Encircling Iran

22 Reasons Why Starting World War 3 In The Middle East Is A Really Bad Idea

"Russia and China are sternly warning the U.S. government not to get involved in Syria, and by starting a war with Syria we will do an extraordinary amount of damage to our relationships with those two global superpowers. Could this be the beginning of a chain of events that could eventually lead to a massive global conflict with Russia and China on one side and the United States on the other? Of course it will not happen immediately, but I fear that what is happening now is setting the stage for some really bad things. The following are 22 reasons why starting World War 3 in the Middle East is a really bad idea." Continue reading →

Continue Reading22 Reasons Why Starting World War 3 In The Middle East Is A Really Bad Idea

U.S. demands release of Americans imprisoned in Iran

"US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday called for the release of two American dual citizens jailed in Iran, saying Washington was 'deeply concerned' about their fate. He also again requested information on an American who went missing in Iran in March 2007. The United States is 'deeply concerned about the fate of dual US citizens Amir Hekmati and Saeed Abedini,' Kerry said in a statement." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. demands release of Americans imprisoned in Iran

Who Funds the War Party?

"I use the 'War Party' phraseology as shorthand for a number of different groups and individuals, all of whom are linked by an ideological and/or financial interest in promoting a foreign policy of perpetual war. This includes those groups pushing for budget-busting 'defense' outlays, as well as those whose commitment to militarism is more ideological. Then there are the foreign lobbyists who have an interest in maintaining and expanding the American Empire: and while there are a number of foreign interests involved in this vector, the one that stands out on account of the sheer quantity of its resources is the Israel lobby, which combines a rich source of funding with ideologically-based activism." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWho Funds the War Party?

Pentagon sends troops to Jordan to counter Syria chemical weapons threat

[April 2013] "The Pentagon's decision to send a contingent of US troops to Jordan, announced by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel during a congressional hearing this week, raises the question of whether the Obama administration has now moved one step closer to a military intervention in Syria. Mr. Hagel told lawmakers that he green-lighted the deployment last week in order to 'improve readiness and prepare for a number of scenarios.' These troops, a unit from Fort Bliss in Texas, will bring the number of US forces in Jordan to more than 200. The plan is for the US troops to help train their Jordanian counterparts in the finer points of defending their border with Syria." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPentagon sends troops to Jordan to counter Syria chemical weapons threat

Paul Craig Roberts: Another Western War Crime In The Making

"The UK Independent reports that over this past week-end Obama, Cameron, and Hollande agreed to launch cruise missile attacks against the Syrian government within two weeks despite the lack of any authorization from the UN and despite the absence of any evidence in behalf of Washington’s claim that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons against the Washington-backed “rebels”, largely US supported external forces, seeking to overthrow the Syrian government. Indeed, one reason for the rush to war is to prevent the UN inspection that Washington knows would disprove its claim and possibly implicate Washington in the false flag attack by the 'rebels.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPaul Craig Roberts: Another Western War Crime In The Making

Pastor Saeed Abedini Loses Appeal Case, 8-Year Sentence In Iranian Jail Stands

"A Tehran appeals court upheld an eight-year prison sentence against an American-Iranian pastor jailed for his role in establishing underground churches in Iran, his lawyer told ISNA news agency Monday. Saeed Abedini, a US citizen who converted from Islam to Christianity, was handed the sentence in January. In March, UN Secretary of State John Kerry demanded Abedini’s release after he was sentenced to eight years in prison for 'creating a private church in his house' and 'harming national security.' The confirmation of the verdict coincided with a visit to Tehran by Oman’s Sultan Qaboos, who has acted as an intermediary between Iran and the Washington." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPastor Saeed Abedini Loses Appeal Case, 8-Year Sentence In Iranian Jail Stands

A Congressman who Doesn’t Cotton to the Constitution

"Rep. Cotton has proposed a measure that would punish family members of people who violated U.S. sanctions against Iran with prison sentences of up to 20 years. As Cotton explained: 'There would be no investigation. If the prime malefactor of the family is identified on the list for sanctions, then everyone within their family would automatically come within the sanctions regime as well.' The sanctions measure itself is constitutionally illegitimate, since Congress has no jurisdiction over the military and economic policies of any other nation. Rep. Cotton would compound that offense against the Constitution by imposing collective punishment – without trial – on the basis of kinship." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingA Congressman who Doesn’t Cotton to the Constitution

Iran Tanker Owner Seen Expanding Fleet by IHS Amid Sanctions

"NITC, Iran’s biggest tanker company, increased the capacity of its supertanker fleet by 23 percent this year amid sanctions related to the nation’s nuclear program that bar most of the world’s ships from carrying Iranian crude, according to IHS Maritime. NITC has 37 supertankers and its entire fleet can hold about 86 million barrels of oil, equal to 65 days of the nation’s exports, IHS data show. European Union sanctions that started in July 2012 prevent most non-Iranian tankers from hauling the country’s crude because almost all ships are insured under the 28-nation bloc’s laws." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIran Tanker Owner Seen Expanding Fleet by IHS Amid Sanctions