U.S. says Iran abusing global financial system

[sabra]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/20/AR2006092000652.html

U.S. says Iran abusing global financial system

BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Wednesday that Iran was abusing the global financial system and putting its security at risk.

Paulson, speaking at a news conference in Beijing, reiterated a call he made on Saturday for the world's financial leaders to help guard against abuses.

"You can't have a secure financial system, you can't preserve the reputation of a financial system if you let people come in and abuse it, and abuse it for illegal activities of any kind -- WMD proliferation, terrorism," Paulson said, referring to weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

"And Iran is abusing the financial system."

He did not elaborate.

[Demeter]

1. Now THAT'S Funny!

Stand back, Jon Stewart; gnash your teeth, Colbert! Boy George is going for comedy--going for broke! His financial policies have destroyd the American economy and brought the entire world to the brink of economic Depression, and he has the gall to blame-----



IRAN!

[leveymg]

2. They must think that Iran has a vulnerability here, and that jaw-boning

the world's Central Bankers will convince them to freeze Iranian accounts. Not likely, so long as the Europeans and Chinese continue to rely on Iran for 15 percent of their oil and natural gas supplies.

Can't separate the two issues - decisions to cut money flows in and out of Iran through the global banking system are made at the same level that decisions about cutting off Iranian energy flows -- at the very top. Neither is going to be cut so long as much of the world continues to be reliant on both.

The Bush Administration is a fine one to talk about abuse of the world financial system. It's like Michael Milkin complaining about the Junk Bond Crisis in the 1980s.

[cyberpj]

3. Anyone want to talk about US businesses + off-shore tax-evading accounts?

Isn't that abuse?

[HuffleClaw]

4. BWHAHAHHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA

THAT is the best they can do?

wow, their propagandists must have broken their catapult. what a load of malarky.

[IndianaGreen]

5. Every time a news story begins with " The United States accuses..."

I automatically catalog it as a lie and propaganda. That's how little credibility the Bush regime has with me.

[Spazito]

6. Hmmm, Iranian bourse, anyone? My bet is this is what has Paulson

in a froth which is what he did NOT elaborate on and for good reason, imo.

DU thread on this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=2161357

[sweetheart]

7. John Merriweather?

Who's abused the global financial system? What, iran, really, paulson, its pretty thin.

Who dumped korean won in 97, who talked up a short term crisis and sank argentina? Oh,
it must have been iran, its especially rich coming from an investment banker who was part
of the late 90's parade of global financial attacks.

[goforit]

8. No... Bush and Cheney have abused the global finacial system!!!!

[GeorgeGist]

9. Well hey...

it's not acceptable to think elaboration is necessary.

[Supersedeas]

10. No need to elaborate-label it abuse and let Talk Radio take it from there

[teryang]

11. Another huge lie, the whopper of the day!

Seizure of Iranian assets coming?

[NOLADEM]

12. HA HA HA HA

I almost passed out from laughing....who the fuck do these clowns think they are?

THIS from the Administration who put WOLFOWITZ in charge of the World Bank?

THIS from the country spending more on the military than the rest of the world COMBINED?

THIS from a country with an annual debt so large it exceeds all but a handful of countries' GDP?

PLEASE.

This is all a veiled nod to the oil bourse that is about to split our ass in two, and has nothing to do with WMD or terrorism, unless you are talking about the WMD's WE are going to use on THEM to TERRORIZE them.

These guys are unintentional comedians.

Shut the fuck up , Paulson.

[rwinkler]

13. Maybe

Its the same reason we invaded Iraq really according to Greg Palast - not because of peak oil or WMD because Saddam was jerking the price of oil up and down which of course affects the world economy - maybe thats what Iran is doing??