Iran 'number one challenge to US' (Rice)

[sabra]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18411901-23109,00.html

Iran 'number one challenge to US'

IRAN was the biggest challenge facing the United States, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in urging Congress to adopt a package aimed at promoting democracy in the Islamic republic.

"We may face no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran, whose policies are directed at developing a Middle East that would be 180 degrees different than the Middle East we would like to see develop," Dr Rice said.
"This is a country that is determined, it seems, to develop a nuclear weapon in defiance of the international community which is determined that they should not get one."

Dr Rice accused Tehran of being "the central banker for terrorism" and of backing terrorist acclivities in Iraq, the Palestinian territories and in Lebanon.

:nuke:

[MadMaddie]

1. Same bullshit story different country...

Beating the war drums again....

[Dulcinea]

2. Really? Not Iraq? Not the hurricane victims?

Shouldn't our own people come first?

[leftchick]

3. Let's see, Not Ihe Iraq Quagmire, Not the Forgotten Afghanistan War

and not North Korea that test fired two missiles close to China yesterday? Gee I am glad to know we are in such knowledgable and capable hands. :eyes:

[Inland]

8. Those are Missions Accomplished, apparently.

You know how big organizations work. When the project fails, you gotta bury it and move on.

[skylarmae]

4. same old drum beat - same old song !!!

I don't believe one single word out of this woman's mouth...NO MORE LIES.

[gonefishing]

5. I always get those two mixed up

I could of sworn they said Iraq???

[tatertop]

6. Condie Rice will be Group Think Leader for today's Two Minutes Hate!

(Remember, your reaction is being observed, recorded,
and scrutinized for the appropriate hate reaction!!)

[Benhurst]

7. If you want to finda a terrorist, Condoleezza (sic), try looking

in the mirror.

[saigon68]

14. She can't look in the Mirror

Her reflection wilL break it






UGLY IS ---- AS UGLY DOES

[sutz12]

23. I don't think she'd have a reflection. nt

[Mithras61]

9. "Iran = #1 Challenge" meme is true if...

what they mean is that finding a reason to bomb/invade Iran that the people of this country will swallow is their #1 challenge.

[liberal N proud]

10. Here is the real reason Codalies is talking about Iran:

Here is an excellent article outlining the real reason bu$h co is going after Iran... They don't want to play with the dollar any more.

Challenging the mighty dollar

If major nations trade on Iran's oil bourse, it may start a 'dollar flight' effect

By Ramin Davoodi

What people read is that there is a growing threat of a nuclear Iran that will threaten the safety of the West. Yet, that's essentially all that is said or written on the issue. However, to critically thinking people who turn to the internet and to foreign press for their news, the brewing crisis most likely has to do with intricate issues involving our incessant dependencies, not just on oil for our transportation and industrial needs, but more importantly for the means by which our modern economic system operates in the US, UK and much of the rest of the industrialized western world (strong hint: It's not a truly "free market").
You see, control over global oil trading and pricing standards essentially underwrites the sanctity of the US dollar as a fiat (i.e. government mandated) currency for trade and investments. Were anything to threaten that delicate arrangement between control over oil pricing in particular, and our economic system in general, then there would be tectonic shifts in global finance to the detriment of the banks and energy companies that essentially dictate the means and mores of modern US-dominated geopolitics, trade and wealth creation around the world.

In 2004, Iran decided to do what Iraq did before it -- start the process of eventually selling its oil and natural gas in euros instead of the globally mandated US dollar. Yet, Iran is 'one-upping' Iraq by starting its own energy exchange, labeled the Iran Oil Bourse, which would rival the aforementioned exchanges in London and New York.

This oil bourse is set to float in Tehran in March 2006. Although scoffed at as wildly implausible by market analysts in the US and UK, the bourse has also been seen as potentially very lucrative for investors and nations' central banks that wish to diversify their currency holdings and energy trading reserves away from the US dollar. Upon prudent observation, and on par, the input of the latter crew outweigh the scoffings of the former (just do a Google search using the words "oil", "Iran", "bourse" and for extra kicks, "NYMEX").

And to answer those who claim we need to save Israel:

"Still", people claim, "that doesn't change the fact that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons." One certainly shouldn't trust the Iranian government's word on why they seek to procure nuclear technology, yet a rationalist and realist would sense that, if a major oil exporting nation wishes to launch an oil bourse that could be deemed as threatening to the US/UK-backed energy status quo, then that nation would also seek to adequately arm itself against inevitable attempts at regime change.

"Yes, but the mullahs want to wipe Israel off the map". In light of the already preexisting nuclear power inherent in Israel, Pakistan, Russia, India and obviously the US (which surrounds Iran with military bases), it doesn't make all that much sense that Iran would want nukes just so that it can conduct a first strike against another nation.

