Iran: Threats and Sanctions
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-01-05/iran-threats-and-sanctions
In this image made available by the Iranian Students News Agency, an Iranian navy vessel launches a missile during a drill at the sea of Oman, on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. Iran's navy said Sunday it test-fired an advanced surface-to-air missile during a drill in international waters near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the passageway for one-sixth of the world's oil supply. Iran's state TV said the missile, named Mehrab, or Altar, is designed to evade radar and was developed by Iranian scientists.
AP Photo/ISNA,Amir Kholousi
The European Union yesterday reached a preliminary agreement to ban imports of Iranian oil. On Saturday, President Obama signed a bill imposing new sanctions on Iran’s central bank. The intention is to pressure Iran to curtail its nuclear program. But Tehran has responded with threats to close the Strait of Hormuz and attack U.S. naval vessels in the Gulf. The country also launched an anti-American campaign in Afghanistan. Diane and her guests discuss what is behind the recent escalation of threats and sanctions, the political and economic implications and whether military conflict is becoming more of a concern.
Guests
Michael Rubin
resident scholar, American Enterprise Institute, senior lecturer, Naval Postgraduate School, and author of the forthcoming book, "Dancing with the Devil" (Encounter, 2013.
Reza Marashi
research director, National Iranian American Council, former Iran desk officer, U.S. State Department.
Ellen Laipson
president and CEO,the Stimson Center, and member of the U.S. State Department's Foreign Affairs Policy Board.
Comments
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Messing with Iran is the most counterproductive policy America could possibly pursue. War with Iran would be many times worse than Afghanistan-Iraq, and could easily escalate into full-blown WWIII. I don't think we should coddle the Iranian govt, but the best way to deal with it is to help the Iranian people in any way we can. If we go to war, we lose the goodwill of the Iranian people, which is not negligible.
Military Implications!
I do not mean to push the Paul candidacy but: the Republican candidates, with the exception of Mr Paul, are ready to start another military action in the Middle East if there is a perceived threat to Israel.
I think Mr Obama shares this sentiment as well.
Is the American public really ready for another war in the Middle East? I thought we wanted "out" of these wars. . . . .
What is a voter to do?
waht do the people of iran think of all this we have no idea of their voice and will there ever be an uprising
Mr Marashi shsold know from his own experience that communicating with Iran is difficult if not impossible The list of crimes by this regime, internationally but also against its own people, is virtually endless. There is no war against IRan, but it is both legal and humanitarian to interupt the activieis of these criminals. Let's not have too much false objectivy here, Mr. Marashi. The President began with an outstrretched hand to Iran and has been rebuffed at every turn. There are times to talk and times to act. his is the itme to act.
Former Iaea weapons inspector Robert Kelly was on Real News and said that much of the information in the latest IAEA report was unverifiable informatoin that the former IAEA head El Baradei refused to allow in reports because it could not be substantiated. Diane can you have him on your program Former Bush adminstration officials and former CIA analyst Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett who directly negoatiated with Iran have said the same thing about the latest report on Iran. Please address this. and can you please please have both of them on your program?
Oh yeah the younger Iranian people were killed in a conflict with Iraq that the US supported Iraq in. How many young Iranian men killed in that conflict that the US supported?
The United States breeds and foments a counterproductive evolutionary tendency in the world. It has been proven, and is being proven currently (Pakistan, N. Korea) that the United States is a bully that only picks on weaker nations, the nations without nuclear capabilities, that don't fall in line, e.g., Iraq, Afghanistan... Grenada. Many nations have evolved after being bullied (Shas overthrown, coup d'etats) into a stronger adversary. Cuba even attempted to become nuclear to keep the meddlesome US at bay.
Why? Because only strong militant governance with nuclear capabilities have been proven to keep the U.S. from meddling in their affairs. Pakistan would be subject to so much more US military action if it were not nuclear. It's not about wether we agree with N. Korea, Pakistan, or Iran, it's whether US attempts to influence and/or change them is driving and nurturing an arms race endangering more than its helping.
