Europe Resists U.S. Push to Curb Iran Ties

[cal04]

European governments are resisting Bush administration demands that they curtail support for exports to Iran and that they block transactions and freeze assets of some Iranian companies, officials on both sides say. The resistance threatens to open a new rift between Europe and the United States over Iran.

Administration officials say a new American drive to reduce exports to Iran and cut off its financial transactions is intended to further isolate Iran commercially amid the first signs that global pressure has hurt Iran’s oil production and its economy. There are also reports of rising political dissent in Iran.

In December, Iran’s refusal to give up its nuclear program led the United Nations Security Council to impose economic sanctions. Iran’s rebuff is based on its contention that its nuclear program is civilian in nature, while the United States and other countries believe Iran plans to make weapons.

At issue now is how the resolution is to be carried out, with Europeans resisting American appeals for quick action, citing technical and political problems related to the heavy European economic ties to Iran and its oil industry.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/30/washington/30iran.html?hp&ex=1170133200&en=8bd5c23474c9b0fe&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[MadMaddie]

1. If * continues to push this lead up to attacking Iran...

he will have successfully united the world against the US. He is determined to get us bogged down in Iraq, Iran and Afghanastan and then run off to his land in Argentina. (What President does this, unless he is planning on running away from something?)

This is going to end badly my friends...

[Zhade]

2. Good. KEEP RESISTING.

NT!

[bdrube]

3. Another "success" for Condi's cool, competent diplomacy.

Worst Secretary of State in U.S. History.

[teryang]

4. Europe will be at Russia's mercy if there is a gulf war

And they know it. They are already too dependent on Russian natural gas. If they can't get Iranian oil or Arab oil because of a war in the Persian Gulf, where are they going to get it? Venezuela? Mexico? The US SPR? Good luck!

[Eugene]

5. (Reuters) EU, Russia resist U.S. on Iran sanctions: diplomats

EU, Russia resist U.S. on Iran sanctions: diplomats

By Louis Charbonneau
Reuters
Tuesday, January 30, 2007; 3:45 PM

BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States is urging its allies to go beyond U.N. sanctions
against Iran over its atomic program and choke off foreign investment but is meeting
strong Russian and European resistance, Western diplomats said.

"A number of countries, especially Russia, feel the United States is bullying them
to end even legitimate business with Iran due to the nuclear dispute," a senior Western
official told Reuters.

-snip-

The U.S. goal is to make it virtually impossible to invest in Iran. It's not about
stopping sales of dual-use technology. They're trying to keep investors out of Iran and
are working hard to keep the price of oil low," said a European diplomat.

"They (the U.S.) think that this is what will hurt Iran most and I think they're right,"
he added.

Several diplomats said the Saudis were cooperating with the United States to make sure
there was enough oil on the market so that the price could be somewhere around $50
dollars per barrel, a level the Saudis have said they could live with.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/30/AR2007013000997.html

[hogwyld]

6. If * keeps this crap up, a future headline will read...

UN calls for world to curb US ties. We are getting more hated/isolated every day.

[MasonJar]

7. Why should Europe support the boy-pretender since they actively

despise him? The world can see his idiocy, incompetence and cruelty for what it is...the avarice and lunacy of a pothead, dry drunk sociopath with narcissism in place of character, who has been handed by the neocons and corporate America the keys to the men's room.