Quote from Nana Trader:
US is in no win situation against Iran
article from yahoo today main stories
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060113...bJSw60A;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl
Most experts say Iran would be hurt if its energy exports are targeted, since oil and gas sales amount to 69 percent of the country's annual budget.
But in an energy-hungry world, prohibiting OPEC's second largest producer from doing international business would be a double-edged sword â even a one-day disruption in natural gas deliveries from Russia this month sent the European Union into emergency mode.
"Even for nations that don't directly import from Iran, any disruption in imports affects prices," said Valerie Marcel, energy specialist at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London. "And Asia, with its dependence on Iranian energy, would be directly hurt."
Friedemann Mueller of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin warned that pulling the daily 2.7 million barrels of Iranian oil off the market "would set off an enormous price movement."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Israel and the United States, the two nations Iran considers its most implacable enemies and the most likely to resort to such means, have refused to categorically rule out such action. But they say it's not in the cards anytime soon. And their reluctance is understandable.
Iran's nuclear installations are scattered and hidden, and intelligence on them is weak. That would rule out the success of a single devastating airstrike of the kind Israel carried out against Iraq's Osirak reactor in 1981.
Only the United States would be capable of carrying out the other combat scenario â a full scale invasion to topple the regime. But it has its hands full in Iraq.
And U.S. military strategists recognize that invading Iran â large, rugged, and with forces led by battle-hardened veterans of the 1980-1988 war against Iraq â could backfire.
"I think the people would unite behind their leadership â even those critical of the leadership now," said Albright. "They would be willing to live under all kinds of hardship to battle an invader."
OK - here's my macro opinion and why this garbage above won't come to pass.
Today's conference with Bush and Merklel of Germany marked a
sea-change in Europe's viewpoint towards the middle east and the muslim fundamentalist issue.
Congratulations, french muslim rioters, british terrorists, and spanish train bombers. Your summer of rioting and limited terror attacks served only to cause a massive reality check by the european powers and make them say - "Oh my god!?!? whatever were we thinking?!?!?" You singlehandedly did more to persuade pacifistic Germany, France, and Spain that your incursions must be stopped.
This is the beginning of a second coalition to handle Iran the way that Iraq should have been handled. Its fine to put egg on the US's face, but its another thing to threaten everyone. Furthermore, China is trying to gain access to Iran's oil outside of the open marketplace, and that probably can't be allowed.
Here's what's going to go down.
1. Sanctions applied by UN
2. Israel, claiming a security risk (bibi is next in line for PM spot post sharon and he's mossad and a hawk of hawks), takes out Iranian nuke facilities. (bunker buster nukes anyone?)
3. UN backs israel
4. Iran either backs down and plays nice OR
5. Something happens to warrant regime change
6. US provides the force projection into Iran - quick air war like beginning of Gulf I and II
7. Worldwide coalition of land forces provides occupying/peacekeeping function like currently in Iraq, led by europe, which allows europe permanent access to iranian oil (see where this is going?)
8. Israel shuts down terrorism out of unfriendlies (syria, lebanon)
9. Business as usual with 1% drain on world GDP and china pissed off.
Possible problems
1. Iranian nuke detonated in NYC or DC, after which most of the mideast turned into radioactive glass.
2. China threatens land based war due to denial of access to resources (not likely)
3. North Korea uses this as the chance to grab south korea (bad idea )
Ya heard it here first fellow ET'ers... this is a BIG deal. Hope lots of the stuff doesn't come to pass, but sure glad I got long energies at the beginning of the year!
P.S. Battle hardened veterans of a war 20 years ago? Most of those guys need knee replacements by now. Ridiculous.