Europe And The New Sanctions On Iran
The U.S. has imposed new sanctions on Iran which will make ANY trade with the country very difficult:
[T]he Trump administration has decided to impose yet further sanctions on the country, this time targeting the entirety of the Iranian financial sector. These new measures carry biting secondary sanctions effects that cut off third parties’ access to the U.S. financial sector if they engage with Iran’s financial sector. Since the idea was first floated publicly, many have argued that sanctioning Iran’s financial sector would eviscerate what humanitarian trade has survived the heavy hand of existing U.S. sanctions.
Behind the move was pressure from the Zionist lobby. President Trump is in need of campaign funds and the lobby provides those. The move is also designed to preempt any attempts by a potentially new administration to revive the nuclear agreement with Iran:
This idea appears to have first been introduced into public discourse in an Aug. 25, 2020, Wall Street Journal article by Mark Dubowitz and Richard Goldberg urging the Trump administration to “[b]uild an Iranian [s]anctions [w]all” to prevent any future Biden administration from returning to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear accord between Iran and the world’s major powers on which President Donald Trump reneged in May 2018.
The new sanctions will stop all trade between the 'western' countries and Iran.
The Foreign Minister of Iran responded with defiance:
Javad Zarif @JZarif - 17:30 UTC · Oct 8, 2020Amid Covid19 pandemic, U.S. regime wants to blow up our remaining channels to pay for food & medicine.
Iranians WILL survive this latest of cruelties.
But conspiring to starve a population is a crime against humanity. Culprits & enablers—who block our money—WILL face justice.
In response Iran will continue its turn to the east. Russia, China and probably India will keep payment channels with Iran open or will make barter deals.
The Europeans, who so far have not dared to counter U.S. sanctions on Iran, are likely to be again shown as the feckless U.S. ass kissers they have always been. They will thereby lose out in a market with 85 million people that has the resources to pay for their high value products. If they stop trade of humanitarian goods with Iran they will also show that their much vaunted 'values' mean nothing.
The European Union claims that it wants to be an independent actor on the world stage. If that is to be taken seriously this would be the moment to demonstrate it.
Posted by b on October 9, 2020 at 16:37 UTC | Permalink
next page »The next phase would appear to be Kyrgyzstan: from Belarus east to Sinkiang and Hong Kong the subversion and the attempts at regime change are constant.
While Eurasia seeks to unite for peace and prosperity, the United States and its sleazy satrapy is constantly trying to divide and weaken, to undermine and to intimidate. In doing so it relies heavily on abusing the tattered lineaments of democracy- electioneering and propagandising, the relics of a western culture which has become nothing more than a hollow shell containing an increasingly totalitarian plutocracy.
Posted by: bevin | Oct 9 2020 17:07 utc | 2
Unconscionable but what is new with pompass and his ghouls; treasury dept responsible for cranking up the sanctions program was formerly headed by a dual citizen woman who resigned suddenly after being exposed as an Israeli citizen-not hard to understand that sentiment in that dept has not changed.
The other aspect here is the FDD as key supporter of these severe sanctions; very virulent anti-Iranian vipers nest of ziocons with money bags from zionist oligarch funders.
Posted by: Thomas Minnehan | Oct 9 2020 17:11 utc | 3
Ho-hum. As I wrote earlier, just the daily breaking of laws meaning business as usual. As noted, Russia has really upped the diplomatic heat on EU and France/Germany in particular, and that heat will be further merited if the response is as b predicts from their past, deplorable, behavior. Much talk/writing recently about our current crisis being similar in many ways to those that led to WW1, but with the Outlaw US Empire taking Britain's role. I expect Iran's Iraqi proxies to escalate their attacks aimed at driving out the occupiers. IMO, we ought to contemplate the message within this Strategic Culture editorial when it comes to the hegemonic relationship between the Outlaw US Empire and the EU/NATO and the aims of both. The EU decided not to continue fighting against the completion of Nord Stream, but that IMO will be its last friendly act until it severs its relations with the Outlaw US Empire. With the Wall moved to Russia's Western borders, the Cold War will resume. That will also affect Iran.
All this simply moves Iran into closer confederation with Russia and China and strengthens its resolve to send US middle eastern troops packing. Soon there will be a strong Russia-China-Iran axis that is immune to all Western sanctions. Those countries who are part of the BRI will get privileged economic treatment. The advantages will become increasingly apparent and the economic disadvantages of staying allied with the US will become increasingly apparent as well, particularly in light of the approaching collapse of the dollar. As long as we manage to avoid a hot war the civilizational die is cast; the US has chosen its destiny, in the dustbin of history, at least as a neoliberal oligarchy. When and how it will reinvent itself is an open question, but it is not unreasonable to think it will take decades. While Europe will eventually align with Eurasia, it will take another generation of politicians before that happens.
Posted by: Joseph Dillard | Oct 9 2020 17:32 utc | 5
If Iran isn't self-sufficient now, it will be by the time the US is finished with it. That isn't a comfortable place to be but with key sector support from the Eastern bloc it's at least as manageable as Cuba. The question is whether and how fast the Eastern bloc can consolidate its resources by e.g. petrodollar replacement and better shared infrastructure. The Eastern bloc isn't ideal, but when the West is apparently encouraging something like a holocaust of suffering humanity, it's the only other game in town.
Posted by: Loftwork | Oct 9 2020 17:36 utc | 6
No, this is not the moment. This is the last chance. Oh, these vassals with zero integrity and character!
Posted by: Nathan Mulcahy | Oct 9 2020 17:39 utc | 7
High time for both Russia and China and Iran/Cuba/Venezuela to really get together and start speaking with one voice and show the despicable USA/West/NATO that they will stand together and defend each other. Otherwise it's all over.
Specific steps to implement:
1. create and begin using an alternative to the SWIFT and invite anyone who is being sanctioned by USA/West to join them
2. openly and officially declare that their currencies are backed by gold
3. openly and officially begin to speak against USA's actions around the world at the UN and invite anyone who is being sanctioned by USA/West to join them
4. get together and openly declare to the world they stand as one and to invite
anyone else who is being harassed by USA/West/NATO to join them
5. immediately begin clean up of all the terrorists/CIA Operatives in in Central Asia otherwise they will be in deep trouble
what are Putin and Xi doing?? Come on guys, wake up!
Posted by: Hoyeru | Oct 9 2020 17:40 utc | 8
EU and US. Just playing classical
And Trump don't make Amerika "Too big to fail" alone. But double down
https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-a510221c9228a7d1b9f383b3428db349
When you owe 5000€, you're afraid of your crédit or but when You owe 5000 T$, Who is afraid ?
Financial House of Card let them no choice but to S***MyD***, and wait
Posted by: MichaelW | Oct 9 2020 17:46 utc | 9
In March, Germany announced that the first transaction had been completed using Europe’s INSTEX system to skirt sanctions – more than a year after the scheme had supposedly been put in place.
I haven’t seen anything further about it. Has it enabled any significant level of trade?
Posted by: David G | Oct 9 2020 18:14 utc | 10
Now I understand why Javad Zarif is in China for a two-day meeting:
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-10/08/c_139426303.htm
I guess it wasn't for the National Holiday?
Posted by: One Too Many | Oct 9 2020 18:20 utc | 11
Why would anyone need anything not Made in China? Plus China is the EU's second highest trade partner (after US) so Iran could have access to some of that if for some reason they needed an EU product. . . .Meanwhile Iran will be even more self-sufficient, as Russia has become with EU sanctions. . . .The US has been trying self-imposed "sanctions" (China uncoupling) to become more self-sufficient but it's not working.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Oct 9 2020 18:28 utc | 12
thanks b... it is interesting what a pivotal role israel plays in all of this... and why would there be concern that biden would be any different then trump in revoking the jcpoa? to my way of thinking, it is just pouring more cement and sealing the fate of the usa either way, as an empire in real decline and resorting to more of the same financial sanctions as a possible precursor to war.. frankly i can't see a war with iran, as the usa would have to contend with russia and china at this point... russia and china must surely know the game plan is exactly the same for them here as well.. as for europe, canada, australia and the other poodles - they are all hopeless on this front as i see it... lets all bow down to the great zionist plan, lol...
Posted by: james | Oct 9 2020 18:33 utc | 13
Yeah but at least Trump didn’t start any new wars. /s
The Eurotools in Brussels are absolutely disgusting. A weaker bunch of feckless, milquetoast satraps is difficult to imagine. The EU perfectly embodies the 21st century liberal ethic: spout virtue signaling nonsense about peace, freedom, human rights and the “rules based international order” while licking the boots of Uncle Scam and the Ziofascists and going along with their war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Russia and China need to step up their game and boldly circumvent the collective punishment sanctions that are choking the life out of Iran, Syria and Venezuela. They still let the rogue states of the west get away with far too much.
