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I would like to see a break down of the countries that sell refined oil products to Iran. My impression is that a few of the European nations sell them quite a bit.
It has been a two way street. Direct purchases of oil from Iran for a return of gasoline, lubricants, heating oil etc..
Like with Saddam. Europeans don't want to loose business based on sanctions. They don't feel a direct threat from Iran so figure they will continue doing business with them. Obviously the Russians have a similiar deal.
So sanctions just can't work regardless of what the US may demand.
Those that keep bashing GWB over not stiff enough sanctions are IMHO just whistling in the wind.
Then there is the deals going on with Venezuala for instance, where Chaveze may be promising to sell them cheap gas and some other fractions, along with some vital derivatives from petrochemical plants, if the Europeans where to cave in and go along with stiff sanctions.
And the Russians are always in the loop. They to could supply Iran with gasoline etc..
In short, the US is not in a good position to scare Iran into stopping their nuclear program and supplying terrorist with stuff that kills our troops in Iraq.
The only thing that could keep Iran in check is that fact they don't know if we have the will to surgically remove whatever we wish. But then the part of the equation comes in where do the Mullahs really care. The ones that bet on the hidden bone head showing up surely don't. It is hard to deal with such a crowd of lunatics.