Who taught you how to read? That's not what I wrote. Read it again. I'm sure you accidently edited this out, an oversight but unintentional. "When it comes to Iran, you always have to differentiate between what is bluster and what is real," Afshin Molavi, an Iran analyst with the New America Foundation, told CNN. The threats to close and mine the Strait of Hormuz, through which a high percentage of the world's oil supply passes through, were all bluster, Molavi said. Iran has a lot to lose by closing the Strait. With 80% of their hard currency earnings, and most of their revenues coming from the oil trade, Iran would face severe economic repercussions through such an act. Iranian external foreign policy is driven by the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The remark about closing the Strait was made by an Iranian vice president, of which Iran has many, to a local audience that was then picked up by news organizations around the world following a report by an Iranian news agency. Molavi said the remark was likely made to pander to the vice president's immediate audience in Iran, "not realizing this is going to go viral and global very fast." I'm surprised you don't know the author. Guess you don't ever read about the Middle East. http://newamerica.net/user/117
Your guy must not be up on the news. Iran has repeatedly threatened to to shut down the Strait of Hormuz. http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/12/28/185028.html Iran’s navy chief, meanwhile, said Tehran would find it “really easy” to close the world’s most important oil transit channel, the Strait of Hormuz at the Gulf’s entrance, but would not do so right now. “Shutting the strait for Iran’s armed forces is really easy -- or as we say (in Iran) easier than drinking a glass of water,” Admiral Habibollah Sayari said in an interview with Iran’s Press TV. “But today, we don’t need (to shut) the strait because we have the Sea of Oman under control, and can control the transit,” he said. Sayari was speaking a day after Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi threatened to close the strait if the West imposed more sanctions on Iran, and as Iran's navy held war games in international waters to the east of the channel. ... But Sayari asserted that the Strait of Hormuz “is completely under the control of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” according to AFP. He said Iran's navy was constituted with the aim of being able to close the strait if necessary. ... Iran has several times said it is ready to target the strait if it is attacked or economically strangled by Western sanctions over its nuclear program. An Iranian lawmaker’s comments last week that the navy exercises would block the Strait of Hormuz briefly sent oil prices soaring before that was denied by the government.
None of these people represent Iran's leadership, nor do they have the power to make any decisions about closing the strait. If Mitt Romney says we're going to attack Iran that's not the same as the US saying it. It's hot air from a powerless bozo, and recognized as such.
One is the admiral in charge of their navy. They've been playing war games in the strait, practicing to close it down. How's that slow and agonizing death from radioactivity coming along? You do realize the USA alone blew up over 1000 nukes during the years before 1964, including 331 in the atmosphere. Maybe two sheets of tin foil for the hat, eh?
facts? After backing away from the $12 a gallon by the fall BS you pulled out your ass that I called you on, you relayed that some unnamed people are talking about $6 gas? How can I argue with those facts? I'm sure the 6$ and 12$ a gallon day will come sooner or later and much higher too. Safe to say that you're rooting/hoping for bad news to hurry up and arrive because you're a political and your team is losing. Unfortunately as a realist I know that neither party is on my side, and I'll have to make the best of matters regardless STOMP
The price of gas, at least here, has gone up for 37 straight days. Forbes magazine isn't unnamed people. $6 Gas? Picture in the news from 2 days ago: $4/gallon hits Bend Oregon HOW GAS PRICES CAN IMPACT THE ECONOMY I read the news. Do you?
yes Captain Obvious gas prices are going up, thanks for the revelation. But neither President Obama, Bush, Clinton etc... are at fault for Iran wanting to nuke Israel. Our relationship with them has been strained for decades and there is no magic policy the latest President can adopt to reverse history and make this all go away. Suggesting that it's largely Obama's fault is a laughable talking point that the far right extremists have been pushing as they're desperate for some national negativity to latch onto. The last few talking points have gone over like a led balloon and their primaries have been an embarrassing circus featuring pathetically feeble turnout. See, I do follow the news While speculators have recently driven up prices due to the latest concerns, as several posters have pointed out demand for this higher priced gas is plummeting. Thats not going to make the rest of the Arab world happy either which equals even more pressure on Iran. We'll just have to see how this plays out, but I much prefer our current tact working with other countries to starting yet another war STOMP
Demand for oil going down is a BAD thing. It means people are not flying to resort areas (for example) to spend their money. What happens to the economy of those resort areas? Seriously, what happens if demand for oil goes to zero? We all sit in the dark, go only where we can walk, etc. It's the opposite of progress and not a sign of a growing economy. But I do think the president has the power to affect the economy and gas prices. He appoints trade negotiators, for example. Ron Brown, appointed by Clinton, was outstanding and we all prospered. The president also appoints people who regulate industries. In the case of oil, we have plenty, but we're not allowed to drill for it. In the case of gasoline, we need more refineries, but regulation makes them difficult to build and bring on line. His appointed people are unelected and regulate all sorts of things throughout the economy. He has the ability to submit legislation to congress, and the ability to veto what comes out of congress. In fact, he vetoed the Keystone XL Pipeline recently. Leases for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico are at ridiculously low levels, after the administration put a moratorium on new wells and bankrupting companies. His reckless spending on all things that don't promote lower oil prices takes a toll, too. Consider QE1 and QE2, where the Federal Reserve printed over $2T in new money to make it look like Obama's deficits are only in the $1.5T range (see debt monetization). Silly Arabs saw us deflating our currency and demanded more dollars that are now worth less (not worthless!) per barrel of oil. And that's how we got $3+/gallon gas prices. There's also the power of the bully pulpit. Even his strongest supporters from Vegas during his first campaign are royally pissed at him for how his statements about spending money on trips to Vegas and conventions there has hurt their economy. And for the record, I'm not pleased with but a few politicians of any stripe. I'm not rooting for republicans, though I am not at all a fan of democrats. My guy is Ron Paul, and I'll be voting for the Libertarian Party candidate in the fall. I don't dislike Obama, but I have serious issues with his policies and the choices the people he appoints make. I've enumerated a few in this post alone. You may be right that there's no magic policy (but there is: strategic oil reserve) to right things overnight, but you can look at the 3+ years of policies, spending, vetoes, etc., and see how we got into this mess. The average price of gas was $1.79 when Obama took office. Can you name one thing he's done to keep prices low?
not giving the hysteria from desperate fringe groups influence springs to mind btw... how many states is it now up to that the Ron Paul & Santorum supporters have issues with how the GOP is counting/fixing these primaries for Mitt? STOMP
umm, not sure if he knows this, but sluts are awesome, and birth control makes them even better and is there a pill to make guys sterile for the day? i totally would
People who drive their cars to work aren't some fringe group. I've not seen anything about the primaries being fixed. More like the media is interested in pushing the wedge issues instead of looking at the policies proposed by the candidates, and that Romney has outstanding organizations built from last time around and lots of money to spend on negative ads.
Do you think Santorum will start rolling out his plan to ban Viagra too? That's unnatural sex and shouldn't be supported by health insurance, right?!