Iran's mullahs may be hardliners, but they're not suicidal, considering the riches Iran sits on. That would contradict the logic of deterrence, just as our government's building up of further tactical nuclear weapons, and recent shipping of hundreds of such "bunker busters" to Israel, contradicts the logic of anti-proliferation that Iran and others are apparently supposed to abide by. Please.

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article12254.htm

[Mithras61]

17. I believe you are correct, but...

this issue is far too complicated to fit into a 10 second sound bite, and doesn't guarantee that the people will be willing to embrace the need for invading or bombing Iran. I have mixed feelings about whether this is a valid reason or not. Defending the dollar from devaluation seems like a pretty sound idea, but when you consider that the dollar has been artificially propped up by the trade in oil, it becomes less sanctionable. When you consider that the devaluation of the dollar would likely cause wide-spread economic devastation here on top of the damage that has already been done by the BFEE, it doesn't sound like such a grand plan to have it fall by as much as 60% or more.

Do I think ot would be in our interests IN THE LONG TERM to get out of the petro-dollar trap? Yes.

Do I think it can be done without causing economic upheaval here? Certainly not by the current administration.

Will it force us to wean ourselves off of oil as the primary fuel for our economy? Without question.

Will it cause widespread panic, economic upheaval and general collapse of the economy (ala Argentina in the 1990s)? If we allow it to happen while BFEE is in charge and the transition is controlled by those who consider us to be enemies, it will probably do all that and more.

I don't have a solution to the problem, but I can certainly see it and consider it to be the 5 ton elephant in the room.

[dweller]

11. "no-one would have ever predicted ..."

her saying that.
yeh, right.






dp

[chelsea0011]

12. al Queda? Has anyone seen al Queda? There must have a victory

I haven't heard about.

[truebrit71]

13. What was it Smirky McChimp couldn't say about "fool me once...

...won't get fooled again?"

Sorry lady, but we didn't buy your sack of lies the first time, and we CERTAINLY ain't buyin' the shit you're selling this time...

[bluethruandthru]

16. Once again the shrubbies are looking to bomb people into

accepting democracy. Wow...didn't we really hate the commies for doing that?

[Sapere aude]

15. I am so sick of these f__ks!

[progressivebydesign]

28. You forgot the "uc" in your word, so I did it for you. ; ) n/t

[sinkingfeeling]

18. What ever happened to North Korea?

[aden_nak]

19. Osama bin Forgotten. And he just sent us another mix tape, too.

Man, they drag him out of the closet on cue, but they sure are quick to forget his name once they have an alternate agenda.

[rodeodance]

20. "Tehran of being "the central banker for terrorism"-- umm..

[951-Riverside]

21. "They're poo poo stinky doody heads!!!!" - Rice

:sarcasm:

...Although I wouldnt put it past her.

[progressivebydesign]

29. I thought that was the UAE. n/t

[progressivebydesign]

30. PNAC is the #1 challenge to our Democracy. n/t

[ckramer]

22. Saddam's Iraq used to be number 1 n/t

[george_hurley]

24. ***PETITION TO SIGN: NO WAR WITH IRAN ***

Hello,

For the past year, the growing tensions mounting between the US, Israel, and Iran are reaching a point where military action against Iran is w/in months of becoming reality. The repercussions are terrifying as such military action could involve countries such as China and Russia as they share massive energy/economic interests w/ Iran. The most likely scenario we would face would be the collapse of the US economy as the combination of a massive rise in oil prices and a run on the US dollar would surely be the weapon many countries would use to fight back against a preemptive US or Israeli strike.

For a collection of articles and resources on this subject you can visit this link: http://reseaudesign.com/research/iran/iran_summery.html

I'm starting up a petition which I will be sending out to as many members of Congress as possible. I'm asking for help to get this signed by as many people, possible in the next month. Send it to as many people you can.

http://www.petitiononline.com/n0war1rn/



Also, here is another petition you can sign from another group:
http://stopwaroniran.org/statement.shtml




Thanks for your time

[Aviation Pro]

25. No, Massa's Mistress....

...you and your whole filthy crew are the biggest challenge facing the U.S. today.

[stepnw1f]

26. It's Hard Work Creating Enemies

or creating conditions for more pre-eminent strikes.

[jpak]

27. No - ChimpCo #1 Challenge to US

Warmongers...

[HuffleClaw]

31. yah yah

the same tired propaganda they've been spouting about iraq, dusted off for iran.

"This is a country that is determined, it seems, to develop a nuclear weapon in defiance of the international community which is determined that they should not get one." and AGAIN with the speaking for the 'international community'? this propaganda has gotten real loud in the last couple days. is the IAEA NOT doing their bidding? russia just made clear their position too, something which has got to have bush gnashing his teeth.

[pinniped]

32. Condosleeza managed to shoot off two wads today.

One was aimed at Chile, the other, Iran.