Posted by: Daniel | Oct 9 2020 18:48 utc | 14
The Teheran men will not surrender to the yankee herds and hordes. And less so the telavivian.
It s easy to see that in the medium run this cruelly extended crime plays in chinese, russian and shia hands.
And they must start immediately a backlash handing hundreds of special forces and weapons opver to the Houthi hands.
EU continues its self-imposed slide into irrelevance. I suppose a servant's life is an easier life: you don't have to think for yourself and just need to please master. But it can hardly be a satisfactory experience, can it? Especially when the collar is held by such as Trump and Pompass.
The winds of change are coming and they will be interesting. China's economy is already greater than the US and that will expand many fold over the next few decades. The $ economy will not survive this, especially not as the US has shown it will use its power corruptly. The EU batter consider this; do they want to be part of the past or the future?
Posted by: Caliman | Oct 9 2020 18:53 utc | 16
Boycott America, Israel and any other backers of these cruel measures
Posted by: Some random passerby | Oct 9 2020 19:04 utc | 18
There is something much more significant happening with Europe, that is more than the Iran issue.
The EU is trying to prop up the US Empire in response to its decline, instead of trying to free itself.
The EU has chosen the side of the US against the multipolar world. It will be trying to prop up the Empire.
It is becoming increasingly hostile to any country that isn't a puppet to the US, like itself, and is lashing out at those countries. Like a zombie, it wants to infect others with its infection, and turn every other country into US puppets too. It thinks that this is normal and it wants to spread that "normality" to the rest of the world too.
Many analysts are already mentioning that the EU is becoming increasingly hostile to Russia.
Recently, serious statements came from Russian officials:
"Russia will not follow EU and US rules".
"There will be no more business as usual between Russia and France and Germany".
"France and Germany are now leading the anti-russian block within Europe".
"Russia will no longer be dependent on the EU".
"Europeans have delusions of grandeur".
These are all statements by Lavrov and Zacharova.
Recently, we have seen Germany and France banning Huawei, Europe together with US blocking the OPCW investigation at the UN, and Germany leading the charge at the UN stage against China. EU also took the lead in the colour revolution in Belarus.
There are two recent statesments by the french foreign minister and by the EU commision chief:
"Europe needs to unite against Russia and Turkey".
Surveys also show rising levels of anti-chinese hatred in Europe, and not only in the US.
What has happened is far more serious than the europeans being "feckless U.S. ass kissers". It is worse than that.
The EU chose the side of the US against the multipolar world. It does not want to free itself from the US. Actually it thinks that it is normal to be a puppet, that others should be US puppets too, and that a joint EU-US Empire should be supported, so that some kind of world wide liberal utopia can be build by it.
Europeans are psychologically damaged by WW2 and this is affecting their geopolitical behavior, turning them into forever puppets of the US.
They can not free themselves because when they were free once, they "did very bad things". Therefore they should always follow their "better" and "Big Daddy" US, who "freed them from themselves" and "put them in the right way".
Europeans can not be helped. Ironically, it is their own rejection of their WW2 past that causes them to reject the multipolar world and sovereignty as "primitive things from the past", and thus support a transnational globalist western empire that is here "to bring Utopia on Earth". For them Russia, China, Iran, India, Turkey etc. are just a bunch of primitives that are tryng to turn back the clock.
And thus it will increasingly start to lash out at any country that isn't a US puppet as those countries prevent the coming of Utopia.
Posted by: Passer by | Oct 9 2020 19:09 utc | 19
Of course there is a war on, and it has been gathering force for some time.
Iran is but one more skirmish or battle. However, Xi and Putin are using what I call the "Papou yes". You must always say "yes" as this way you avoid direct conflict, but then you go and do exactly what you were going to do in the first place. The person who does the demanding - having had his/her demands "met" has nothing further to add and will go away. (I have seen this effective technique in action).
At the moment it appears that the aim of the subversive (military/CIA/NGO) wings of the Empire are to start as many conflicts as possible. To isolate and overextend Russia, leading to it's collapse. (As they claim to have done before.)
The "Alternative axis" is just carrying on with it's own plan to overextend and eventually let the US dissolve into its own morasss. The opposition are trying to follow their own plan without giving an opening for the US/NATO to use its numerical military advantage, by not taking the bait.
The ultimate battle is for financial control of the worlds currency, or in the case of the US, to halt the loss of it's financial power. To avoid that The next step could be the introduction of a Fed. owned controlled and issued "digi-dollar", When all outstanding "dollar assets" are re-denominated into virtual misty-money which is created exclusively by the Fed. Banks become unnecessary as the Fed becomes the only "lender" available, Congress redundant, debts no longer matter and so on. Who cares about the reserves held by China and overseas "investors" if their use or even existence can be dictated by the Fed?
They have already published a "trial balloon" about introducing a digi-dollar.
Iran? the US is throwing ALL its cards into what looks like it's final battle to preserve the dollars supremacy. Why cut ALL the Iranian financial system out of their sphere of influence? Because it (thinks) it can and by doing so cower the wavering into obeying.
Posted by: Stonebird | Oct 9 2020 19:20 utc | 20
Thanks ‘b’, very well timed. I was actually heading to the open thread with this article until I saw your piece. This Asia Times article focuses on three key points:
- Iran has replaced the dollar with the Yuan as its main foreign currency
“This may become the east wind for the renminbi (yuan) and provide a new oil currency option for traders in oil-producing countries, including Iran,” an editorial on qq.com said. “
- Several large banks in Iran are developing a gold encrypted digital currency called PayMon and had issued more than 1,000 crypto-currency mining licenses, which could promote the development of crude oil. Domestic traders use cryptocurrency to import goods and bypass American banks.
- The Iranian-Swiss Joint Chamber of Commerce
“Switzerland had received a special exemption from US supervisory authorities to allow the SHTA operations.”
It remains to be seen how effective the Swiss Humanitarian Trade Agreement actually is. Some say it is nothing but a US propaganda stunt. Hopefully, that is not the case.
Posted by: AtaBrit | Oct 9 2020 19:28 utc | 21
I fail to see anything but US desperation and irrelevance in this. Okay, US and Israeli. It's at the level of attention whoring; "look at us, we're sanctioning Iran again!".
Beyond harassment what is this supposed to achieve or stop that hasn't already been done or failed? "Force" the US to sanction all of China and Russia and yes perhaps India, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria,…?
The first thing they will do is to complain that whoever it might be are forcing them to act due to the illegal sanctions the US is forcing onto others! Absurd :D
It puts Japan in a bad situation though, as an outside non-expert it seems to me that Idemitsu (& the jp oil cottage industry) only wants Iranian oil and none of the US crap which must have a large negative worth for them and probably would force them to go out of business (because they didn't build their oil infrastructure to process US shit). How many billions of dollars is the US prepared to pay to Japan for them to buy US oil instead? Pretty sure Suga will be forced to commit seppuku live on NHK if Idemitsu etc. disappears; it's about much more than the oil itself or the technology tree. Anyway that's just the opinion of a strange foreigner.
They could make a deal with China to get the Iranian oil though… or are they already? Winning! So much winning! :D
Plenty of countries including several US "allies" will have to continue to find ways around the US nonsense, including in Europe, and I'm pretty sure none of them would ever consider using any EU "solution". The harder the US pushes to close those gaps the less cooperation they will receive. Can't wait for the day the US government sues some "allied" government in one of their bullshit courts.
Why don't the US just sanction the whole world already and be done with it? It would only mean that there will be US USDs ("backed" by the US and instantly going to shit) and non-US USDs (backed by Chinese foreign-owned US debt that will be traded for formerly US land and resources after the US has collapsed) :P
Simple! :D
Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Oct 9 2020 19:30 utc | 22
Passer by | Oct 9 2020 19:09 utc | 17
Think of the Governments of the EU as having been infiltrated by a fifth column. One that sees the EU as vassals. Many parts of the Political spectrum do not seem to think of the end result except as a sort of glued together "WWSS" (World Wide Slave State?), with countries as property of individual Oligarchic families, and the individuals in them controlled by all the means of repression that are becoming evident.
