Moscow warns U.S. Iran policy may spark "clash of civilizations"

[Flabbergasted]

Moscow warns U.S. Iran policy may spark "clash of civilizations"
16:28 | 27/ 03/ 2007



MOSCOW, March 27 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow urges the United States to avoid escalating tensions around Iran over its nuclear program as it could lead to a "clash of civilizations," the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

Washington has been pushing for tougher international sanctions against Iran, which it suspects of pursuing a nuclear weapons program. The UN Security Council passed a new resolution Saturday introducing further sanctions on Iran.

"The international community should not risk escalating the situation around Iran and should wait for the U.S. to make a good-faith effort to normalize relations with Tehran," the Foreign Ministry said in a foreign policy review signed by the president.

The Russian ministry said the Iran crisis could have devastating consequences for relations between "civilizations," and then the U.S. would have to prove it is not preparing for a "clash of civilizations" by building up "Fortress America," separated from the rest of the world by two oceans and strict border controls.

The term "clash of civilizations" is part of a theory that people of different cultures and religions will be involved in a post-Cold War conflict. Samuel P. Huntington popularized and expanded the term in his book The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order in 1996.

The Russian ministry said the U.S. was capable of reaching a compromise with Iran, and cited a visit by former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami to the U.S. in August.

"The trip of former Iranian President Khatami to the U.S. in August showed that dialogue between civilizations could become a useful channel for the Americans to establish contacts with Tehran," said the ministry review ordered by President Vladimir Putin in June.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070327/62693395.html

[patrice]

1. Did you see where the Gulf States are diversifying their money markets?

Gulf Economies Drop the Dollar - d'ya think that might play a part in this clash of civilizations?

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B09C0BC3-9CFC-4F8C-84B9-C8AC743C7389.htm

[Flabbergasted]

2. Wow. Has this been posted?

[patrice]

3. Once. I haven't seen it otherwise.

I searched it. I think it was yesterday, it isn't LBN, but it's pretty important.

[Gloria]

8. Here's a report that I had posted to today's "Power Plays" at Buzzflash...

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/lalumia/186

[Flabbergasted]

20. Wow

[Flabbergasted]

21. Has it been posted here,

[SOS]

4. Zbigniew Brzezinski

recently said that a US attack on Iran would be the end of the US as a global power.
We would have a war zone stretching 2,000 miles from the Syrian border to the Pakistani border.
We would be fighting in three countries with a combined population of 150 million people.
It would cost trillions.
He said by the time it was over the US would be ruined.

Sounds like something Bush would do.

[BayCityProgressive]

5. well it is the only

thing he hasn't done yet so I would count on it.

[BeHereNow]

6. Yep, yep and yep. AND, that is the plan.

They ( the madmen in power ) don't care
if the US is over.
That has been part of their accepted plan all along.
They will be just fine when all is said and done.
The rest of us will be far from fine.
We will be Katrina'd.
BHN

[AshevilleGuy]

9. Hell bush would take that as a DARE...

Just like daring him to moon a cop back in college, or see if he could drink more beer than anyone else and then stack the cans in a 2000 mile "window". His psychological makeup is truly horrifying, when you remember that he has the nuclear 'football'.

[fuzzyball]

11. It will be strictly Air Force bombing from air, no boots on the ground

is the way I think the attack will take place.

[SOS]

13. Doesn't this assume that there would be no response?

The Iranian defense minister is on record stating that Iran's first retaliation would be to fire missiles into the Saudi Abqaiq oil processing facility.
2/3 of Saudi oil is exported through this facility. If they hit their target, we get an instant global energy crisis.
Bush sent the Patriot missile defense system to the Gulf to defend the Saudi oil ports.
Considering the Patriot success rate in the Gulf War was 0%, we can project that an attack on Iran will another example of Bush hitting a hornets nest with a stick.

And remember, Bush does not know what he is doing. Eight weeks before invading Iraq he did not know that Shiites and Sunnis lived in Iraq. A group of exiles came to the White House in January 2003 to explain to Bush who lived in Iraq. Bush knew nothing. Is this the man we want leading us into a huge regional war? He failed in college, he failed in business, he failed in Iraq....
Now suddenly he's going to succeed militarily in Iran? No way.

[fuzzyball]

14. IMHO the Iran response will be veru muted because...

Iran knows how devastating for Iran the next phase of
counter response from US+ISRAEL+UK will be if Iran attacks
Saudi or Israel or anyone else in the region. Iran will
literally go back to pre-mohammad era.

[SOS]

16. Disagree

If the US or Israel (UK will not join) attacks Iran, their response will be serious.
A Saudi newspaper, Asharq Alawsat, had an interesting interview with the Iranian Defense minister some months ago.
He outlined their planned response to an Israeli or US attack on Iran.
Destroying the global oil market, possible self-destruction of Iranian oil fields, terror attacks in Western capitals, blocking the Straits of Hormuz, attacking Saudi Arabia and aggressively aiding Shiite militias in Iraq are on the agenda.
Iran could not win in a direct confrontation, so they have already adopted a potentially devastating asymmetrical response.

Iraq was projected by Bushco to cost $1 billion and last 6 weeks. It's now $1 trillion and five years.
What makes Iran different? A regional war involving three countries will cost trillions and last for many years.
Your idea that Israel or the US would simply flatten Iran, killing 80 million people in the process, isn't going to go over very well in the world.
Brzezinski is right. An attack on Iran will be the end of US hegemony.

[fuzzyball]

18. Except you are forgetting one important thing...

If Iran's oil infrastructure is bombed out of commission,
Iran will literally go from one of the well off countries to
one of the poorest, on level with the Afghans who have no oil.

The current regime knows that, unless, they are totally stupid
or extreme fanatics about islam. They will be removed from power
which is not their wish.

[fuzzyball]

19. There is a huge difference between Iraq war and potential Iran war

The US had no choice except to send in boots in Iraq
to prevent sectarian massacres of the minority sects.

Iran OTOH is not subject to similar sectarian violence.
No need for marines to invade Iran. Destroying their
infrastructure from air will be sufficient to cure their
thirst for nukes.

[Gloria]

7. There are 2000 Russians working on Iran's nuclear plant....

They haven't left even with the problems with payment. However, Iran has started paying down what is owed, so the plant is moving forward although it will be delayed.

What happens if Bush bombs all those Russians????

[fuzzyball]

15. The Russians are already preparing to relocate as we speak...n/t

[Ninja Jordan]

10. Uh, YA THINK?

The people in the WH seem to be the only who don't see it.

[SpiralHawk]

12. Republicon crony profiteers Vs. The World

The republicons won't serve in the armed forces or fight themselves, of course, but they will be happy to send you, or your sons and daughters, to fight for them and their Massive War Profits...

[IA_Seth]

17. Unleash the Kraken!!

Of course it will...that is the point of our current policy. Aggravate, poke, and prod, until we are "justified" going war.

[tiffane]

22. Perfect we'll do that right away

This way we will lay to rest once and for all that the Iranian oil bourse has anything to do with our hostilities towards Iran, not that the mainstream media will ever admit to it anyway. We can stop the hard sell about nuclear ambitions, which is being used as the front for an invasion (which is really all about the oil bourse). Instead we MUST invade to maintain order. We won't be securing our borders because we are merging with mexico and canada to form a North American Union. So once again the only way will be to fight the "enemy on their soil". I hope Iranians are smart enough to figure this out and don't do anything stupid because heaven knows most of my fellow Americans still just don't get it.

Yup, that works!!!

[Colobo]

23. I'm not a fan of the current Russian government, but

they do have a point.