Iran, what you don't know

China and Russia are becoming increasingly anti-American and increasingly tied to Iran. This cannot be good for the United States. Relations between China and Iran date back many centuries. (Insights Into Today's Middle East)

Economic Ties:

Iran is a permanent source for China’s exports and growing energy demand.

China plans to become involved with Iran’s energy sector in everything from oil exploration to drilling to pipelines to meet its own high energy needs.

But China’s engagement with Iran extends far beyond energy, with more than 100 Chinese companies working in Iran in sectors such as dam and shipbuilding, steel production, and airport and seaport development. 2 [snip]

Military Ties:

China has played a key role in Iran's missile development, with exports and assistance dating back 20 years.

China’s exports and assistance to Iran generally fall into two areas: the provision of anti-ship cruise missiles and related technology, and technical assistance for Iran's ballistic missile program (as well as some exports of complete ballistic missiles). 12 [snip]

In another development, The Washington Times reported that China signed a $11-million contract with Iran to upgrade the latter's FL-10 anti-ship missile. 20 [Bill Gertz, "China Agrees to Deal With Iran on Missiles," The Washington Times, 19 August 1999. p.1]

In August 2007, the leaders of China and Iran, along with Russia, said that Central Asia should be left alone to manage its stability and security, in an apparent warning to the United States to avoid interfering in the strategic, resource-rich region. The threat came at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. 21 (Russia, China, Iran Warn U.S. at Summit)

Iranians order Kurdish border villages to evacuate

“Baghdad - Iranian authorities have asked residents of Kurdish villages which lie near the borders with Iran to evacuate their homes, according to pamphlets distributed across the villages on Tuesday." Among other things, the pamphlets said, “The authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran will work on cleansing this area.” Read it all at Islamanazi.

In pre-Islamic times, the Parthians and Sassanids had various contacts with China. In Islamic times, they were connected by the famous Silk Road.

Syria and Saudi Arabia are having disagreements and it seems Iran may be the source of the conflict. What does this mean for the overall war on terror and for the Middle East in general? It all began when Farouk al-Shara, the current Syrian vice president and former long-time foreign minister, gave a speech at Damascus University. Unexpectedly, al-Shara launched a scathing critique of Saudi Arabia's influence in the Arab world, describing the Kingdom as being "virtually paralyzed" and blaming it for the infighting between Palestinians. (World Politics Review)

"Blacksheep's 1st platoon, led by 1st Lt. Alex Kerr from Murrysville, PA, ... target is a Mahdi Army leader responsible for attacks against 2/17 Field Artillery's own soldiers." It has been proven that these rogue Mahdi groups have been trained and supplied by Iran. Read it at Bill Roggio.

Iran Sinking Deeper Into Totalitarianism

The Iranian regime is sinking deeper and deeper into totalitarianism. It has been systematically tightening control of every aspect of its citizens lives. Arrests of individuals on vague or even no charges for months at at time, citizens harrassed, fined or even jailed for their attire. (Read the specific incidents and see the images at Conservative Thoughts)

New to the blogroll, There's My Two Cents. Check out the newest article, Liberal Philosophy In Real Life.

"Revisiting Kasserine Pass" Political Grind

I had made a comment that I wouldn't want to control security for any head of state. My co-worker agreed, but he grinned and said that he wouldn't mind if someone "got" Bush.

The Victory Caucus wants you to know about Freedom’s Watch, an organization dedicated to fighting to protect the ideals and issues that keep America strong and prosperous.

August 22, 2007, (Washington, D.C.)—Today a new organization named Freedom’s Watch announced it is launching a nationwide grassroots campaign aimed at ensuring Congress continues to fully fund the troops with the ultimate goal of victory in the War on Terror. Freedom’s Watch will spend approximately $15 million on radio and television ads as well as grassroots activities from now thru mid-September and has partnered with a host of veteran’s organizations in an effort to ensure terrorism is confronted all over the world.

A must read "Counterjihad on the Italian Front" at Stop Islamic Conquest. Don't miss it.

Google is replacing ads on sites with their own ads. Read about it at Captain America.

Tech ideas and more at 123Beta today.

Manly Men & Womanly Ladies (OTB), Rosemary's Thoughts
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Trackposted to Pirate's Cove, Leaning Straight Up, Rosemary's Thoughts, Conservative Cat, Conservative Thoughts, and The World According to Carl, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Comments

[Debbie]

2cents: Thanks for the info. I have not read that book, but have read reviews and excerpts. It's a real possibility. Strange that the US doesn't have a bigger role.

[2Cents]

Thanks for the link!

Your post about the cozying up of Iran and Russia strikes directly to the heart of Joel Rosenberg's book 'Epicenter'. Basically, he's predicting that a massive war with global ramifications will erupt when a coalition (led by Russia and Iran, but including several other Arab nations) attacks Israel. Curiously, the US and China don't seem to be much of a factor, so this prediction still seems to be in the distant future. I'd highly recommend 'Epicenter' for anyone interested in the topic.

[Debbie]

Ortho, thanks for those facts. That's pretty interesting. One would think it would be in China's interest to get their act together then.

[Ortho]

Economically China and the U.S. are attached at the hip.

In 2006, China exported goods valued at $974 billion. 21% of the total arrived on U.S. shores. In 2006, China imported goods valued at $777.9 billion. 7.6% of China's total imports came from the U.S.

On the other hand, in 2006, the U.S. exported goods valued at $1.024 trillion. 5.3% of all exports went to China. In 2006, the U.S. imported $1.869 trillion worth of goods. 15.9% of all imports came from China.

China, like all nation states that engage in the global economy, depends upon a healthy and vigorous U.S. economy. It's suicidal for China, or any other nation state, to try to "to take us down economically".