Posted by: Stonebird | Oct 9 2020 19:33 utc | 23
Given the barbaric aggressive behavior of the United States, it seems reasonable that a number of countries (primarily Russia, Iran, China, Venezuela, as well as Syria, the DPRK, etc) at least begin a discussion about the prospects for the development and adoption of regulations that interpret US actions as military attack (in fact, what the US is doing is direct military aggression, casus belli) and regulating the possibility of a military response to these steps - mean, the response directly with the use of conventional weapons against US personnel and facilities. There is no other way to reason with the distraught aggressor.
If a country is unable (or does not want, for a number of reasons) to respond symmetrically to the aggressor - using unilateral discriminatory measures against the United States - then such a country should have the right to respond by military means, striking US targets. For such actions in each of the aforementioned countries, an appropriate legislative framework must be developed.
Economic, humanitarian, legal, information terrorism on the part of the United States (and those who pursue the same policy) should be interpreted completely unambiguously and assume a legitimate military response.
The EU die was cast in the UN vote that embarrassed the US last month. The EU will defy the US and work around the sanctions. They must for their own economic vitality.
These sanctions are US hegemonic sanctions. They are dual use: they hurt Iran and they prevent the EU from gaining market share and flexibility over the US.
With Russia and China ready to deal weapons to Iran, the containment and strangulation of Iran is relieved. Russia spits at US sanctions.
Sanctions used to be employed by the US to get behavior change or begin regime change.
The sanctions on Iran intend to kill Iran as a sovereign nation. Most other nations don't want that result, only Israel and the Arab oil nations want that.
Russia and China will not allow that to happen.
Just as sanctions did not and does not alter North Korea's behavior, these new sanctions won't change Iran's behavior.
Diplomacy, head man to head man, changed Kim's behavior. Trump didn't learn that lesson, quite ironically.
Posted by: Red Ryder | Oct 9 2020 20:06 utc | 25
Passerby @17 notes the increasingly obvious anti-Russia stance.
What drives it?
Economics.
USA is a bigger market for EU than Russia.
But Russia is closer by far, has natural resources and great economic fundementals, needing only capital. Surely it is an important engine in a EU thriving internal economy?
Yes, but USA will not allow West-East economic integration of Eurasia, as it makes for a massive competitor to US business. Russia and China must be economically suppressed.
As a bonus, any EU economic suppression of imports from China will, in the long run, boost domestic EU employment.
All EU (and Russia) are requiring more 'local content' in foreign capital invested in their country.
In the energy dependence sense, it is the only suitable moment in time to do this. Renewables in EU join with natural gas oversupply around the world to somewhat free EU from energy dependence from mid East sources (and Russia supplies only ~12% of German energy needs.
The perfect moment to strike.
Sanctions and restrictions need a 'justification'. Levers and sticks are needed to be able to accuse Russia and China of dear old 'human rights abuses'. Chemical weapon fabrications are almost ideal.
So ramp up evidence-free accusations, and sleight-of-hand replace some of them with EU minted exclusive clubs with accusatory, investigative, and punitive attributes.
UN Conventions are an obstacle. That's why it's so important to place them outside Security Council resolutions - the only universally recognised proscriptive sanction and punitive mechanism.
If this mechanism is to be set loose, the Security Council must lose power.
Once all the cogs in this machine are in place, turn the machine on.
What will you dial up?
Dial up rules, regulations, restrictions, sanctions, exclusions, tariffs, inducements, subsidies, or any self-serving instrument you can think of. Bloc vote to cripple the 'opposing' existing Conventions and Internationally approved instruments.
All aimed at giving economic advantage over EVERYONE outside west Eurasia (and USA).
Whats wrong with that?
G6 mutated and on steroids.
Large enough to have some leverage over USA. G6 + 1.
And G6 + 1 would have enormous leverage over the rest of the world.
Except RIC (Russia, India, China.
RIC plus many other countries in a Eurasian Convention will also have considerable ability to develop economies, as long as a vibrant internal Eurasian + economy develops.
And given the internal resources and transport connections, Eurasia is a viable econo-system - even where exports to the Western Union ('WU') and United States (US)are restricted by tariff barriers.
Economic struggle. WUUSies against the world.
Popcorn please?
No. We are all dragged into this EU adventure.
We, the people, are all unwilling players in their game.
Posted by: powerandpeople | Oct 9 2020 20:15 utc | 26
If only I knew when I was young and single that EU so graciously licks USUK balls, I would’ve patronized their whorehouses and flashed my gold club membership card at the door each time. I truly squandered my opportunities.
/s?
Posted by: oglalla | Oct 9 2020 20:21 utc | 27
@Red Ryder | 23
Completely agree.
What we will probably see is the EU attempting to both appease the US in the immediate term while continuing to work with Iran / China to form longer-term solutions, if that isn't what is already happening.
@Sunny Runny Burger | 20
"Why don't the US just sanction the whole world already" - give them a little more time, I'm sure they will. ))
Posted by: AtaBrit | Oct 9 2020 20:22 utc | 28
Of course the 20% of people in the US, who don’t live pay check to pay check are oblivious to all this and are quite happy to keep supporting the Empire for all it’s worth, as long as their sources of income, well-being and lifestyle remains secure and untouched.
Posted by: krypton | Oct 9 2020 20:27 utc | 29
Of course, those with the knowledge through insiders and all day bragging about owning "intelligence analytical skills", which allows them to know what really Trump´s foreign policy is and will be, and who, in spite of that, are campaigning for this element, so as to save in tax returns, should be thus held accountable as accomplices in crimes against humanity...It would be a fair development after they went scot free in other crimes....A fair development would be that they would be made paying reparations to the Iranian and Venezuelan peoples and through this they would lose the tax return saving multiplied by n factor.
With these, as that it will not wash that they "did not know waht was happenieng to the jews" as the Germans said after they lost WWII...
Posted by: H.Schmatz | Oct 9 2020 20:31 utc | 30
Sure. Tell me again how Trump "doesn't want to start a new war." Morons.
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Oct 9 2020 20:37 utc | 31
What does Iran need that they cannot get from China and Russia? The USA has cheap corn, and the EU has... what, cheese? Other than that I don't see why Iran needs to trade with the empire and its more servile vassals anyway.
Posted by: William Gruff | Oct 9 2020 20:50 utc | 32
Strange, that ther is a jewish or Israeki ´ animosity agains Iran (or agains tthe Medtans -- as thy are all named in all Greek records(H, that theer is a jewish animosity against, that ther is a jewish anikisit agains Iran (or the Medtans -- as thy are old ptt in all Greek Strenge(Hellemistic) tales, Cyrur+s the Great is reported to have liberatet the Jews of Babilon end sent them back to Jerusalem . So, "PRIMO SON VENETANO, SECUNDO SON CHRISTANO" -- STILL A COMMONLY ACCEPTED SAYING INVENEZIA WHEB I VISITED ABD AKED IT IN THE THE YEAR OF 1´2917! Iran (or the Medtans -- as thy are old ptt in all Greek Strenge(Hellemistic) tales, Cyrur+s the Great is reorted to have liberatet te´he Jews of Babilon end sent them back to Jerusalem . So, "PRIMO SON VENETANO, SECUNDO SON CHRISTANO" -- STILL A COMMONLY ACCEPTED SAYING INVENEZIA WHEB I VISITED ABD AKED IT IN THE THE YEAR OF 1´2917! ellenistic) tales, Cyrur+s the Great is reorted to have liberatet te´he Jews of Babylon end sent them back to Jerusalem . So, "PRIMO SON VENETANO, SECUNDO SON CHRISTANO" -- STILL A COMMONLY ACCEPTED SAYING INVENEZIA WHEB I VISITED ABD AKED IT IN THE THE YEAR OF 2017
Posted by: Tollef Ås/秋涛乐 | Oct 9 2020 20:55 utc | 33
Quite impressed with all the theories about Europe and its behavior. The answer is very simple, Europe is occupied by a foreign power, it is a colony. And all the qualifiers are quaint.
Posted by: Paco | Oct 9 2020 21:05 utc | 34
It's the world's loss that great cultures like the Persians have been suppressed for so long. The madness needs to end.
Posted by: Red Ryder | Oct 9 2020 20:06 utc | 23
I disagree. What did the EU did on Iran, compared to Russia and China?
It stopped most trade with Iran, including the purchase of iranian oil, and it stopped all investment projects.
INSTEX is a joke.
Meanwhile Germany recently banned Hezbollah.
Yes, they did vote for the JCPOA in the UN. I look at actions rather than words though, and EU has imposed de facto sanctions on Iran.
Moreover, German FM Maas told Israel recently that efforts are underway to keep the Iran arms embargo. (He is also a big "Russia fan" - sarc off)
In other words, we "support" the JCPOA, but in practice with arms and trade embargoes on Iran continuing.
