Posted on 09/16/2009 9:22:08 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Russian President hints at U-turn over Iran sanctions
Richard Beeston in Moscow
President Medvedev gave the first hint yesterday that Russia was prepared to perform a significant policy U-turn and support US moves for sanctions against Iran.
Speaking in Moscow, the Russian leader went out of his way to be more conciliatory with the West before his visit this month to the US where he will attend the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York and the G20 summit of economic powers in Pittsburgh. A key issue on the agenda will be efforts by America, Britain and France to impose economic sanctions against Tehran if the regime does not agree to curb its nuclear programme.
It is widely expected that President Ahmadinejad of Iran, who will also be in New York, will reject any pressure from the international community. Russia has previously refused to support the imposition of sanctions on Iran, not least because it enjoys strong trade relations with the country.
But yesterday Mr Medvedev said: “Sanctions are not very effective on the whole, but sometimes you have to embark on sanctions and they can be right.”
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
First the mysterious events surrounding the Arctic Sea, a Russian freighter. It supposedly carried sophisticated missiles destined for Iran.
Shimon Perese paid a visit to Moscow.
Then, Bibi mysteriously drops out of news radar, rumored to be in Moscow.
Medvedev is saying something uncharacteristic for Russians.
The whole thing would make outsiders mighty curious on what is going on.
Looks like Iran missed a payment or two to Russia.
” This could be little more than a head fake to throw others off for a while. “
Talk is cheap - wonder how much of our sovereignty and national interest we had to trade for this cryptic and half-hearted ‘concession’...
“Here, Charlie Brown - I’ll hold the football and you run up and kick it!!”
So, did the Russians just blink again?
I can’t imagine Russia too happy with both Sunni and Shiite ready to hurl nuclear bombs at its doorstep.
No, don’t think the Russians blinked at all. They along with China have been steadfast in not agreeing to tough sanctions on Iran. They both profit from trade and not sure what would make it change.
Talking about it and doing it are two different matters.
Now if Bibi talked about damaging Iran to the point it could not live up to the trade agreements, that would be interesting. But who knows?
Putin is playing games my guess.
Bibi might have reminded them of the Samson option. That would put a goodly amount of oil (Russia doesn’t generate enough for itself) out of commission for a long time.
It took Israel a while but they did get pay-back for Munich-1972. Maybe Bibi was simply saying chose sides,NOW.
I know where I stand.
Medvedev: "Yes, but these pictures prove nothing."
Bibi: "Mr. Medvedev, note this weather pattern chart. See how the prevailing winds move from Natanz to Moscow at the same latitude?"
Medvedev: "OK, OK, we'll join the sanctions."
I say ‘blinked’ because it’s looking more and more like the purpose of Bibi’s secret trip was to ask “Are you really, really, REALLY sure you don’t want us to do this?”
Medvedev knows that while the Iranians may be about to assemble their first nuke, the Israelis already have more than enough to irradiate Iran from one end to the other, and that if the Israelis have to choose between annihilation and international disdain—which they get already—then there really isn’t any choice at all...
But more likely the Iranians are behind on the easy payment plan, and Medvedev and Putin are just trying to get them current.
Call it what you like as I won’t criticize any perspective. It’s so shadowy there’s no telling what’s going on.
One should keep in mind that Iran has chosen to use proxies to engage Israel and well armed ones like Hezzbully in south Lebanon.
All that needs to be done now is the order to flip the switch. Many longer range missiles are in place. The UN has been watching carefully as they were trekked in via Syria.
Americans won’t have a clue as to how it came about if something occurs. But Israel is probably ready for all of it. The question is always what do they do with a list of ever worsening choices.
Israel doesn’t have the throw weight to take out Iran’s nuke capability. They can only hope to damage and delay it should the order come.
It’s not a good situation.
As for Iran, think not of a nuke state with x amount of missiles but x amount of exportable dirty bombs. Ones that can be easily brought into the US?
Same.
Also possible Obama contacted them and told them, “We aren’t really going to enforce those sanctions anyway.”
“It’s so shadowy there’s no telling what’s going on.”
Well, there’s certainly no disagreement with that. Let’s just pray to God that the situation doesn’t get illuminated by the light of fissioning metal...
Very true.
or somehow Bibi made his mind right...
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