US moves towards engaging Iran (A lot of information in this article; Asia Times Online)

[icymist]

US moves towards engaging Iran
By M K Bhadrakumar

The coming few weeks are going to be critical in the standoff between the United States and Iran as the upheaval in the Middle East reaches a turning point. And all options do remain on the table, as the George W Bush administration likes to say, from military conflict to a de facto acceptance of Iran's standing as the region's dominant power.

One thing is clear. The time for oratorical exercises is ending. A phase of subtle, reciprocal, conceptual diplomatic actions may be beginning. An indication of this is available in the two radio interviews given by Bush last weekend and beamed into Iran, exclusively aimed at reaching out to the Iranian public on the Persian New Year Nauroz.
Read the full article

Some notables in this article:
- Bu*sh is asking, through Kissinger, for unconditional talks with Iran.
- <snip>"the unbearable financial cost of waging a war with Iran, which would have to be underwritten by China, Saudi Arabia and Japan"
- US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte arrived in Islamabad Tuesday.
- It is questionable whether Pakistan will remain a US ally in this war(s).
- Iran is weary that Iraq will be used a a base for covert operations (in Iran).
- Darth Cheney's visit to the region is discussed:
<snip>
Evidently, the crucial ingredient henceforth of the Bush administration's Iraq policy is no longer a withdrawal schedule but a political and diplomatic underpinning for a military strategy. Hence the importance of US Vice President Dick Cheney's current tour of the Middle East. Quite uncharacteristically, Cheney eschewed any strident anti-Iran rhetoric during his tour. (The
Iranians, on their part, reciprocated by ignoring Cheney's presence in the region.)
- Russia has major commerical interests in Iran, forming a 'gas cartel'.

I'm hoping that a war with Iran is avoidable here.

[Webster Green]

1. Kissinger and Negroponte....great!

Adds a nice touch to the insanity.

These are some sick mutherfuckers!

[Strelnikov_]

2. "Iran's proposal to Russia to form a gas cartel is set to take off . . .

at a meeting of gas-producing countries in Moscow in June."


This can't be going over well with the Reich.


In effect, the "reformist' coalition has become a spent force and is now likely to disintegrate. Already by end-February, Rafsanjani seems to have sensed this defeat of "black Shi'ism" by "red Shi'ism". He quickly changed tack and made up with Ahmadinejad. The ultimate clincher, of course, was the extraordinary gesture of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to publicly voice support of Ahmadinejad. Addressing the powerful Assembly of Experts (headed by Rafsanjani) on February 26, Khamenei praised the role of Ahmadinejad for "great success" on the nuclear issue. Later in the evening on the same day, Rafsanjani visited Ahmadinejad.

The IRGC has cadres numbering 10 million. Late spiritual leader ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini had envisaged the IRGC to be the core of the Iranian revolution. The parliamentary elections have created a new power calculus devolving on the IRGC. The high turnout at the elections - over 60% - lends unquestionable legitimacy to this extraordinary political transformation of the Iranian regime, returning it, as it were, to its revolutionary moorings.

Sounds like the hard-line elements are firmly in power now.

[icymist]

4. The question here is if our hard liner are crazier than their hard liners.

Did you notice that the gas cartel is getting ready to sell Iranian oil to Europe through Russia? Betcha' that'll be in Euros.

[pegleg]

3. Well we no if Bush is going to do it, it'll have to be soon n/t

[icymist]

5. Just thought you'd like to know! n/t

:kick: