Iran, Lebanon, Russia, and India–It is about Power and Oil!

Canada Free Press ^ | Thursday, July 27, 2006 | David Jonnson

[Sean_Anthony]

In a recent article — Iran Reaches the Mediterranean I indicated that for Muslims, three cities of the Christian faith have particular significance: Jerusalem, Constantinople and Rome. The fall of Constantinople is described in detail in my earlier book, The Clash of Ideologies--The Making of the Christian and Islamic Worlds. Iran with its relations and support of Hamas and Hezbollah now has access to the Mediterranean and is the neighbor of Jerusalem. Italy was the first country from which Iran withdrew is funds.

[strategofr]

"The conflicts in the Middle East can not resolved leading to sustainable peace until the U.S. and the West develop a strategy for energy security and self-sufficiency."

Well here is somebody who is at least looking at the whole scope of the problem---seeing Islamacsim as a component of the larger anti-west alliance. I would say what we need to do is recognize that our primary enemies are Russia and China. once we do this, we need to start applying economic sanctions to these two countries and a slow, measured, and systematic fashion. The worse their behavior gets, the more fully we would cut them off. This would bring China (and their North Korean puppet) in-line quite instantly as China is completely economically dependent on us. Russia less so, but I believe we could gain control even with them. just told them directly responsible for Iran's actions, since Iran would not be any kind of appreciable power without Russian arms.

To exit from my Ping list, just send me one request to that effect, public or private.

[quantfive]

"China is completely economically dependent on us. Russia less so, but I believe we could gain control even with them. just told them directly responsible for Iran's actions, since Iran would not be any kind of appreciable power without Russian arms."

China does need us a little but really only to finish milking us in trade imbalances/currency. They have used this liquidity to build a nice navy, air force and small nuclear arsenal. your forgetting that these countries are run by communists. Russia we will never control at all.

[Robert DeLong]

I think it is very important that every American read this article.

[Marine_Uncle]

Gaining any control over the brown bear and the panda bear is not likely to happen. We are dealing with three civilizations, that differ quite widely in their construction/origins.
All one can do is attempt to maintain military and geopolitical parity with them. Or in some cases come out a bit ahead. As long as the world markets provide a lot of money to them both, they shall increase in stature. Without having to go into long treatise that I am ill prepared to deliver, I do think we shall continue for many years playing cat a mouse with these two nations. Big guns aimed at one another have a tendancy to cancel out any outright agression, but allow for a lot of rhetorical games to be played. It is not in the interest of either of our real enemies to want to allow for us to gain a upper edge.
The one world trade system, in effect allows for them to stay in the ball game. Russia is becoming a real energy producing giant. Why should they want to play by our rules.

[Red6]

(The Axis of Evil) The real axis of evil today is N. Korea, Syria, and Iran. As defined by president Bush years ago. Those are the ones today that are dangerous and defined enemies of the free industrialized world. However, the enablers, like Russia and China in part fuel the danger by resisting any economic sanctions be brought forth (They profit from the status quo) and even arm these belligerents. Trade with these rough states keeps their economies viable and those vile regimes in power.

(The enablers) Russia and China are enabling nations and bottom feeders. They are nations that play it both ways and want to profit from dealing's woth rough states but also the West. They also see the US and other in the West still partially as their enemy and see anything being weakening our position as good. The are the axis of weasels in reality.

(The antagonist who is no direct enemy) Nations like Venezuela are antagonists and have their own internal agenda they pursue, but they are no direct belligerent who is bent on our destruction. Even within NATO you have antagonists who are working for pure self interest and at times work against the collective interests; France is a perfect example. In the end, even France shares all our strategic goals but they see power and rewards in opposing us at times and their motivation or participation on nearly any mission is "pure" self interests.

(The fair weather friend) These are the states that are on our side and know it. They cooperate and their national interests as moral beliefs/culture is completely with us but they simply for whatever reason lack the resolve to take large scale action. They are on the side lines and on occasion participate a little but generally avoid volunteering taking a proactive position and do as little as need be just to slip by and avoid confrontation with others reference how little they do. They expect the US to clean up the mess. Example: Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan.....

(The full ally) Finally there is the full player and participant. Those are the ones who carry their full weight, and pay the cost in blood, terror, economics and even politics. Example: Australia, Netherlands, and Great Britain.

[SunkenCiv]

China is economically dependent on us; but that card can only be played once. China is also economically dependent on the Middle East and its oil, as we are. Everything made (here or elsewhere) has an energy component, and as that goes higher, it results in a practical reduction in productivity, inflation, and unemployment. Nations with a labor cost advantage but rising energy costs are going to suffer worse because the price of everything they import will rise a lot, while most of the stuff they export mostly can't rise in price without drastic loss of sales.

I wholeheartedly agree that China and Russia are two of our primary enemies, but Islam is the third, and is the common enemy of all non-Moslems. Russia massacres the Moslems of Chechnya, and meanwhile backs Iran / Hizbollah / Syria (not to mention Venezuela / Cuba) against the US. China is in the midst of an unprecedented military buildup that began with the collapse of the USSR.