Yeah right.
Posted by: powerandpeople | Oct 9 2020 20:15 utc | 24
No, its not so simple, unless you claim that european russophobia started with the US and did not exist before it. Guy Mettan has a good book on it. It is a thousand years old issue, involving Catholicism, France, Germany, Sweden, Britain, and others.
Yes, the US wants to divide the EU and Russia. But the EU itself is rotten from within.
Politics are more important than the economy, German Chancellor Merkel said in relation to Russia.
"Drang nach Osten" - "Drive to the East".
Germany dreams of capturing Eastern Europe and using is as some sort of colonised labor pool similar to what Latin America is for the US.
And this is why the EU, without any prodding, eagerly took the lead in the attempt of colour revolution in Belarus, where it played far bigger role than the US.
Posted by: Passer by | Oct 9 2020 21:11 utc | 36
I have to disagree with your assessment.
Signing and adhearing to the JCPOA turned Europe and Iran from opponents into partners. This is a great diplomatic achievement. However, no part of the JCPOA made the two allies or obliged the European side to wage an economic war with the USA on behalf of Iran. On the contrary, the Iranians would be the first to say they are no friends of Europa. They have been complaining about "Western meddling" in their region for years. (Note that they don`t differentiate but always speak collectively of "the West").
So that`s their chance to show the world how mucht of a sovereign nation they are and that they can handle their problems without the "meddling" of the "despiceable" Europeans. Ther is no abligation - neither legal nor moral - for Europe to take the side of Iran in the US-Iran conflict.
And actually it is both sides - both Iran and the USA - who are unhappy with the current European neutrality.
Posted by: m | Oct 9 2020 21:24 utc | 37
Thanks to MoA for being one of the only honest brokers of news on Iran in the English language. As an American citizen living abroad (in EU) I have a more jaded and at the same time worried feeling about this.
Along with all the other stuff, including the current threat to close the U.S. embassy in the Iraqi "Green Zone" and the accompanying military maneuvers, which would spark war in the region, I see this hardening and expansion of sanctions as yet the next clue that the U.S. and Donald Trump's regime are looking toward re-election and a hot war with/on Iran. Rattling the cage ever more and backing Iran into the corner with brutal, all-encompassing sanctions is already an act of war, usually the first prior to bombs falling. I can also see this greenlighting Israeli or joint American-Israeli strikes on alleged Iranian nuclear weapons development sites and other military and petro-state assets.
I hope I'm wrong but we've all seen this before and it never ends well. If the EU shows a spine, or more likely Russia and/or China step in directly, perhaps the long desired neocon/neolib/Zionist hot war against Iran can be avoided.
Posted by: _K_C_ | Oct 9 2020 21:31 utc | 38
I think it is very important for the US to kill another 500,000 children via sanctions, in order to demonstrate the importance of freedom and democracy and observing international law.
Posted by: Perimetr | Oct 9 2020 21:32 utc | 39
While reading this post I was thinking what MoA wrote in the last two paragraphs. And also that Iran will just continue to turn to China, Russia, and others in the East.
It's disgusting to watch the people of the US/UK/EU go along with this. Western elites are fat, lazy, vicious, and cruel.
Posted by: AriusArmenian | Oct 9 2020 21:48 utc | 40
@17 passer by
(and others)
"Europeans can not be helped. Ironically, it is their own rejection of their WW2 past that causes them to reject the multipolar world and sovereignty as "primitive things from the past"
plus, as you point out elsewhere, there are longer histories at play: the Crusades against the Slavs, the Moors and the Turks (and the Arabs, in fact), the invention of "western civilization" in the 19th century (Arians vs Semites, Europe vs Asia, ecc) ...
plus, there is the persisting aspiration for world domination, partly frustrated by WW1 and the upheavals of the XXth century, which transformed the UK and the whole of Europe (with Japan, Australia, etc) in a junior partner of the new US Empire
(that's the other lesson learned from WW2: no single european power could dominate the continent and the world, but they could dominate as junior partners under the new young leader of the wolf pack, the US)
plus, there are is a class war that can be better fought, by national oligarchies, within globalist rethoric and rules
plus, there are the US deep state instruments of domination over european national states
but Europeans (and Usaians) do understand the language of force, and they have - at the moment - encountered a wall in their attempts at expansion, in Iran, China, Russia, Venezuela, ecc; an alternative multipolar alliance is taking shape
so they might attempt to win a nuclear war by 20 million deaths to 2 (or 200 to 20, who cares), but they might also decide to tune down their ambitions and return to reality; maybe
Posted by: claudio | Oct 9 2020 22:17 utc | 41
Paco @15 & 32--
IMO, we would have some interesting discussions. Yes, in a sense WW2 didn't end either, nor did WW1. The root of our rather ancient Problem Tree began growing long ago when humans adopted a sedentary lifestyle that allowed for one very important societal trend to emerge--the concept of private property--whereas ownership and distribution had previously been communal. Following on the heels of private property was private accumulation of resources whereas again they'd previously been communal. Hierarchical leadership had already been established millennia before as had the concept of religion. Culture was the regulating device for societies since there were no written laws, but cultural adaptations take many generations to be honed and internalized for them to be effective. IMO, a great many cultures, but not all, were unable to regulate the sudden rise of those two radical developments--private property and resource accumulation--that caused the undermining of cultural taboos related to communalism, which caused societies to become stratified by those two concepts. Eventually, many components of society that were once communal became privatized which further increased social stratification and created the need for people to ask those better off for help whereas such help would've been automatic prior to the society becoming destabilized. That's the best explanation I can offer for the rise of creditors and debtors well before the concept of money was established.
Hudson and Graeber have established the general lines of what happened next as societies became what anthropologists term Monumental irrigation-based agricultural polities and the concept of interest bearing debt arose. This allowed for the growth of several different classes within the already stratified society whose culture was now dysfunctional in its ability to regulate mores and norms. The two primary classes that still exist today are Creditors and Debtors, and the war between the two has existed for @6-7K years.
Fast-forwarding to the 1750s, we have the first determined efforts by what are known as the Classical Economists/Political-Economists to put an end to the immoralities of the Feudal Age. By now very clear it was purposely omitted by later "scholarship", Adam Smith first wrote and published his Theory of Moral Sentiments in 1759 which formed the basis for his subsequent Wealth of Nations in 1776. The enemy of progress were the landed aristocracy who got a free lunch thanks to the rent paid for the use of their lands, which Enclosure had greatly exacerbated. (Read Utopia for a vivid description of life @1500 about 100 years into the Enclosure process.) The great momentum to rid England and Europe of the basis for Feudalism seemed unstoppable by the mid 1800s but instead that became its high-tide moment as the Feudal forces began their counters.
We are now at the High-Tide moment for those evolved Feudal Forces and their operating system: Neoliberalism, which also includes Imperialism and Colonialism. It's very much as Hudson describes in Killing the Host: The FIRE sector--his term for those Feudal Forces--has turned on its previously ignored host to further enrich itself. Imagine a Matryoshka Doll that's made of differing classes of nations along the lines of a trophic system with the littler ones consumed by the bigger ones, etc., all enclosed within the Outlaw US Empire. But not all nations are within that doll; some substantial nations have escaped capture via various mechanisms and they resist. Indeed, they offer an alternative to those nations not yet captured and an example to those captured of the benefits of breaking free.
That's my explanation of how we got to where we are, which also tells us how we can get out of our pickle--the Neoliberal trophic system needs to be broken, hopefully without provoking Nuclear War.
If they stop trade of humanitarian goods with Iran they will also show that their much vaunted 'values' mean nothing.
b, they've already shown that with their treatment of Syria.
Posted by: cirsium | Oct 9 2020 22:43 utc | 43
Here's the underlying contradiction in the relation between Europe and the East in general (specially China):
Europe must speak to China with one voice, says Merkel [from 2017]
"Europe must work hard to defend its influence and above all to speak with one voice to China," Merkel told business weekly WirtschaftsWoche."Seen from Beijing, Europe is more like an Asian peninsula. Obviously, we see things differently," she added.
The key here is we live in an era of secular decline of the Global North (besides the name, it also includes Australia and New Zealand) and the ascension of China. As a result, Europe wants unfettered and unconditional access to the Chinese domestic market:
Equally, "we are willing to allow the Chinese to take part [in bids for government contracts] in Europe, but then we want access in the other direction to their procurement," she said.
