Showdown With Iran
The past few days in the Middle East has been increasingly volatile. Today, Germany has decided to halt sanctions against Iran, concerned that continuing Iranian sanction would be damaging to the German economy. This is a ridiculous cop-out. The United States has had sanction against Iran for nearly 30 years and our economy has managed nicely.
Diplomacy has failed. The U.N. sanctions cannot go any further because of Russia and China shielding Iran, and Germany refusing to continue self imposed sanctions. An Iranian blockade had been considered, but the burden would be placed more on the citizens of Iran, rather than the regime. What else can be done to halt the Iranian threat? Looks like "Shock & Awe" is in the works.
The Germans voiced concern about the damaging effects any further sanctions on Iran would have on the German economy — and also, according to diplomats from other countries, gave the distinct impression that they would privately welcome, while publicly protesting, an American bombing campaign against Iran's nuclear facilities.
The blockade of oil and gas would likely be followed by severe bombings. If Iranian jets can't get off the ground, they can't challenge ours.
Now that there is heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran, British troops have begun massing along the Iraq/Iran border to prevent Iran from escalating the proxy war.
The deployment came within a week of British forces leaving Basra Palace, their last remaining base inside Basra city, and withdrawing to the airport for a widely expected final departure from Iraq. Brigadier James Bashall, commander of 1 Mechanised Brigade, based at Basra said: "We have been asked to help at the Iranian border to stop the flow of weapons and I am willing to do so. We know the points of entry and I am sure we can do what needs to be done. The US forces are, as we know, engaged in the 'surge' and the border is of particular concern to them."
Gen. Petraeus feels that the situation with Iran can longer be dealt with inside Iraq and cannot be tolerated.
In an interview after his appearance before a congressional panel on Monday, General Petraeus strongly implied that it would soon be necessary to obtain authorization to take action against Iran within its own borders, rather than just inside Iraq. "There is a pretty hard look ongoing at that particular situation" he said.
I'm sure this situation will continue to evolve during the day.
h/t: HotAir