I can not believe Micheal Rubin just said that Iran is trying to provoke a confrontation. When are your guest going to talk about the country and the individuals who have been pushing sanctions against Iran and pushing for a military confrontation with Iran based on what many experts are saying are unverifiable claims in the latest IAEA report. When will you discuss Israel and the Israeli lobby in the US congress who have been and continue to push for a confrontation with Iran...
Experts on Iran Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett have stated that the Iranian elections were as fair as elections in the US...hmmm
When will the Rehm Team have the Levertts on? Seymour Hersh? Professor Juan Cole? People who know a great deal bout Iran and who did not promote the invasion of IRaq based on false claims like Micheal Rubin. Enough of the recycling of the Iraqi warmongers who were so deadly wrong about Iran. Are you really unable to get guest on to discuss this critical issue who supported the invasion of Iraq and have been promoting for years a military strike on Iran. Enough of this insanity
Diane seems to make it a point to have a die-hard neocon on her show daily. I wish she would for once invite an equally strong objector (Chomsky) to continued wars. Rubin, a Kristol acolyte, is determined, as all so-called neocons are, to use the U.S. as a tool for reshaping the middle east in Israel's favor... at all costs. Shame on her.
Some important links to informative and factual websites about Iran. RACE FOR IRAN, INFORMED COMMENT, FOREIGN POLICY (STEVE WALT), WASHINGTON NOTE (STEVE CLEMONS)
FORMER IAEA WEAPONS INSPECTOR ROBERT KELLY WHO HAS SAID THE INFORMATION IN THE LATEST IAEA REPORT ON IRAN IS UNVERIFIABLE NOTHING NEW. INFORMATION THAT THE FORMER HEAD OF THE IAEA WOULD NOT ALLOW IN BECAUSE IT COULD NOT BE VERIFIED
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&I...
Is the US getting ready to deploy troops to Israel in order to protect Israel from Iran?
Memerill. an Iraq warmonger who was deadly wrong vs having Iranian experts like Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett who quit the Bush administration because they disagreed with the invasion of Iraq. Flynt is a former CIA middle east analyst. Hillary has negotiated directly with Iran. Charlie Rose has had them on. Christ Diane is willing to have the deadly wrong Micheal Rubin on. Why not experts who were right about Iraq and have a vast knowledge of the situation with Iran. What are the staff and Diane afraid of? Funding being cut off or something?
Why is it that we never hear anyone talk about pressuring Israel to sign the Non Proliferation Treaty? The very treaty that they demand their neighbors abide by? I have spent a great deal of time at the IAEA website reading one letter and document after another from leaders in that part of the world who say they fear Israel's unclaimed and un inspected stockpiles of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Maybe things would settle down a bit if Israel would play by the same rules...sign the NPT
Professor Juan Cole at INformed Comment has written a substantive piece that states that Russia, China, India do not support thse sancitons and will get around them. That gas prices will and are going up and that ultimately these latest sanctions will hurt Obama's re election chances. I agree. Israel and the I lobby may indeed want Obama to be a one term President because he may push Israel to comply with international agreements in his second term.
I tuned in a little late to the show, but when I started listening I thought that maybe I might get a well balanced independedent assessment of the situation in Iran.
I was wrong! Two of the guests were (and no doubt as patriots, still are) working for the US State department! Hmmm...no independence there.
The third guest is Michael Rubin resident scholar, American Enterprise Institute a right wing think tank whose 'scholars are considered to be some of the leading architects of the second Bush administration's public policy.'
I heard Mr. Rubin state that he believed that Iran might instigate a WAR with the US...to distract from it's domestic policy problems!! Absolutely laughable!! What is basically a third World country with a outdated military ranking somewhere about 15th in the World would start a war with the number one power in the World and the number two....Israel!!
Some of those names from the AEI are hauntingly familiar!
