....that Iran is not, I say again, not, constructing any nuclear weapons, though for some reason the story says "bomb." The reactor that attracts so much attention on Iran's southwest cost is not being used for military research, US intelligence agencies conclude. Granted, there is a capability to do so since the Iranians are engaged in nuclear research but there is no military applications as yet.
So why continue to surround and harass Iran? Such behavior only pushes them towards military applications. The answer may well lie in an attempt to once again drive up oil prices with the aid of a manufactured "crisis".
Has Iran shown a history of imperial aggressiveness? Yes, it has. But it is not doing so at the moment. Nor can they.
Iran's economy is not that strong. They are surrounded by the US military in Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, and the Persian Gulf . Iranian threats to Israel cannot be carried out because the US, and probably Israel, can knock the missiles down before they come close. Furthermore, Iran's relationship with Hamas has fallen apart so Iran's ability to strike at the Israelis is degraded even more. Unfortunately, there are still Iranian proxies in southern Lebanon but can they seriously damage Israel? Even their best effort in 2006 could not seriously damage Israel nor has any meaningful attempt repeat the effort.
Oil traders (maybe "traitors" is a better spelling) continue to harp about an Israeli preemptive strike on Iran. Have they looked at a map? Does any Israeli airplane have that kind of range to get there and back? And somehow, I don't see Jordan or Kuwait giving permission for overflight and even Iraq would not allow that, especially considering their experience in being on the receiving end of an Israeli strike back in 1981.
When these same speculators shout about Iranian efforts to shut down the Hormuz waterway, remember, Iran has a small navy that the US Fifth Fleet can destroy within a day. Also remember that when Saddam Hussein began blowing up oil wells in Kuwait during the Gulf War in 1991, oil prices did not move.
Who are the real villains here?
All these threats only reinforce the "Americans are coming to destroy Iran" propaganda Tehran feeds its people. And it suits the purposes of those seeking to steal more from the American people. And the sad thing is is that the morons in Tehran might actually be less of a threat to America.
Pic from CIA World Fact Book
Story for your consideration from New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/25/world/middleeast/us-agencies-see-no-move-by-iran-to-build-a-bomb.html
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