America’s powerful pro-Israel lobby pressures the US Congress
by Andrew W Cheetham
Global Research, June 18, 2008
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A US House of Representatives Resolution effectively requiring a naval blockade on Iran seems fast tracked for passage, gaining co-sponsors at a remarkable speed, but experts say the measures called for in the resolutions amount to an act of war.
H.CON.RES 362 calls on the president to stop all shipments of refined petroleum products from reaching Iran. It also "demands" that the President impose "stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains and cargo entering or departing Iran."
Analysts say that this would require a US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
Since its introduction three weeks ago, the resolution has attracted 146 cosponsors. Forty-three members added their names to the bill in the past two days.
In the Senate, a sister resolution S.RES 580 has gained co-sponsors with similar speed. The Senate measure was introduced by Indiana Democrat Evan Bayh on June 2. In little more than a week’s time, it has accrued 19 co-sponsors.
AIPAC's Endorsement
Congressional insiders credit America’s powerful pro-Israel lobby for the rapid endorsement of the bills. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) held its annual policy conference June 2-4, in which it sent thousands of members to Capitol Hill to push for tougher measures against Iran. On its website, AIPAC endorses the resolutions as a way to ''Stop Irans Nuclear Proliferation" and tells readers to lobby Congress to pass the bill.
AIPAC has been ramping up the rhetoric against Iran over the last 3 years delivering 9 issue memos to Congress in 2006, 17 in 2007 and in the first five months of 2008 has delivered no less than 11 issue memos to the Congress and Senate predominantly warning of Irans nuclear weapons involvement and support for terrorism.
The Resolutions put forward in the House and the Senate bear a resounding similarity to AIPAC analysis and Issue Memos in both its analysis and proposals even down to its individual components.
Proponents say the resolutions advocate constructive steps toward reducing the threat posed by Iran. "It is my hope that…this Congress will urge this and future administrations to lead the world in economically isolating Iran in real and substantial ways," said Congressman Mike Pence(R-IN), who is the original cosponsor of the House resolution along with Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Chairman of the sub committee on Middle East and South Asia of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Foreign policy analysts worry that such unilateral sanctions make it harder for the US to win the cooperation of the international community on a more effective multilateral effort. In his online blog, Senior Fellow in the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies Ethan Chorin points out that some US allies seek the economic ties to Iran that these resolutions ban. "The Swiss have recently signed an MOU with Iran on gas imports; the Omanis are close to a firm deal (also) on gas imports from Iran; a limited-services joint Iranian-European bank just opened a branch on Kish Island," he writes.
These resolutions could severely escalate US-Iran tensions, experts say. Recalling the perception of the naval blockade of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the international norms classifying a naval blockade an act of war, critics argue endorsement of these bills would signal US intentions of war with Iran.
Last week’s sharp rise in the cost of oil following Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz’s threat to attack Iran indicated the impact that global fear of military action against Iran can have on the world petroleum market. It remains unclear if extensive congressional endorsement of these measures could have a similar effect.
In late May, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reportedly urged the United States to impose a blockade on Iran. During a meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in Jersusalem, Olmert said economic sanctions have "exhausted themselves" and called a blockade a "good possibility."
Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 1734 Location: kiwibush
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 3:12 pm Post subject: Re: House Resolution Calls for Naval Blockade against Iran
Hasn't Iran got a number of tankers all primed and ready to go, parked off its coast? Wonder if there's any connection? _________________ Bugger me, I hear oil's runnin out mate!
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 3:58 pm Post subject: Re: House Resolution Calls for Naval Blockade against Iran
Mel Gibson, that filthy anti-semite, said, "Jews cause all the wars".
From the article:
Quote:
Congressional insiders credit America’s powerful pro-Israel lobby for the rapid endorsement of the bills. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) held its annual policy conference June 2-4, in which it sent thousands of members to Capitol Hill to push for tougher measures against Iran. On its website, AIPAC endorses the resolutions as a way to ''Stop Irans Nuclear Proliferation" and tells readers to lobby Congress to pass the bill.
AIPAC has been ramping up the rhetoric against Iran over the last 3 years delivering 9 issue memos to Congress in 2006, 17 in 2007 and in the first five months of 2008 has delivered no less than 11 issue memos to the Congress and Senate predominantly warning of Irans nuclear weapons involvement and support for terrorism.
G-d damn you Mel.
This is it. This is TEOTWAWKI.
This, have no doubt, if done, is an act of war, no matter how it's phrased. _________________ Massive Human Dieoff must occur as a result of Peak Oil. Many more than half will die. It will occur everywhere, including where you live. If you fail to recognize this, then your odds of living move toward the "going to die" group.
Joined: May 24, 2008 Posts: 82 Location: Park County, Wyoming
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:00 pm Post subject: Re: House Resolution Calls for Naval Blockade against Iran
How utterly disgusting... that our national "leadership" has sunk so low that they are willing to put this nation on a collision course to war simply to assuage Isreal and the (dare I say it...) traitors over at AIPAC. _________________ Be yourself... Everyone else is already taken.