Of course that this didn't happen, as the uncontrolled of China's opening would be a repetition of the "Unequal Treaties". Europe is now moving to ban Chinese companies from competing in their own domestic markets.
Europe, however, doesn't have a problem with what they call "complementary economies", i.e. sellers of cheap commodities. Hence their good will with Iran and Russia. The problem here is that the USA is also a great commodity producer and, in the absence of other markets, it is forcing Europe to swallow up its GNP and shale oil by shutting down their diplomatic ties with Russia and Iran.
Another problem for the Europeans is that Russia considers itself - since the end of the 18th Century at least - an Eurasian power, not an European one. This restricts Europe to its "peninsular trap" Merkel talks about.
An option for Europe would be an expansion to the Middle East, through Turkey, Egypt, Argelia and the Levant up to Iran (Persia), thus rebuilding the old frontiers of Europe (Ancient Rome). But that route is closed because that's already the American zone of influence, from Israel and Turkey (NATO).
Finally, there's NATO itself, which kills any possibility of an European Army and puts the USA in a position to subjugate the entire European Peninsula militarily by conventional means. This puts a lot of pressure on the USA's favor because it can guarantee favorable economic deals on a case by case basis against any combination of European powers.
@m (#35)
EU promised to uphold JCPOA. They can’t because of the US and they are doing next to nothing to change that. EU isn’t neutral. They are stooges. Iran is right to complain about it, the US isn’t.
Posted by: wj2 | Oct 9 2020 23:28 utc | 45
On fuck head Trump in Raio today :
Iran and Iranian don’t even give a fuck to this white trash mofo in white house, he can go feat shit and fuck himself with his entire shit hole around him.
Posted by: Kooshy | Oct 9 2020 23:29 utc | 46
If this fuck head wants to get another golden shower, no problem Iranians are ready to nationally piss on him and his entire shithole House.
Posted by: kooshy | Oct 9 2020 23:37 utc | 47
Trump is a man of peace, he hasn't started any new wars - whatever that means, lol. As far as I know economic blocade is tantamount to war. If he wins reelection expect renewed kinetic attacks on venezuela and Iran. He's already lined up his zionist coalition with arabic satraps to launch his Iran quagmire. Trump is a deal maker, he understands the economy and will bring back manufacturing jobs to Murikkka, lol. I'm sure Boeing execs in deep trouble would love to sell plane to the Iranians but Mr. MIGA just made that impossible. Nothing to worry about, there's always the next socialist bailout for Boeing funded by taxpayers - suckers as Trump would call them. So much for winning, can't fix deplorable and stupid...
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/08/iran-deal-fallout-boeing-may-lose-20-billion-in-aircraft-deals.html
Btw b, Trump's opposition to the Iran deal has nothing to do with money or the zionist lobby. Stable genius opposed JCPOA in 2015 even before announcing his run for the presidency. It's not about the mula but all about the mollah's, lol: The Donald in his own words at a tea party event in 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIDNonMDSo8
Posted by: Boss Tweet | Oct 9 2020 23:54 utc | 48
Ever since the Iranian revolution of 1979 multiple US regimes in DC have been totally successful in making majority Iranian people everywhere in the world, understand that the US is their chronic strategic enemy for decades to come. At same time, these US regimes have equally been as successful in making American people believe Iran is their enemy.
The difference between this two side’s belief is, that, Iranian people by experiencing US regime’ conducts have come to their belief, but the American people’ belief was made by their own regime’ propaganda machinery. For this reason, just like the people to people relation between the US and Russian people, Before and after the fall of USSR the relation between US and Iran in next few generations will not come to or even develop to anything substantial or meaningful. One can see this same trajectory in US Chinese relations, or US Cuban. Noticeably all these countries relation with US become terminally irreparable after their revolutions, regardless of the maturity or termination of the revolution. As much as US loves color revolutions, US hates real revolutions. The animosity no longer is just strategic it has become people to people, and the reason and blame goes to Americans since they never were ready to accept the revolutions that made nations self-servient to their interests. The bottom line truth is the US / and her poodles in europe know, ever since the revolution Iran no longer will be subservient to US interests.
Posted by: kooshy | Oct 10 2020 0:00 utc | 49
This is leveridge to bargain away the oil pipeline to germany. That is what is behind it. You scratch my back, the US is saying tothe EU, in particular, Germany....
Posted by: Hermius | Oct 10 2020 0:23 utc | 51
It's an Economy based on Plunder!, so that's why sanctions here, there and everywhere!! But the real problem is we aren't participating in the Plunder!! Sometimes you gotta use extreme sarcasm to explain the truth of a situation, and that's what Max and Stacey do in their show at the link. 13 minutes of honest reporting about the fraudulent world in which we live. As for Jerome Powell, current Fed Chair, he's complicit in the ongoing criminal activity just as much as the high ranking politicos. Bastiat laid it out 180 years ago, but we're living what he described now. And that's all part of what I wrote @40 above. The moral breakdown occurred long ago but took time to perfect.
India? I wouldn't place any confidence in the gibbering globetrotting genocidal Gujarati gangster government of Narendrabhai Damodardasbhai Modi if I were you. Modi and his (fellow Gujarati) eminence grise, the obese Amitbhai Anilchandrabhai Shah, are fully owned properties of their corporate owners Mukeshbhai Dhirubhai Ambani and Gautambhai Shantilalbhai Adani, who by a total coincidence are Gujaratis as well. Modi will do absolutely nothing that might upset their profits at all.
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Oct 10 2020 0:29 utc | 53
Patrick Armstrong did a Sitrep article last month
https://patrickarmstrong.ca/2020/09/24/russian-federation-sitrep-24-september-2020/
where he cited an article on Sputnik titled "Macron: Europe 'Will Not Compromise' With Washington on Iran Sanctions"
https://sputniknews.com/world/202009221080541258-macron-europe-will-not-compromise-with-washington-on-iran-sanctions/
Make of it what you will.
Posted by: joey_n | Oct 10 2020 0:34 utc | 54
I think it is crazy that EU allows US to manage SWIFT to the point they invent new entities to sidestep SWIFT and US sanctions (which are weak and ineffective, but that is the trajectory of their weak attempts at independence). Force SWIFT to equally service all legal transactions according to EU law, and let US cut itself off from all international financial transfers if it doesn't like using EU's SWIFT. US corps won't allow that to happen, it's just that EU refuses to call US bluff. Of course they are now praying for Biden presidency, but if they can't assert themselves it is all ultimately the same thing.
Posted by: Xingu | Oct 10 2020 0:46 utc | 55
Urgent news: Lukashenko claims Tikhanovskaya herself asked for help in leaving Belarus
The story is now almost complete: the West knew beforehand Tikhanovskaya wasn't viable to take over Lukashenko. The complete plan was to make her make the claim to the throne and then be assassinated in a false flag operation, possibly by fanatical Belarusian elements aligned with the West (liberal terrorists). That assassination attempt was foiled by the Belarusian secret service, as I've already posted here a long time ago.
When Tikhanovskaya realized she was literally part of the plan, she begged Lukashenko to help her get out of the country. Lukashenko helped her once again, but she was intercepted by the Lithuanian secret service, hence she being forced to continue to pose as government-in-exile of Belarus.
--//--
To keep on topic, here's another piece of information that may help you all understand Europe's desperation for more Lebensraum:
The latest data on UK real GDP make dismal reading for British capitalism
Also on the American voracity, now devouring its own allies:
Rarely do any of the usual suspects who've been pushing Trump the iconclast peacenik here mention Trump in all his criminality on the world stage when Iran has been his obsession from day one.
You're all so afraid to sully Trump, clinging to his last gasp like there's still hope, when he's a dirty Ziofascist sleaze who's neck deep in his own self-made shit and about to face a well-deserved curtain call on his criminal Presidency.
This act against Iran is yet another gift among the many others Trump bestowed on his Zionist masters and he needs them now more than ever to pull a rabbit out of a hat for him at the 11th hour and no doubt they're thinking some kind of last-minute subterfuge to save his self-destructive ass.
***...and on that note...***
I sometimes have pretty good instincts, and I sense major Trump Magat negativity about to be unleashed. I'll go out on a limb and predict we haven't witnessed the real October surprise yet. A few days ago, I thought this feeling I have might be related to Trump's virus, since we weren't getting straight facts, so a karmic slap was in order, but now I'm not so sure anymore, since that would be a positive outcome. Instead, I'm getting a really bad vibe that we are in the quiet before the storm; kind of how the sea is so still before the tsunami hits.
I think I'd rather be wrong; maybe it's just pre-election jitters, but by the end of next week, there may already be signs surfacing of what this October surprise might be.
