Tag Archives: Iran

Presidential Approval: NY Times/CBS News Poll

He’s tryin’.

The President is coming into the election against a head wind.  Unemployment is high, his signature legislative win is unpopular, and getting more so, and he’s facing some stiff foreign relationship issues.

He’s up against it pretty tough.  The relevant conversations of the day aren’t going his way.  So, I don’t blame him for trying to change the national dialogue.  For trying to pivot from issues he can’t manage well to issue that have proven to be traditional democrat strong suits.

I get the contraception pivot.

But it ain’t working.

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The Price Of Gas: What Can We Do

Obama is faced with rising gasoline prices.  And as we head into an election year he is going to be asked what he’s gonna do about it.  His answer, I suspect, is that there is little a President can do to influence the price of gasoline.  The market dictates the price and that market is fed by the forces of supply and demand.

And, because it IS an election year, he’s going to demonize the “oil speculators” and claim that they are getting rich while the middle class is getting hammered.  Count on it.

But is that the real story?  Is it fair to let Obama skate on this issue so easily?

No.

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Bill O’Reilly: Wrong On Gas Prices

 

Bill O’Reilly has launched a pretty big offensive regarding the price of gasoline.  He’s been on air several times extolling the administration to get ahead of the situation and take a leadership role.  Personally, I’m not sure that Obama has  had much influence on the price of gasoline today.  Prices are high today not because of supply and demand, policies where Obama is clearly wrong, but because of the tension in the Middle East.  Specifically with Iran.

Given the nature of the world market there is no wonder that gasoline prices are going up.  And fast.

But O’Reilly loses me on his solutions.

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What If Iran Obtains a Nuclear Bomb

Every indication points to the eventuality of Iran obtaining the technology to build a nuclear bomb.  It is my humble opinion that:

  1. A nation has the right to obtain such technology.
  2. We have no real ability to prevent this eventuality.

Rather than expend resources and political capital on attempting to prevent the inevitable, I think that we should prepare for the undeniable.  A nuclear Iran.  And as part of that planning, we need to address the following.

Can We Trust Iran To Be Rational

In other words, is Iran a nation ruled by people who respond to incentives in the way and manner that we would respond to those same incentives?

It turns out that Soviet Russia was.  They understood and reacted rationally to our nuclear stand-off.  Same goes with India and Pakistan.

Or do we think that Iran is led by a mindset that is mostly based in ideology, a religious ideology?  The most obvious example of which is the existence of Israel.

This question HAS to be answered.  And after it has been answered, all plans must account for the general agreement.

What Nations Put And Take With A Nuclear Iran

Who gains and loses when Iran obtains the technology and the ability to launch nuclear weapons?  The obvious losers are the United States and Israel.  But less obvious is who gains?  Understand not only who gains but why will allow us to negate many of the perceived “advantages” of those nations.

My guess is that the current modern world is mostly stable in terms of boundaries.  Certainly there will be small and rather negligent “map changes” but by and large the shape of our nations are mostly settled.  What isn’t settled is the economic influence of our nations as they stand.

How does China benefit, if they do, by a nuclear Iran?  Hell, how does Iran benefit from a nuclear Iran?

How Do We Negotiate With A Nuclear Iran

The Soviets had them and modern Russia does.  North Korea does, as does China.  Several other nations as well.  None of them have initiated a nuclear launch.

Why?

How will Iran be prevented from the same?  What will it take, what changes will have to be made, if any at all really, to prevent the launch of an Iranian weapon?  Is it the United States, in the end, that has to be the primary negotiator in these talks?  Is the United States the primary agitator in Iran’s mind?

In the end, these are the concepts that our leaders need to address.  There is little, if any, grounds to stand on that would allow us to prevent Iran from obtaining this technology.  Further, there is little, if any, hope that we’ll be able to prevent the

Iran and Nukes

There has been significant debate over the idea that Iran may get the technology to build a bomb and what we may or may not do to prevent that eventuality. There are some, many even, that feel such technology in the hands of Iran will result in the destruction of Israel. Others feel that at the very least it will disrupt the region in the middle east and risk increased hostilities. Even others feel that the mere possibility of the creation of such weapons will result in the Israelis attacking Iran.

I’m not in a position to really comment on statecraft. I happen to think that much of such diplomacy and communication is, by definition, based on illusion, deception and subtle impressions of intention. As such, we really have little idea as to the true intentions of people and states. However, I AM wiling to acknowledge that a weapon in the hands of Iran will be disruptive.

But should it? Do we, or any other nation, have the right to deny another nation the technology required to build these nightmares? And if weDO have that right, do THEY in turn have similar claims on our owning such technologies?

I think that any nation has the sovereign right to advance their knowledge in science. That if they desire to learn such technologies, they Ought to be able. Perhaps they desire clean energy? Maybe some other benign use. But to deny that nation access to a technology simply because we fear what they might use it for is not consistent with our concept of liberty.

Can we limit the use of that technology? Certainly. As a collection of nations we have entered into agreement on all kinds of things; prisoners, weapons, war techniques and targets. We have in place laws and rules of use that govern nuclear weapons. I think it foolish and dangerous to attempt to deny anyone the possession of those weapons via coercive force.

Occupy Wall Street: An American Spring

So, the hope of our fathers, our children marching into society, the future of America has elicited THIS editorial from, of all countries, Iran:

An Iranian military commander says that the protests spreading from New York’s Wall Street to other US cities are the beginning of an “American Spring” – likening them to the uprisings that toppled Arab autocrats in the Middle East.

General Masoud Jazayeri of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said the protests against corporate greed and the gap between rich and poor are a revolution in the making that will topple what he called the Western capitalist system.

Oh my, what a nation we have built.

Hopey Changey

For all the talk about Obama making nice with our friends and enemies around the world, you would be surprised to see this:

TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran’s hardline rulers sent uncompromising signals to foes at home and abroad on Wednesday, warning of possible legal action against opposition leaders and testing an upgraded missile that could reach Israel.

We were promised the turning of the page when it came to US foreign relations.  This was said, mind you, with the implicit suggestion that this turning of the page would help “heal us” and allow the world to see us in a better light.

I don’t think it’s working.