Posted on 02/01/2006 3:11:56 AM PST by spkpls4
There is a striking difference between the foreign policies of Norway and Denmark, two Scandinavian neighbours. Whilst the appeasing Quisling government in Oslo grovels at the feet of extremists, Denmark valiantly defends the freedom of the West. The same striking difference in attitudes can be seen between two other close neighbours, Belgium and the Netherlands. Whilst the Dutch political elite has finally come to its senses, after the assassinations of Pim Fortuyn and Theo van Gogh, the Belgians are continuing their tradition of being utterly unreliable allies. [pdf]
It was revealed today that on November 3, 2004 a Belgian company exported a machine to Iran which will help Teheran to build (nuclear) missiles. The machine, a hot isostatic press, was exported by the Belgian company EPSI (Engineered Pressures Systems International) despite frequent and urgent requests by the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) not to do so. From July 17, 2004 onwards CIA officers had been warning their colleagues at the Belgian state security service, the Sûreté de lÉtat (SdÉ), that Iran Aircraft Industries was trying to buy an isostatic press in Belgium.
Anne-Marie Lizin, the speaker of the Belgian Senate, said today that the Americans asked the Belgian government with insistence not to contribute, not even inadvertently, to the Iranian missile program.
more at: http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/738
(Excerpt) Read more at brusselsjournal.com ...
Actually, Spain has a relatively low Muslim population, and many of those who are there got there illegally by getting smuggled across the Straits. Spain made a decision (under its former president, Aznar) to offer millions of visas to Latin Americans, because Spain needed workers but wanted people who shared Western cultural values. They also have a fair number of Christian African immigrants from former Spanish colonies in Africa.
The Italian government tried to do the same thing, because they needed the workers but did not want a large Muslim influx, so there was a plan to seek Africans from Christian Africa, among other groups. However, the left screamed discrimination and shot the program down.
So I think we really owe the large Muslim influx into Europe to the left. Immigration is a necessary thing and can even be a good thing (none of us would be here in the US if it weren't for immigration, and surely Freepers are a "good thing" :-)), but it's important to do it right. The left, of course, hates the West and Western cultural values, so they were only too happy to bring in a group that they must have known was fundamentally opposed to the West. It's pity the Muslims won't target the left alone when they decide to take over; alas, all of Europe is going to be in deep trouble soon.
Iran is a country of 68 million people with a GDP of $551B (2005). Iran exports a billion barrels of oil per year worth at most (for 2005) $70B. That leaves at least $480B of other stuff they are doing. 43% of the work force is employed in industry. (Source: CIA) It's not all carpets ($1B in 1997) by a long way. Google around for lists of Iranian industries.
ping
"I wonder.." "I'm always wrong, my own attack me:{{{{"
Thank you (*jb6*)
You're looking at GDP per the offical exchange rate for 2004. I am citing the CIA World Fact book figures for purchasing power parity GDP, estimated, and for population for 2005. My big mistake lay in not adjusting the oil figure for purchasing power parity, but it still leaves a lot more than carpet-making going on. Carpets are what Iran has, besides oil, that we want. No doubt they are producing lots of stuff that we don't find worth the trouble of importing, but which are vital for the operation of their society.
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