So, as I often do when there's this much negativity lurking on the eve of an important event, I checked the astrology for the later part of the month and there's crazy planetary action starting to happen end of next week, and it gets worse and more ominous at month's end. Obviously. How could it be anything good with the Sun moving from Libra to Scorpio? If the surprise doesn't start to surface around the 16th, it will be revealed on, of all days, Halloween! that falls on a very bad full moon. Hey, maybe it's a big nothing...😰.
Who wants a bad full moon surprise on Halloween in what's already been a very bad year?!
Posted by: Circe | Oct 10 2020 0:58 utc | 57
These 'foreign policy experts' think the trade war with China has been a mistake. But they think Trump is too soft on Russia and he hasn't been tough enough on NK, Iran and Venezuela.
Posted by: dh | Oct 10 2020 1:17 utc | 58
It has become a standard trick for outgoing US administrations to saddle the incoming administration with set in stone policies and judicial appointments.
"Behind the move was pressure from the Zionist lobby. President Trump is in need of campaign funds and the lobby provides those. The move is also designed to preempt any attempts by a potentially new administration to revive the nuclear agreement with Iran."
Perhaps a Biden administration would be just as much a Zionist captive as the Trump administration.
The danger for the world is the Trump administration may go even further than additional sanctions. So I refer to the previous post, US policy remains the same whatever bunch are the frontmen.
Theodore Herzl even tried to drag Kaiser Wilhelm11 into the Zionist spider web: https://middleeastrealitycheck.blogspot.com/2008/07/theodor-herzl-first-photoshopper.html
When that attempt failed they worked on convincing the Sultan of Turkey to give them someone else's homeland. The Zionist Zealot Mr Kalvariski became the administrator of the Palestine Jewish Colonization Association with the aim of establishing a jewish suprematist ghetto. Following that flop the Zionists turned to the hapless British and were rewarded by Balfour with his notorious British government double cross of the Arabs. Now it's the turn of the US and assorted captive nations to uphold and support tyranny and Talmudic violence.
Posted by: Paul | Oct 10 2020 1:34 utc | 59
I am SLOWLY coming to the conclusion that DaTrumpster understands DaDeepState better than any of us armchair pundits. His patient - and yes, perhaps faulty strategy - he's still standing after ALL DaCrap that's been thrown at him.
All the 'EXPURTS' - including MoA - can only see part of DaPicture at best.
I've been as hard on DaTrumpster as anyone on DaConservative side - but I am SLOWLY coming to understand WTF just might be going on.
Point - don't be too sure of your immediate inclinations - we ALL see through DaGlass DARKLY!
Posted by: Crush Limbraw | Oct 10 2020 1:59 utc | 60
SWIFT is only a messaging system – SWIFT does not hold any funds or securities, nor does it manage client accounts. Behind most international money and security transfers is the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) system. SWIFT is a vast messaging network used by banks and other financial institutions to quickly, accurately, and securely send and receive information, such as money transfer instructions.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Oct 10 2020 2:27 utc | 61
Paul wrote:
"Perhaps a Biden administration would be just as much a Zionist captive as the Trump administration."
Yes at least as much or more zionist.
Nothing about Harris or Biden (or the DNC) says they won't be.
And hasn't it always been that way from one president to the the next? Was there ever one that was less zionist than the predecessor? (Maybe they're all so close this is an impossible question to answer, that too could be the case).
The sitting executive branch gives the favors right now and anyone incoming gives the favors after they win and thus each election becomes a double windfall for the lobby group?
A zionist double dip. Maybe most US voters could grasp it like that.
I can't back this up (much like my previous comment in this thread) but it's my impression. It would probably take a lot of work to make sure it's right; one would have to scrutinize so much over so many decades.
Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Oct 10 2020 2:29 utc | 62
@Sunny Runny Burger 60
I nominate president Eisenhower as slightly less zionist on one occasion: during the Anglo,French, Zionist Suez invasion of 1956 Eisenhower remarked after numerous UN resolutions condemning the bandit state's aggression ' Should a nation which attacks and occupies foreign territory in the face of United Nations disapproval be allowed to impose conditions on its withdrawal?'
This could be a useful quote for todays world.
Later, in 1964, Eisenhower approved his hand picked emissary's US $150 million so called Johnston Plan to steal the waters of the Jordan River and further marginalise the Palestine Arabs and surrounding Arab states.
Posted by: Paul | Oct 10 2020 3:29 utc | 63
Sanctions aren't the story. Once all the players have left the JCPOA, either Israel or the US can claim Iranians are at the point of producing a nuclear weapon. Without the JCPOA and inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities it will be impossible to prove or deny the allegations. Thus giving either the US or Israel justification it wants to conduct military strikes against Iran. The only things stopping this from happening is if the EU stays in the JCPOA, Russia and/or China make it clear a military strike on Iran will be met with military force or the Iranians explode a nuclear weapon. My guess is the EU will cave to the US. Russia and China can't be counted on to save Iran, which leaves Iran's only chance to prevent an attack to explode a nuclear weapon. And I doubt Iranians will explode a nuke before they're attacked, which is also what the US and Israel are banking on.
Posted by: ARI | Oct 10 2020 3:36 utc | 64
Fully agree with ARI | Oct 10 2020 3:36 utc | 62
Exactly the aim. I said so in an earlier post. This is all part of the program to create a false justification to conduct military strikes inside Iran. At this point, I'm really surprised that the U.S. even tries to construct these narratives after Obama's Syria and Libya operations didn't even really bother, save for a few probably fake "chemical weapons" attack they alleged Assad committed. Libya I don't remember hearing anything. The embassy maybe? After the Soleimani strike and the shootdown of the U.S. drone, not to mention the alleged Iranian attacks on ARAMCO's oil facilities, I'm really quite surprised something more serious (not to minimize the awful acts of war which the sanctions definitely are) hasn't already happened. It will soon, especially if Trump gets re-elected. Wonder what all of his "no new wars" supporters will say then?
Everybody reading knows what SWIFT is. That's a nice attempt to circumscribe the overall sanctions regime and paint it as "no big deal."
Crush Limpbro - Checked out your site. You've got a long way to go before you can criticize MoA. Hope that comment draws a few clicks to keep you going, but I would caution other barflies to use a proxy; could be a honey trap to collect IP addresses.
Posted by: _K_C_ | Oct 10 2020 3:53 utc | 65
This United States imposed and Zionist inspired siege on Iran and its people will only further strengthen the political and economic bonds with Russia and China. Meanwhile, the US collapses from its internal social limitations and its abandonment of public healthcare responses to the Corvid 19 pandemic. Europe it close behind the US in this respect.
Posted by: El Cid | Oct 10 2020 4:10 utc | 66
ARI @62
What exactly is this 'Justification'.. . 'to conduct military strikes against Iran' that you refer to hasbara boy? Failure to obey foreign imposed zionist diktats?
Would this 'justification' apply to the bandit state if it refused to abide by the NNPT for example?
No double standards pass the test here.
Posted by: Paul | Oct 10 2020 4:20 utc | 67
Yet another proof that "Western values" and their "rules based international order" mean exactly nothing.
In the past, the West at least kept up some pretense that it was wrong to target unarmed civilians (still, they flattened Driesden; Hiroshima; North Korea, Vietnam, Laos). Today, they do not care to be seen openly, cruelly, brutally, sadistically killing civvies. These american bastards say, "... it is not killing if the victims drop dead later, like, not right now. " Or, "... it became neccessary to destroy Iran in order to save Iran."
Iran is perfectly correct to call this a crime against humanity for the West to starve a population of food and medicine. This will boomerang just as the opium-pushing in China will boomerang on the West.
Meanwhile, just as those drug-pushing English bastards earned themselves lordships and knighthoods; just as presidential bastards retire to their Martha Vineyard mansions; so the current crop of bastards in American leadership will retire to yet more mansions, leaving the next couple generations to meet Persian wrath. The American way is to"win" until they are tired of winning, no?
But in truth, in objective reality, only those who have lost their human-ness are capable of crimes against humanity.
Posted by: kiwiklown | Oct 10 2020 4:42 utc | 68
@ paul and others.. don't bother responding to the hasbara shite artist... waste of time..
Posted by: james | Oct 10 2020 4:47 utc | 69
The US is cruising for a bruising in the middle east fucking with Iran like this.
not that the US hasn't deserved a good knockout punch the past 19 years since invading and destroying Afghanistan and Iraq, etc, etc.
regardless of their rhetoric, how the European rogues and rascals (France, Germany and the UK) can sleep at night is beyond me.