[SunkenCiv]

US sanctions two India firms for transfers to Iran
REUTERS | July 27, 2006 | Carol Giacomo
Posted on 07/27/2006 5:10:07 PM EDT by pganini
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1673380/posts

[spanalot]

Break ground for a thousand nukes in the West ans see how quick Russia and Iran get smart.

[strategofr]

"nukes"

Nuclear power plants? I agree, we should go full speed ahead on nuclear power (with adequate safety controls).

My only point is, Russia and China have found a way to attack the current vulnerabilities of the United States. Even if we find ways to partially protect these vulnerabilities---we will always have vulnerabilities. (In effect, the Russians found another way to attack a US vulnerability on 9-11.)

We can never gained a comfortable position vis-à-vis Russia, China, and their satellites such as Iran and North Korea if we don't directly counter our strength (economics) against Russian and Chinese weakness (economics) in an effective strategic way. Linkage.

We are the world's premier marketplace. There are only two other markets in the world of major significance: Europe and Japan. Japan will not be an economic sanctuary for China, and possibly not Russia as well---once Japan starts to confront the ramifications of the threat to their own security that China poses.

China is completely dependent on us---we should utilize this shamelessly anytime they (or their puppet state North Korea) challenges us politically.

Russia, if we reduce their economic access, can possibly compensate with Europe---but this would create problems for all concerned---problems I am quite willing to see happen.

[Salem]

Also posted HERE. You beat me to it.

---

AMERICA AT WAR
At Salem the Soldier's Homepage ~
Honored member of FReeper Leapfrog's "Enemy of Islam" list.
Islam, a Religion of Peace®? Some links...  by backhoe
Translated Pre-War IRAQ Documents  by jveritas
Mohammed, The Mad Poet Quoted....  by PsyOp
One FReeper On The Line  by SNOWFLAKE
The Clash of Ideologies - A Review

"It's time we recognized the nature of the conflict. It's total war and we are all involved. Nobody on our side is exempted because of age, gender, or handicap. The Islamofacists have stolen childhood from the world." [FReeper Retief]

[M. Espinola]

Excellent article.

Some oil related news updates:

Russian ministry: Oil spill may be environmental catastrophe

Oil pipeline in Iraq a shambles: Pentagon watchdog

Oil prices rise on Mideast concerns

Venezuela threatens again to cut oil supply to US

[PsyOp]

Well, since Russia refuses to list Hamas and Hezbullshiit on their list of terrorist organizations, what would we expect?

I read an article last week in which Syria was described as Iran's sunni prison bitch. I think the same characterization applies to Russia. There are over 30,000 Russian "technicians" working in Iran, sending money back home. Russia will do nothing to upset their new masters.

I sincerely hope that when Iran starts giving away nukes, they give one to the chechyns in order to repay Russia for services rendered.

[Thunder90]

Russia has been putting it's massive monetary surplus into military development.

[truecolor]

...meantime the USA have military budget 25 times more than Russia...

[Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit]

Well maybe the US should run a crash program to find alternatives and the the ME will become as irrelevant to our nation security as Africa. The others can follow out technolgical lead or fight it out amongst themselves.

Oh wait, I forgot, W. is an oil man.

[truecolor]

I would say what you need to do is recognize that your primary enemy is exorbitant greediness of your oligarchy who poke nose into all around.

It is a pity that brains of plain guys is raked over the coals. Russia (present-day Russia if you will) isn't aggressive state - enough to rattle the sabre.

[quantfive]

"Russia has been putting it's massive monetary surplus into military development."

I know it. They're re-arming trying to capture some of those jolly commie days of glory.

[quantfive]

"Well here is somebody who is at least looking at the whole scope of the problem---seeing Islamacsim as a component of the larger anti-west alliance. I would say what we need to do is recognize that our primary enemies are Russia and China. once we do this, we need to start applying economic sanctions to these two countries and a slow, measured, and systematic fashion. The worse their behavior gets, the more fully we would cut them off. This would bring China (and their North Korean puppet) in-line quite instantly as China is completely economically dependent on us. Russia less so, but I believe we could gain control even with them. just told them directly responsible for Iran's actions, since Iran would not be any kind of appreciable power without Russian arms."

Yes, we need to understand Russia and China as enemies, we are doing this resulting in those harsh remarks to Russia by Cheney as of late. Not much else we really can do about Russia except beef up our allies military and provide access into NATO which is happening. Most outside investors are staying clear of them and they have plenty of energy resources to provide capitol to re-growth of their military.

I disagree that China depends on us, in fact they have over 1 trillion dollars worth of our bonds. They could cause us big pain any time they wanted to economically.

I agree with the author on replacing ME oil with alternatives. It's our whole way of life at stake. Private investors and some government subsidies, easing of restrictions has accelerated this process but the greed of oil companies, Washington politicians and lobbyists are going to ensure this takes at least two decades, instead of a scant few years.

[quantfive]

"Russia has been putting it's massive monetary surplus into military development."

Yep. Their ground forces were an absolute mess and it seems they have gotten a grip on it. Something Europe should be taking notice of.