The implications of Obama's turnaround on the European missiles is interesting in that all the strategic analysis in the world will not avail if one is not up with the shadow play. I don't purport to be up with it but little snippets pop up from time to time to indicate the real agenda.
It's all a question of layers. The smart thinkers will say:
Still, some analysts point to the possibility the US shelved planned anti-missile interceptors in Poland and a huge radar in the Czech Republic in exchange for the Kremlin abandoning its reluctance to exert pressure on Iran over its nuclear program.
The White House is good at strategic misdirection and it's possible, just possible, that the official explanation might be close to the truth:
The White House gave two official reasons for scrapping plans for the missile shield. First, it claims to not foresee an immediate or near-term threat from any Iranian inter-continental ballistic missiles. Second, the US is now convinced that Iran is "hastening" its short- and medium-range missiles that can be better intercepted by American ships stationed in the Mediterranean Sea.
Pretty clear though, isn't it, that the effect will be to put pressure on Russia's relationship with Iran, a key obstacle to the U.S. plans for isolating Iran. There's most likely been some cash sweeteners to Russia in this too. Which is why Iran should be just a little concerned.
Whether or not the nuclear issue is relevant, the pressure on Iran will persist.
ReplyDeleteThey sell oil in a few currencies, and have exploration deals with other countries.
Plus, their leader has a big mouth, which provides justification.
On the other hand the missile defence system was almost certainly an unworkable and extraodinarily expensive waste of time.
ReplyDeleteSonus said this months ago, duh!
ReplyDeleteOh, also--- Saudi doesn't like Iran, and they sell oil in US dollars.
All this posturing pisses me off.
Has anyone noticed that letters from Khan, (the Pakistan professor who sold nuclear secrets to anyone and everyone) claiming that the Pak government (previous) ordered the sales, and when heat arrived they used him as the fall guy. The letters were written in 2003 to his family, but his family were threatened so he had to take the fall. Now the letters are in western journalist hands.
Developments from here could be critical globally
Shades of the supergun affair that blew up under Thatcher, which you may be aware of James. It was part of the Iranian balancing act in the M E.
The ex SAS enforcer was S Kock, - he squared a few circles, at the same time as being a non exec director on one or two defence critical companies.
His handler is now a Lord in HMG.
His "Lordships" career path always involved covert activities, but publicly it was in banking and finance. And he screwed up in that and cost the taxpayer £m!
Makes me f*cking sick.
If folks like that are your ex mates, James, makes me glad I came up another way!
And that's no cloud on you, James.
Concerning debate, I much prefer an honest position sincerely held after much thought. Maybe its a primeval hatred of bare faced liars, evolved over eons in our species. Simple really!
Places of learning that teach deception as you described is a significant moral failing. I am amazed that you failed to detect this, and that you seem to take pride in it.
This is a deeper problem etched deeply into the political class survival instinct, and largely unrecognised by them, but only them.
But that's just me getting preachy.
Jams - it was always jsut a big stick.
ReplyDeleteAnon - as usual, lucid.
I'm not sure how to interpret: "as usual, lucid", so I'll take "lucid" as your understanding the layers.
ReplyDeleteSo here is a bit more:-
The Tabled Version of a question put to the PM, reads -
Friday 16 April, 1993.
(Answered by the Prime Minister on Thursday 22 April.)
Unstarred, Mr Allan Rogers to ask the Prime Minister, what the official duties of Mr Stephen Adolphus Kock have been since 1980
The Official record shows:
Mr Stephen Kock.
Mr Rogers: To ask the Prime Minister what the official duties of Mr Stephen Adolphus Kock have been since 1990
The Prime Minister: None.
Notice how the official record alters the date!!
Many questions were raised concerning this person.
Meacher was one questioner.
The answer was:
"Mr Kock performed no official duties for any government department during the period 1964-79. It remains the government policy not to comment on the cantacts which an individual may have with the security (MI5), and intelligence, (MI6) agencies."
That is telling!
(Notice the dates again)
Ultimately dozens of questions were asked, all stonewalled. He was a small part of a much bigger picture, but an illustrative part.
The truth is that after Saddam's unauthorised adventures in other countries, Maggie and the US were caught with their collective knickers round their ankles, and had to do a quick reversal to justify the first gulf war.
In that reversal hundreds lost their jobs, many companies bankrupted, many innocents imprisoned wrongfully, while the REAL criminals walked away free. And many innocents died. No-one gave a ratz.
The real criminals are the type of folks you debated with.
Nothing changes, does it?
Deception may be the mother lode in diplomacy, but I see few examples of success, and fewer examples that a state's deception did not finally ruin its own perception.
ReplyDeleteI think this is simpler. Obama believes that when people understand him, he will have no enemies except the domestic.
Xlbrl -
ReplyDeleteAre you saying that Obama has such a large ego that he loves himself, but is so dim that he fails to recognise that other people recognise a dimwitted egotistical sod, and play to it?
:-)
Cough, ahem,
ReplyDeleteJames, I was confused as to authors.
I did not see that Mr E had made the debating post, above.
I sought to combine reply to two posts in one comment area.
Sorry, buddy.
See my words on Mr E post also.
The missile defence system was a sham to begin with. It was completely unnecessary.
ReplyDelete