Posted by: michaelj72 | Oct 10 2020 4:50 utc | 70
@james 68
you are right, but I can't resist shooting down hasbarists sometimes. Did you notice the hasbarist claiming that this site was collecting ISP's for nefarious purposes?
Posted by: Paul | Oct 10 2020 5:00 utc | 71
@james, paul and others -
I think you misinterpreted ARI's comment. They seem to be engaging in the same sarcastic manner with respect to this matter that I am. You're saying that he/she/it is a Hasbara? I don't see it that way at all. The point made is that this is just another step in a longstanding chain of events and decisions that will "justify" an attack on Iran by the U.S.A. or Israel. Or am I missing some previous comment history from this person? I think you are all piling on way too quick against someone that agrees with you. Maybe English as a second or third language is the issue???
Posted by: _K_C_ | Oct 10 2020 6:25 utc | 72
IMO, we would have some interesting discussions.
I am afraid I do not have the historical knowledge nor the agility with the english language that you display here.
Lavrov does not waste his time, he got the Armenians and Azerbaijanis to sit down and talk in Moscow, humanitarian cease fire achieved, sounds like a temporary and fragile one though. A brief declaration issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the time being in Russian.
https://www.mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/4377041
Posted by: Paco | Oct 10 2020 6:38 utc | 73
Yes Psychochistorian @ 1, At the nation state level, EU support for blockade terror and sanction torture (BT&ST), against reluctant nation states and non compliant individuals within those nation states, logically suggests EU nation states are not independent sovereign countries <=EU nation states exist in name only? Maybe its just like in the USA, these private monopoly powered Oligarcks (PMPO), own everything (privately owned copyrights, patents, and property) made possible by rules nation states turn into law. The citizens of those privately owned EU nation states are victims <=in condition=exploitable. Maybe PMPOs use nation states <=as profit support weapons, to be directed against <=any and all <=competition, whereever and however <=competition appears.
The hidden suspects <=capital market linked crowds through out the world..
Media is 92% owned by six private individuals, of the seven typical nation state layers of authority and power: 5 are private and two are public. Additionally, few in the international organizations have alligence to historic cultures of the nation state governed masses. It is as if, the named nation states are <=threatened by knee breaking thugs, but maybe its not threat, its actual PMPO ownership.
If one accepts PMPO <=to be in control of all of USA and all of allied nation state, one can explain <=current BT&ST events. But private Oligarch scenarios <=raise obvious questions, why have not the PMPO challenged East eliminated <=Israel, MSM propaganda repeatedly blames or points to Israel <=to excuse the USA leaders for their BT&ST policies. Seems the PMPO are <=using the nation states, they own <=to eliminate non complying competition.
What is holding the East back? Russia and China each have sufficient oil, gas and technology to keep things functional, so why has not the competition in the East taken Israel out, if Israel is directing the USA to apply BT&ST against its competitors? Why is the white House so sure, its BT&ST policies will not end up destroying Israel? Maybe because Israel has no real interest <=in the BT&ST policy <=Israel is deceptions:fall guy? The world needs to pin the tail on the party driving USA application of BT&ST because no visible net gain to Governed Americans seems possible from BT&ST policies?
I think Passer @ 17 has hit the nail on its head. "The EU is trying to prop up the US Empire in response to its decline, instead of trying to free itself. "
Posted by: snake | Oct 10 2020 7:00 utc | 74
@ARI | Oct 10 2020 3:36 utc | 62
Sanctions aren't the story. Once all the players have left the JCPOA, either Israel or the US can claim Iranians are at the point of producing a nuclear weapon.
So you put that forward as a justification for attacking Iran militarily, but that means according to your logic you also have justification for attacking Israel or the US militarily. The rules are the same for all, right?
Posted by: Norwegian | Oct 10 2020 7:11 utc | 75
Economic warfare is certainly effective. However, time is running out for these weapons as America's lock on the world economy grows weaker. With a rapidly approaching expiry date, the word out may be to use em or lose em.
In a zero-sum great game, it makes sense to deploy such weapons now insofar as an opponent's loss is always a gain for oneself.
Posted by: robin | Oct 10 2020 8:12 utc | 76
Some of you are not reading the comments of others very carefully and are taking the thread far afield with weird accusations.
Ari @ 62 merely pointed out the obvious - that the US and Israel clearly intend to use the ending of inspections (brought about by the ending of the JCPOA) to make a FALSE CLAIM that Iran has nukes and ought to be attacked. He certainly did not suggest that the US/Israel would be ACTUALLY justified in doing this, but that they would use it as the "justification they want". Creating false narratives to justify attacking other countries just because they want to is what the US always does.
Then Paul @ 66 and James @ 68 call Ari a "hasbarist" because Paul and James have misunderstood what Ari said. Then Paul @ 70 adds that the "hasbarist" (I gather he is still referring to Ari with this accusation) has accused MoA of collecting ISP's for nefarious purposes. But Ari did not say that anyone was collecting ISP's. It was K_C_ @ 63 who said to Crush Limbraw (who wrote a comment at 58 with a link to his own website) that Crush Limbraw's website might be a honey trap. K_C_ was cautioning MoA readers to be careful about Crush Limbraw's site. NOBODY said that MoA was collecting ISP's.
I usually get a lot out of the comment section here, but this shit going on right now is derailing some otherwise decent commentary.
Posted by: teri | Oct 10 2020 8:59 utc | 77
Donald Trump talked up his Iran policy in a profanity-laden tirade on Friday, telling conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh that Tehran knows the consequences of undermining the United States."Iran knows that, and they've been put on notice: if you fuck around with us, if you do something bad to us, we are going to do things to you that have never been done before."
Uncle Samuel is setting up a provocation for war.
Posted by: jscott | Oct 10 2020 9:26 utc | 78
Donald Trump talked up his Iran policy in a profanity-laden tirade on Friday, telling conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh that Tehran knows the consequences of undermining the United States."Iran knows that, and they've been put on notice: if you fuck around with us, if you do something bad to us, we are going to do things to you that have never been done before."
Uncle Samuel is setting up a provocation for war.
Posted by: tscott | Oct 10 2020 9:29 utc | 79
psychohistorian #1
What a shit show we are seeing. What is the next phase of this civilization war that is not a war because there are not enough dead bodies for some I guess?...but it sure looks like war to me.
Well for the first time in history Iran’s symbolic “Red Flag” is still flying above the popular Jamkaran Mosque Holy dome. Perhaps the USA and its running dogs body count has risen in Iraq and Afghanistan? How would we know. These things are disguised from the fearless press in those countries ;)
Perhaps the dead and mangled are many but we do know that the US chief killer in Afghanistan was reduced to ashes immediately following General Shahid Qassem Suleimanis murder by the USA whilst on a diplomatic mission in Iraq.
In respect of b's observation above, the illegal occupier of Palestine is more likely tipping millions into the Harris Presidency as well as the possible Trump Presidency. I doubt either Harris or the biden bait and switch stooge would restore the JCPOA. Besides they would not be invited to sit at the table any time soon IMO. They would likely refuse to any conditions of reversing the sanctions and then carry on about all that 'unreasonable demands by a terrorist state' stuff etc etc.
No, Iran will be getting on with its future in a multilateral world where the United Nations has been reduced to pile of chicken dung by the USA while most other nations go along with global lunacy.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Oct 10 2020 9:45 utc | 80
Sanctions are a crude prelude to the complete digitation of currency. Once all currency is digitized the will of the Hegemon will have sway over the whole world. The Hegemon must first become the absolute or single ruler of the world having eliminated all competition. Once it has that power, single strokes on a board can deprive anyone of livelihood. Sanctions will have become universal and mankind will have no escape from them. The will of the Hegemon will fill then all the possible interstices of the world .
Posted by: JLCG | Oct 10 2020 10:32 utc | 81
On the previous thread, vk had an interesting take (Posted by: vk | Oct 9 2020 0:08 utc | 69) on the various phases of imperial decline since the early 90s.
If I were to project beyond the four phases he listed, I would guess that sometime between the current sanctions-a-blazing phase and the terminal phase of the crazy neighbour with far too many guns piled in his trailer, there will be a bitter phase of vindictive jealousy. A nasty time for the empire's allies contemplating greener pastures. Imperial vengeance will strive to maintain a diminishing inner circle and limit defection by binding the fate of its allies to its own.
Posted by: robin | Oct 10 2020 10:40 utc | 82
@ uncle tungsten 81,
Can you tell me more about this US chief killer reduced to ashes in Afghanistan?