Former deputy secretary of defense Paul Wolfowitz, now an AEI visiting scholar. Other prominent individuals affiliated with AEI include Kevin Hassett, Frederick W. Kagan, Leon Kass, Charles Murray, Michael Novak, Norman J. Ornstein, Richard Perle, Radek Sikorski, Christina Hoff Sommers, and Peter J. Wallison.
Listeners have to understand that they are NOT getting any kind if unbiased discussion. You are being manipulated as per usual!
Kathleen...Thankyou for some common sense at last!
Lynn here you go
http://mondoweiss.net/
Funny that the conversation segued into China's role. China is determined to be the new master of the universe because it's tact, mostly successful so far, is to influence through investment rather than bomb the states it wants under its dominion. The US's outdated western model of influence and change through blunt force and sanctions is only hastening this country's insignificance and downfall. Rather sad.
And one wonders why China is increasingly militarizing... it's simply a reaction the big bully on the globe.
Jmac Micheal Rubin was instrumental in selling the false WMD bull. He has been pushing for and repeating unsubstantiated claims about Iran for a solid 8 years along with Reuel Marc Gerecht, Bill Kristol, Kenneth Pollack, Gaffney, McCain, Hillary Clinton, Bolton, Wolfowitz, Addington (who both asked go get IRan questions during one of he Republican debates) Same deadly wrong Iraq warmongers who took off the lid off Sunni/Shia tensions and made sure Iraq turned into a extremely chaotic and deadly situation. You know take the lid off and encourage them to kill each other...they know what they were after...destabilzing Iraq and the same group have had their target on Iran for at least 8 years. Even Diane has allowed Reuel Marc Gerecht and others on her program to repeat the neo cons inflammatory and unsubstantited claims about Iran on her program. She has the warmongering David FRum (yesterday) and the warmongering and deadly wrong Micheal Rubin on today, But does not have experts who were right about Iraq and know a great deal about decades long non negoations with Iran (blocked by the I lobby) Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett on. Very strange and telling
Go to RACE FOR IRAN for factual information on Iran
Professor Juan Cole
Will the Iranian sanctions cost Obama the Presidency. Could be just what Israel and the I lobby want
http://www.juancole.com/2012/01/will-his-new-sanctions-on-iran-cost-obam...
Agree...entirely!
I am horrified that the people who were most responsible for the illegal war in Iraq (Wolfowitz,, Pearl etc) actually STILL get airtime and are still listened to. I mean...they got it all wrong at best...and at worst....they lied! Where are those (few) Middle East experts who argued that Iraq didn't pose a threat to the US? That they didn't have WMD's....those are the people I want to listen to on the Diane Rehm show. Hell! I have more right to be on the Diane Rehm show than these neo-cons since even I got it right and argued that we were being manipulated and lied to and because I can read and use common sense!
War with Iran... deja vu ish... does that mean US no longer useless wasted homeless veteran(been there done that before)?
Guess Congress ARE job creators...
Ron Paul- the crazy SANE choice(no war- legalize drugs- man must be closet hippie)? ALSO not much of a flip flopper... no wonder odd man out who frightens the one percenters...
And whoever stole our Persian Gulf yacht club patch... for shame. Yes crime pales next to the theft of middle class by the ONE. Or home by fannie mae(nicely vandalized now- looks POOR- and abandoned- like hope).
Remember- ITs not nICE to phuckwid mother's nature- OR break a social contract. Enjoy nonSOPA web- LESS ads... no 'help'ful 'protection'.
Soylent Green- people serving people- forever?
test
I am sure that the decision makers in the armed forces and the US senate know that a military conflict with Iran is NOT an option, it will unite the Iranian nation behind a historically powerful army with nuclear capability. the Iranian regime have a lot of "THUG" elements and they should be punished however.
but war is non-productive because it will severely damage the world economy.
The bloody and corrupt mullah mafia will collapse, if we do not allow the mullahs to deposit the money they steal on a daily basis in foreign banks.