Escobar: US, Iran... 2012 Will Be Hardcore

Source: RT

Iran has been holding naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz since December 23, and has threatened to close the key oil supply route if new US sanctions hit its exports. It later backed down. However, in an escalating war of words, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said that closure of the Strait would not be tolerated.

Pepe Escobar, Asia Times correspondent told RT the year 2012 would be a hardcore one, mainly because of the US-Iran tensions.

The Strait of Hormuz Heats Up - False Flag Possibility Increasing

Source: Corbett Report and RT

Iran has warned the United States it will take action if an American warship returns to the Persian Gulf. It left the area when Iran started its 10-day naval war games, during which they successfully test-fired a number of different missiles. But Russia’s defense ministry says that despite the latest military exercise, the Iranians don’t have the technology to make intercontinental ballistic missiles. Meanwhile France is pushing for stricter sanctions as it says it’s sure Tehran is developing nuclear weapons. It’s urged EU countries to follow the U.S. in freezing Iranian central bank assets and imposing an embargo on oil exports. Tehran has been threatening to block the Strait of Hormuz – one of the world’s most important oil routes – if the West stepped up sanctions. RT talks to James Corbett, editor of the Corbett Report website.

Iran Sanctions Act Definite Step Toward War

Source: Antiwar.com
Rep. Ron Paul

 

Statement on Mark-up of HR 1905, the Iran Threat Reduction Act of 2011, House Foreign Affairs Committee

I would like to express my concerns over the Iran Threat Reduction Act of 2011 and my opposition to it being brought to the Floor for a vote. Let us be clear on one critical matter: the sanctions against Iran mandated by this legislation are definite steps toward a US attack on Iran. They will also, if actually applied, severely disrupt global trade and undermine the US economy, thereby harming our national security.

I am surprised and disturbed that the committee viewed this aggressive legislation to be so bipartisan and uncontroversial that a recorded vote was not even called.

Some may argue that we are pursuing sanctions so as to avoid war with Iran, but recent history teaches us otherwise. For how many years were sanctions placed on Iraq while we were told they were necessary to avoid war? Thousands of innocent Iraqis suffered and died under US sanctions and still the US invaded, further destroying the country. Are we safer after spending a trillion dollars or more to destroy Iraq and then rebuild it?