All import and export figures are from the CIA's "World Factbook, 2007" https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

[Debbie]

Todd Anthony: You say, "China is definitely trying to take us down economically." I totally agree. It's really easy for them. If you look at the statistics, their economy will surpass that of the US in very short time, If it has already not done so. Conditions in China are deplorable. Everything is being swept under the rug before the upcoming Olympics.

Martin Sims: Thank you for your thoughtful comment and information. I fear you may be correct.

You say, "China, Russia, Venezuela and many other countries have already chosen their allies in this struggle by supporting, supplying and defending Iran in it's quest for nuclear weapons and undying support of terrorism in all it's horrific forms and manifestations."

The United States is not giving Venezuela enough attention. What Hugo Chavez is doing their, including assisting terrorists passage through to America's Southern border with fake documents, is one of the biggest threats homeland USA will face in the near future.

The Left doesn't believe that the terrorists want, or will, come here. The truth is, they already are coming here, via Venezuela's help.

Rosemary: We do the same, try to buy only American. It's getting much harder to do that these days.

[Rosemary]

Iran most definitely is a pariah, just maybe not the way you think. If you are a person who cares about people in general, then you would agree. I have not done business with China (except for this computer, and that's only because America refuses to make them anymore) since June 1989. I may only be one person, but those are my principles.

It is STATE DEPT that is withholding the money that was authorized by CONGRESS to help the people in Iran to rise up...you take your best guess as to what I think about that wasteland they call the state dept...

[Martin Sims]

Here we are once again considering the terrorist nation of Iran. A nation that controls Palestine through Hamas, Lebanon and Syria though Hezbollah, and Iraq through the Mahdi army, untold numbers of insurgency and militant organizations and even Al Qaeda. Iran is closing in quickly on the ability to mass produce nuclear weapons while our politicians are arguing over whether or not they are even a threat to the region, and our own nation. Israel, as I have said before, does not have the luxury of debating this issue until the day it is confirmed that the Iranian nuclear program has in fact produced it's first reliable weapon. Israel has nuclear weapons but will they use them? It is a strongly held belief that only the United States can deliver a conventional strike devastating enough to impact the Iranian nuclear program, however, if the United States does not do that and soon, Israel will be forced to consider the nuclear option as it's only reliable means of ensuring it's continued existence.

When considering the possible destruction of your entire population by nuclear assault, the nuclear option does not seem so terrible in light of the consequence of waiting too long, or conducting an inadequate conventional strike. European nations, Russia and China have prevented measures that could have reigned in Iran many times before. Creating a situation whereby the one entity that could have made a difference (United Nations), is instead provoking the inevitable destruction of either Israel or Iran or possibly even the destruction of both nations.

Iran has created a reality on the ground throughout the Middle East that provides the ultimate fallback. Iran's arming, training and positioning of Hezbollah, Hamas, the Mahdi Army, and literally hundreds of other militant assets means that at a moments notice Iran could create complete chaos throughout the entire region. Imagine all of these groups being coordinated by Iran's military machine causing the cessation of trade throughout the region, the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians in countries throughout the Middle East, and the successful overthrow of governments unable to respond quickly enough to such an unconventional enemy.

If the United States is unable or unwilling to confront Iran militarily within the next 12 months, world war three is almost a certainty. Because if Iran is able to get all their pieces in place before they are directly attacked, this chess game is over and no country in the world will be safe from the terrorist army they have been building up arming and training for over 30 years. China, Russia, Venezuela and many other countries have already chosen their allies in this struggle by supporting, supplying and defending Iran in it's quest for nuclear weapons and undying support of terrorism in all it's horrific forms and manifestations.

[Freedom Now]

Debbie,

Iran has more to gain from violence than we do. That is why they continually instigate it every day.

They need an external enemy because their own government is the enemy of the people. So they want to deflect the people's anger elsewhere.

[Todd Anthony]

Debbie: Russia and China have become increasingly allied with Iran, as evidence by their foot dragging and constant obstacles in the United Nations regarding Iran's nuke program. Furthermore, China is definitely trying to take us down economically (THAT is how they are waging with us), and Russia has grown increasingly more belligerent with its rhetoric, chastising us in Iraq while they butcher Chechens.

[Debbie]

Freedom Now: I don't expect a ground attack on Iran. If anything happens, it would be air strikes on strategic sites.

Ortho: No, no conventional type war with Iran would work. I don't know what the answer is. It would be great if the people would rise up from within. I would hope we would be there to help them.

[Freedom Now]

The U.S. will not invade Iran because our Kuwaiti, Iraqi and Afghani allies will not support that mission.

As much as the Kuwaitis hate Iran, they dont want another war on their border. While they are the most pro-American Arab country, they dont always toe the American line. They do not want to be too much of a pariah in the Jew-hating and American-bashing world.

Iraq has a majority of Shiites, who although loyal to Saddam in the Iran/Iraq war, would be reluctant to approve a U.S. attack on their fellow Shia. Especially while fighting Salafi Jihadists (Sunnis) in their own country.

Afghanistan is too transfixed on the border with Pakistan to escalate with Iran.

So all the countries that could host an invasion force; Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan would object to a war on Iran from their soil.

Only a massive provocation by Iran would change their minds. Not even evidence that Iran is supplying Iraqi Sunnis with weaponry was enough of a provocation for the Iraqi Shiites.

Anyone that talks about an “upcoming war” with Iran that is provoked by the U.S. is a talking head for Leftwing, Islamist and Neo-Nazi extremists.

[Ortho]

The first section of this post demonstrates why a conventional war between the U.S. and Iran is not imminent.

The U.S. might train paramilitary operatives to overthrow the Iranian government, but it will not invade. Iran occupies too important a place in the planetary economy.

One thing is for sure, today's Iran is not a global pariah like pre-invasion Iraq.