Christmas was great. I didn't even get anything spectacular, just exactly what I wanted. Cheap lottery tickets, the Skyrim game guide and like $50. My kind of Christmas. So I'm posting so that I get in the habit, because among my New Years resolutions that are actually achievable, one is to post something at least once a week about relevant topics. While this isn't technically a relevant topic...it'll have to do for now.
So, Iran is getting a beating internationally. The link is from CNN's blog, and while I'm not one to endorse one news agency or another, it seemed the plain Jane type of deal regarding the video. If you don't take the time to actually look at the video, it's basically Iran stating that America needs to stay out of the Straight of Hormuz (36 mile wide choke point in which 1/3 of the worlds oil is transported through). Personally, Iran is bluffing. There would be no reason to exercise military operations in a critical choke point of the transport of oil unless you feel as if certain world imposed sanctions would actually affect you. I mean, I'm sure that Iran deserves respect, and I respect that. They are a sovereign nation, and all that this encompasses...which also makes them responsible for what they say and do.
Fluffing up (I imagine a peacock or blow-fish. Get it? Do ya?) is part of politics. Everyone does it. Rarely does a country go this far though, as to affect oil. They're taking a resource that America relies on heavily and claiming they have the resources to hold that choke point. Even if we go international, every allied country on the planet that uses oil would have a part in this. If we limit the scope to just an Iranian-American conflict...America has the technology and the manpower to simply roll Iran. As I stated before, Iran is a power in it's region to be sure, but just like Iraq called the Gulf War the "mother of all wars" (in which a coalition of over 27 nations established themselves against Iraq), Iran would be alone in their conflict. You can't affect a world resource and expect to be backed up by even the most extreme of governments. Even Iraq was abandoned by the Arab League during the conflict. What's more: Egypt, Afghanistan, Libya, Tunisia...these are all nations that have had recent revolutions in the most violent of ways. So this begs the question: Is Iran fluffing up just to vicariously oppress their citizens from starting similar revolutions?
I remember the 2009-2010 election riots in Iran. There was another riot in 2011. Iran is a hotbed of activity, and when the Egyptian dictator was forced to step down, and Gaddafi was eventually killed...it shows that no government is immune to change. Iran needs to be careful here. If Iran starts to focus on international affairs and their people realize that Iran isn't impervious to all harm, it could spell trouble eventually.
In summary:
Iran is foolish to threaten anything, and this is just another one of their games. They can't possibly be naive enough to think they can engage in any protracted war with America, even after our recent pullout from (of all places) Iraq. This wouldn't be a war over territory either. It would be a simple smash and grab from Iran. We wouldn't even have to declare anything. We could march in, clear the way and back out. Simple enough, right?
Message to Iran: easy does it guys. Ma always told me to use my words, not my fists. She also told me that if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got. So obviously, if Iran keeps this path of nuclear arming (whether through power or weapons) and then "exercise" in a choke point of oil transport: this will get you sanctions; and possibly a military response...not an exercise.
So, Iran is getting a beating internationally. The link is from CNN's blog, and while I'm not one to endorse one news agency or another, it seemed the plain Jane type of deal regarding the video. If you don't take the time to actually look at the video, it's basically Iran stating that America needs to stay out of the Straight of Hormuz (36 mile wide choke point in which 1/3 of the worlds oil is transported through). Personally, Iran is bluffing. There would be no reason to exercise military operations in a critical choke point of the transport of oil unless you feel as if certain world imposed sanctions would actually affect you. I mean, I'm sure that Iran deserves respect, and I respect that. They are a sovereign nation, and all that this encompasses...which also makes them responsible for what they say and do.
Fluffing up (I imagine a peacock or blow-fish. Get it? Do ya?) is part of politics. Everyone does it. Rarely does a country go this far though, as to affect oil. They're taking a resource that America relies on heavily and claiming they have the resources to hold that choke point. Even if we go international, every allied country on the planet that uses oil would have a part in this. If we limit the scope to just an Iranian-American conflict...America has the technology and the manpower to simply roll Iran. As I stated before, Iran is a power in it's region to be sure, but just like Iraq called the Gulf War the "mother of all wars" (in which a coalition of over 27 nations established themselves against Iraq), Iran would be alone in their conflict. You can't affect a world resource and expect to be backed up by even the most extreme of governments. Even Iraq was abandoned by the Arab League during the conflict. What's more: Egypt, Afghanistan, Libya, Tunisia...these are all nations that have had recent revolutions in the most violent of ways. So this begs the question: Is Iran fluffing up just to vicariously oppress their citizens from starting similar revolutions?
I remember the 2009-2010 election riots in Iran. There was another riot in 2011. Iran is a hotbed of activity, and when the Egyptian dictator was forced to step down, and Gaddafi was eventually killed...it shows that no government is immune to change. Iran needs to be careful here. If Iran starts to focus on international affairs and their people realize that Iran isn't impervious to all harm, it could spell trouble eventually.
In summary:
Iran is foolish to threaten anything, and this is just another one of their games. They can't possibly be naive enough to think they can engage in any protracted war with America, even after our recent pullout from (of all places) Iraq. This wouldn't be a war over territory either. It would be a simple smash and grab from Iran. We wouldn't even have to declare anything. We could march in, clear the way and back out. Simple enough, right?
Message to Iran: easy does it guys. Ma always told me to use my words, not my fists. She also told me that if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got. So obviously, if Iran keeps this path of nuclear arming (whether through power or weapons) and then "exercise" in a choke point of oil transport: this will get you sanctions; and possibly a military response...not an exercise.
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