SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the We-have-always-been-at-war-with-Eurasia dept.
Iran Doesn't Have a Nuclear Weapons Program. Why Do Media Keep Saying It Does?
When it comes to Iran, do basic facts matter? Evidently not, since dozens and dozens of journalists keep casually reporting that Iran has a "nuclear weapons program" when it does not—a problem FAIR has reported on over the years (e.g., 9/9/15). Let's take a look at some of the outlets spreading this falsehood in just the past five days:
Business Insider (10/13/17): "The deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), aims to incentivize Iran to curb its nuclear weapons program by lifting crippling international economic sanctions."
New Yorker (10/16/17): "One afternoon in late September, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called a meeting of the six countries that came together in 2015 to limit Iran's nuclear weapons program."
Washington Post (10/16/17): "The administration is also considering changing or scrapping an international agreement regarding Iran's nuclear weapons program."
CNN (10/17/17): "In reopening the nuclear agreement, [Trump] risks having Iran advance its nuclear weapons program at a time when he confronts a far worse nuclear challenge from North Korea that he can't resolve."
The problem with all of these excerpts: There is no documentation that Iran has a nuclear weapons program.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Sulla on Monday October 23 2017, @04:16AM (5 children)
Warmongers, all of them warmongers. Wonder how many bonds they hold with defence companies.
I hope iran gets the bomb and lots of them, because thats the only way we will prevent a war with them.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 23 2017, @05:44AM
You are a stupid clown. I bet you cheer on when Rocket Man does one of his tests, too.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday October 23 2017, @05:51AM (2 children)
A "special interest" designation from China for their petrol will help as well.
I have a feeling that there's possibility opened in this direction: if Trump denounce the nuclear deal and the others in the deal want to stay on (and it looks so [washingtonpost.com]), you'll have the interesting situation in which at least one of 5 members with UN veto power (United Kingdom, Russia, France, and China - plus Germany) may be tempted to tell Trump "veto on your proposal for extra sanctions". Iran may be tempted not to escalate the issue outside the deal if the vetoer buy their petrol preferentially.
Adding to the above [mit.edu]: list of Iran exports (top on the list "crude oil") and export destinations (top on the list - China+India approx 66% of the total value in 2015, with China close to 50%).
https://www.youtube.com/@ProfSteveKeen https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 23 2017, @08:31AM (1 child)
They don't need to buy it preferentially. And it's not just about oil. Iran needs external investment and it needs trade with outside world. It has certain resources it can export beyond oil, and it needs other resources from outside to grow.
But yes, China has already been very active in all sectors of Iranian economy. The problem is European and other international businesses are weary because morons like Trump can slap *them* with sanctions if they go against US's unilateral sanctions. And US market is still much more important than anything Iran can provide.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday October 23 2017, @10:23AM
China's One belt one road [wikipedia.org] initiative.
Here's a map with country names on [smh.com.au]
So, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Turkey, Europe.
Now, Iran will be the gateway to the Gulf's oil - something tells me China will side with Iran the same way Russia sided with Syria**. Let's look a bit on what's happening around.
Ah, yes,Aramco [wikipedia.org] (100% owned by Saudis) plans a float in 2018 [ft.com] China may or may not buy a share into it (I bet it will), but... there are some troubles there:
Ooops. The Brexiters also have a pain with this float [qz.com] - only 5% of Aramco is planned to be floated this round, and London exchange rules want at least 25% for listing.
We'll see if China offers or not better conditions in HK exchange as the IPO launching place - if it does, I'm quite afraid that this can non-ambiguously interpreted as China courting the Saudis... which, if this happens, may slip slowly out of the traditional partnership with US; if this happens, one can ask when (not if) we'll see petro-yuans coexisting with petrodollars. Should I go ahead an explore what the notion of petro-yuans would mean?
---
** you hear the deafening silence in the news about Syria coming just about after Trump sent those rockets into that Syrian base? I wonder why, but beyond that wonder a thing is clear: US suddenly "lost interest" in Syria and Russia can have what it seeks there.
https://www.youtube.com/@ProfSteveKeen https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 23 2017, @11:08AM
...[that's] the only way we will prevent a war with them
A writer that I like had a similar idea the other day.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]