prepared by the notorious Sir Gore Ouseley with the aid of the British Foreign Office in London. Sir Gore Ouseley was the younger brother of the British orientalist William Ouseley, who served as secretary to the British ambassador in Persia.
In fact, Iran’s current southern and eastern boundaries were determined by none other than the British during the Anglo-Persian War (1856 to 1857). After defeating Nasereddin Shah in Herat in 1857, the British government assigned Frederic John Goldsmid of the Indo-European Telegraph Department to determine the borders between Persia and India during the 1860s.

Posted by: Outraged | Nov 30 2011 22:50 utc | 30

I am very fearful that this game of expelling diplomats will lead to war. War with Iran is in the interests of nobody except Israel, who wants to create a cover for expelling Palestinians.
They are not worried about themselves, Netanyahu needs a grand revolution to obscure the fact that he is putting the Palestinians over the Jordan.

Posted by: alexno | Nov 30 2011 23:45 utc | 32

Now that’s an Embassy! (War-Lite Version™)
U.S. President Barack Obama announced on October 21 that the last troops would leave by year’s end, but Baghdad will still host the largest American embassy in the world, with the full U.S. mission to Iraq including up to 16,000 people.(Diplomats, Operatives & Mercenaries included)

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Obama of the ‘Drones of Death’™, ‘Guantanamo Forever’™, Torture(Enhanced Interrogation Techniques™), ‘Change You Can Believe In’™, Rule of Law and Defender of the Constitution(abridged versions), etc … in Sept 2009 at the Wakefield High School speech , said that his biggest inspiration came from Mahatma Gandhi. His reply was in response to the question:

‘Who was the one person, dead or live, that you would choose to dine with?‘

He continued that:

“He’s somebody I find a lot of inspiration in. He inspired Dr. King with his message of nonviolence. He ended up doing so much and changed the world just by the power of his ethics.”

@ 19 & 27

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it–always.”
Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948)
Indian political and spiritual leader

Posted by: Outraged | Dec 1 2011 3:41 utc | 34

@ Nikon
“ … an Iranian ally, for the past 2000 years”
Cultural/societal relations for 2 millenia yes, however, a formal ALLY in the last century or two, with a treaty ? An informal ALLY without a mutual defense treaty ? or countries in recent decades with sound diplomatic and expanding economic ties and overlapping … ‘national interests’ ? Neither nation in their current forms have existed for more than several decades …
Iran has ‘observer’ status in SCO, yet is not a full member, though that may soon change …
You probably actually meant to link to the more relevant to your terse statement People’s Republic of China – Islamic Republic of Iran relations, but just didn’t have the time on your rounds ? Are you a misguided patriot or does it just pay well, perhaps ?
Re Ghandi & OWS, my take is the op-ed is abstract Ghandi inspired reflections on empowering and evolving the OWS movement, NOT Gandhi against ?

Posted by: Outraged | Dec 1 2011 4:50 utc | 36

actually my point was when two countries have been cooperating for thousands of years, it means they share a deep geopolitical interest, even deeper than a piece of paper like treaty.

Posted by: nikon | Dec 1 2011 5:20 utc | 38

‘Yoni Ra’ appears out of nowhere on que, to irrelevantly falsely slander all re the big ‘I’ … ever heard of pattern recognition or traffic analysis ? To do better at false projection and the role, may I suggest thespian class ? … does your software send you alerts for the monitored thread, hm ? Okay, I apologise, maybe your just doing an internship then, Nikon ?
Peace, Salaam, Shalom

Posted by: Outraged | Dec 1 2011 5:39 utc | 40

hm, okay, then, what you’re at is Iran = evil, Iran and China go back 2000 years ‘geopolitally’ (yeah right!), therefore China = Iran, therefore China = Evil also … is that your meme ?
Peace, Salaam, Shalom

Posted by: Outraged | Dec 1 2011 5:48 utc | 42

So, Bachman would close our embassy in Iran, she says. Obviously, it would be one of her easier tasks as POTUS, as no such embassy exists.
How is it that our country has fallen so far that these ignorant redneck assholes have found their way out of their local bible study groups and bumbled their way onto the campaign trail? This idiot Bachman makes a mensa out of Palin. Joe The Plumber is smarter and more informed than this skirted clown, Bachman.
Yes, indeedy, this country is in very deep shit.

Posted by: PissedOffAmerican | Dec 1 2011 14:49 utc | 44

@ 44: Don’t think any of these 8 clowns are to be taken seriously. I think they’re paid to keep certain messages before idiot america. The malignant 1%ers are quite happy to “re-elect” Obama, who has done well to further their interests in implementing their global strategy.

Posted by: ben | Dec 1 2011 15:39 utc | 46

@dan – it wasn’t the sanctions; according to Bhadrakumar’s article linked by Colm O’ Toole (#19), Uk is working to remove the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MKO) from the list of terrorist organizations, plus it seems their embassy was a hub for their spying and sabotage activities;
maybe they had their own internal problems in arriving at the decision to close the embassy, and somebody thought a fait accompli was the best and fastest solution
also, Bhadrakumar points out two other aspects: (a) the Iranian establishment has practically abandoned hope to esatablish a dialogue with the West; (b) the return to “revolutionary mode” is their way to mobilize collective energies the moment confrontation becomes necessary (as they think it has)
plus, as some say, that kind of attack was the only way to get at compromising documents, if there were any
all in all, quite a rude action, but justified by the western mounting aggression; of course, we only get one side of the story; on the other hand, people feeding only the MSM are already convinced Iran is building the bomb and it might be best to bomb it first, so it doesn’t make much of a difference

Posted by: claudio | Dec 1 2011 17:12 utc | 48

Dan, you might be right; there apparently are new dynamics at play within the Iranian establishment

Posted by: claudio | Dec 1 2011 22:47 utc | 50