Posted by: robin | Oct 10 2020 10:42 utc | 83
Posted by: vk | Oct 10 2020 0:58 utc | 56 The 50 richest Americans are worth as much as the poorest 165 million, the latest wealth data from the US Federal Reserve shows
And what is anyone going to do about that? I'll tell you. Exactly nothing.
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Oct 10 2020 11:40 utc | 84
vk@56 retails a plot. Unfortunately, no version which relies on Tikhanovskaya telling the truth, not even to Lukashenko, is to be trusted. Tikhanovskaya is a Trump-level liar. The woman claims to have won the election! The election was rigged before hand by excluding candidates who might actually have had a chance to win, not by faking the ballots. The simplest explanation is that Tkihanovskaya, even if she asked Lukashenko for help, reneged on her agreement as soon as she could.
Posted by: steven t johnson | Oct 10 2020 12:32 utc | 85
You know what's telling about the bootlickers who hem and haw about U.S. policy with the T Administration, but never mention Trump as the real source of it even when profuse Zionist shit spills from his mouth on Limbaugh's show proving he's a Ziofascist pig?
What's telling is that these usual suspects jumped all over ARI @64 for zeroing in on Trump's precise intentions with Iran but they gave a pass to the real HASBARIST in the room, Crush Limbraw @60, exposing himself, putting his HARD-ON FOR TRUMP on full display.
@60 we ALL see through DaGlass DARKLY!
Speak for yourself- you Zionist MORON!
Ahhhhhh, you can always count on the DUPLICITY of MOA'S weathervane james and friends. Me, I ain't here to win a popularity contest like weathervane; I'm here to kick ass when I witness duplicity in action. My friend here is the truth that I'll defend to the grave.
********
Noooo, dum-dums Putin will not come to Iran's rescue when he's warm in bed with his Zionist Oligarchs and Russian squatters whom he pays homage to from time to time when he visits Ziolandia thanking them for choosing the stolen West Bank over Russia.
Iran knows that, and they've been put on notice. That's Trump blowhard driving the drumbeat.
Just rescue me from my self-destructive self for 4 more years, oh kings of Zion and Wall Street, and I'll give you WAR!!! all in CAPS with three exclamation points. The GREATEST war you've ever seen.
Posted by: Circe | Oct 10 2020 12:56 utc | 86
When I read the Great Reset article on the World Economic Forum website it seems to me that the western Globalists, in concert align the US and EU. That accounts for the basic vassal arrangements that predominate but allow for some nonalignments on certain issues.
Posted by: Linda Amick | Oct 10 2020 13:07 utc | 87
Posted by: vk | Oct 10 2020 0:58 utc | 56
That is precisely what the Belarusian authorities announced when Tikhanovskaya left Minsk, that she was helped in her way out, but we know how the MSM acts, they stick to their own script, just like a Hollywood movie.
The Belarusians must be watching with great attention what is happening in Kirguizia, riots and complete chaos, and thinking how lucky they were to avoid the color rev that was in the menu for them, which the same methods, discredit the oncoming election, claim fraud after it, use similar symbols like the clenched fist and the heart, new flag, start transliterating family and geographical names to a mythical and spoken by a very small minority language and then nobody knows if to spell Tikhanovskaya, Tsikhanouskaya or like the politically incorrect but street wise Luka called her, Guaidikha. And that is Kirguizia, how about a shooting war in Armenia and Azerbaijan, all those conflicts were unimaginable when the USSR existed, but the empire even on his way down is insatiable.
Posted by: Paco | Oct 10 2020 13:24 utc | 88
@88 Linda Amick
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=RDPIAXG_QcQNU&feature=share&playnext=1
Posted by: Circe | Oct 10 2020 13:25 utc | 89
Posted by: Circe | Oct 10 2020 12:56 utc | 87
There is over a million jews of Russian origin living in Israel, 20% of the population, with deep roots in Russia, language, culture and relatives. Do not let partisanship for the Dems blind you, a true successful leader is someone that defends his country’s interests while at the same time tries to have good relations with everybody else, obviously that balance is not easy to achieve in a world full of conflicting interests, but so far Putin seems to be balancing his act while not loosing sight of the main thing, Russia.
Posted by: Paco | Oct 10 2020 13:35 utc | 90
Paco, strange name for a Russiabot, oh well...
Nice way of putting: Putin belongs to the Zionist Club.
FYI, I'm not blind. I'm one of those special beings who was born with two extra eyes...in the back of my head.
Posted by: Circe | Oct 10 2020 13:52 utc | 91
Circe @Oct10 12:56 #87
Putin will not come to Iran's rescue when he's warm in bed with his Zionist Oligarchs
If Putin is so close to Zionists, then why does Russia block the Zionist regime-change in Syria? Why has Russia denied Israel and USA entreaties to allow them to bomb Iran?
Russia Warns U.S. and Israel That Iran Is Its 'Ally' and Was Right About Drone Shoot Down
!!
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Oct 10 2020 13:56 utc | 92
Posted by: Circe | Oct 10 2020 13:52 utc | 92
Not as strange as a mythological demigoddess that turned sailors into swain and that now enjoys to plunge into the mud with her creatures. A bot, what an easy label, it has lost any meaning.
Posted by: Paco | Oct 10 2020 14:03 utc | 93
special beings who was born with two extra eyes...in the back of my head.
Alaska yellow fin sole, not bad, from Bristol Bay, but the Melva -a tunafish species with more oil in its meat- I cooked for lunch, just caught, has a lot more fish oil with its rich contents of vitamin D, add sunny Mediterranean weather and that is my pill for today, trying to keep the bug at bay.
Posted by: Paco | Oct 10 2020 14:12 utc | 94
Circe, why don't you do what your namesake would have done and whip yourself up some meds to calm down? You're starting to lapse into excessive use of upper case, italics, exclamation points, bolding, profanity, and of course, insults.
This may help. It looks like the orange man is in fact going down, so you will soon have Joe and Kamal empowered to dismantle the evil Putin-Netanyahu-Trump axis, and put the US back on the path to truth and justice.
Posted by: expat | Oct 10 2020 14:39 utc | 95
@93 Jackrabbit
It's called...lip service.
@94,95 Fransisco
A bot by any other name will smell as fishy.🤭
Just messing with you!
Posted by: Circe | Oct 10 2020 14:41 utc | 96
The unilateral and illegal-under-JCPOA sanctions mean it's time for EU to either confront the extraterritorial US policy it has clearly rejected in principle, or (more likely) acknowlege that it remains in practice just a collection of 'client states'. A sad moment for me, but useful for clarity.
Posted by: ptb | Oct 10 2020 14:44 utc | 97
Posted by: Circe | Oct 10 2020 14:41 utc | 97
Hard to understand but you guys are incapable of spelling the name of a once great US city, San Francisco. I heard it has changed a lot, got to see long time ago, before the digital craze.
Posted by: Paco | Oct 10 2020 14:48 utc | 98
This is a brief but subtle post by b, with quiet but telling headline. Perhaps, just guessing, a new take on the post he was having difficulty with earlier? The question of the EU is an interesting one - not to be considered as virulent as the former Soviet Union, but somehow as tugged at by the components thereof...
Sanctions on Iran? We do know what Iran is capable of; surely we have not forgotten? Indeed, by pressing these sanctions at this late date, the Trump administration surely has not forgotten either the effect sanctions had on Russia. They were postive to that country's independent survival, though the immediate effect was demonstrably harsh. So now, sanctions on Iran? One doesn't have to be a world leader to suppose similar cause, similar effect.
Ah, Paco has a wonderful meal of a beneficial fish called the Melva! Bravo, Paco; all is not lost! But you have hooked the sea-serpent as well -- take care! That one - carefully remove the hook and set it free ;)
Posted by: juliania | Oct 10 2020 15:51 utc | 99
@ _K_C_ | Oct 10 2020 6:25 utc | 73......... i read it again.. i think you are right.. sorry for making a quick judgement on ari.. he speaks realistically on what israel and usa agenda is at this point... that doesn't mean that is his agenda.. he doesn't say... either way it is a fucked up set up...
Posted by: james | Oct 10 2020 16:40 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
Nice posting b
Yes, it is time for EU countries to show their true colors which will be ass kissers for empire, most likely.
Folks are saying Nord Stream II is being finished but will it ever go into use?
And of course this is not war because Trump hasn't started any wars, right?
What a shit show we are seeing. What is the next phase of this civilization war that is not a war because there are not enough dead bodies for some I guess?...but it sure looks like war to me.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Oct 9 2020 16:49 utc | 1