Joined: Apr 12, 2007 Posts: 1162 Location: Central NC
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:06 pm Post subject: Re: House Resolution Calls for Naval Blockade against Iran
Connecting the dots. . . this would be why on Tuesday McSame said $200 oil and $7 gas sooner than later. Or is my dot connecting all screwy? _________________ "The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences…"
Sir Winston Churchill
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:19 pm Post subject: Re: House Resolution Calls for Naval Blockade against Iran
Ya know, it might be kind of a stretch but what if....China introduced the subsidy cutbacks now even though they are having inflation issues because...they are getting ready for an escalation in mid east conflict leading to that infamours super spike they love to mention in the media as of late. They try to cut back consumption without sounding the alarm. I never take it to left field, but you never know.
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:20 pm Post subject: Re: House Resolution Calls for Naval Blockade against Iran
WyoDutch wrote:
How utterly disgusting... that our national "leadership" has sunk so low that they are willing to put this nation on a collision course to war simply to assuage Isreal and the (dare I say it...) traitors over at AIPAC.
They are traitors - no two ways about it.
Their main loyalty lies elsewhere.
For 60 years organizations like AIPAC, Weisenthal Center, and the Anti-Defamation League have used WWII atrocities as a means of silencing criticism of Israel or debate of anything Jewish.
It's time to reconsider the silence.
If you are a Jew who sees this war-mongering in the interests of Israel as an abomination to the United States, now is the time to stand up and be heard. Now is the time to stand up and scream as loudly as you can that this move, if acted out, will result in a very bad result for the United States with no gain whatsoever.
In short, if you don't want the blame for the war and catastrophe that AIPAC and the ADL and all the other organizations are now trying to purchase, then you should rise up en mass now to voice your dissent.
Lacking that, I'm sure, unfortunately, that you will be presumed to be complicit. _________________ Massive Human Dieoff must occur as a result of Peak Oil. Many more than half will die. It will occur everywhere, including where you live. If you fail to recognize this, then your odds of living move toward the "going to die" group.
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:23 pm Post subject: Re: House Resolution Calls for Naval Blockade against Iran
I'd say the tankers Iran has holding somewhere around 28M bbl definitely have something to do with this, although what they plan to use it for is anyone's guess.
Like the article says, if they go through with this, it's as much as an act of war. If I'm correct, Iran relies heavily on imports of refined products such as gasoline and diesel. Does anyone know if they import those by pipeline or by tanker?
Without those fuels it won't take long for things to reach a breaking point there.
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:27 pm Post subject: Re: House Resolution Calls for Naval Blockade against Iran
emersonbiggins wrote:
Cashmere wrote:
then you should rise up en mass now to voice your dissent.
Wanna split a cell at Gitmo? I call top bunk.
You can have top bunk as long as I get the waterboard with the padded head rest. _________________ Massive Human Dieoff must occur as a result of Peak Oil. Many more than half will die. It will occur everywhere, including where you live. If you fail to recognize this, then your odds of living move toward the "going to die" group.
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:29 pm Post subject: Re: House Resolution Calls for Naval Blockade against Iran
Cashmere wrote:
emersonbiggins wrote:
Cashmere wrote:
then you should rise up en mass now to voice your dissent.
Wanna split a cell at Gitmo? I call top bunk.
You can have top bunk as long as I get the waterboard with the padded head rest.
It's a deal. And bring those 4 sexy ladies with ya.
Seriously, though, it would take nothing short of millions marching - AGAIN - stop this deal from going through. _________________ "It's called the American Dream because you'd have to be asleep to believe it."
Joined: Oct 23, 2004 Posts: 5504 Location: New Jersey
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 6:58 pm Post subject: Re: House Resolution Calls for Naval Blockade against Iran
jbrovont wrote:
I'd say the tankers Iran has holding somewhere around 28M bbl definitely have something to do with this, although what they plan to use it for is anyone's guess.
Like the article says, if they go through with this, it's as much as an act of war. If I'm correct, Iran relies heavily on imports of refined products such as gasoline and diesel. Does anyone know if they import those by pipeline or by tanker?
Without those fuels it won't take long for things to reach a breaking point there.
Those tankers are not owned by Iran, so maybe Iran does not believe they would be sunk.
Anyway, there are good reasons why the oil has been stored in this manner. In no particular order - Iran doesn't have much in the way of storage facilities, the oil is very heavy - and only a few refineries can handle it, Iran's refineries were undergoing maintenance, and lastly due to an electricity shortage they need more oil available imternally.
Blockading Iran would be a very stupid idea, unless for some reason we want to see the economies of India and China collapse without Iranian oil and we are prepared for China to dump the $1 trillion in US dollars it holds. _________________ It's already over, now it's just a matter of adjusting.
How quickly our representatives forget. _________________ Skeptical scrutiny in both Science and Religion is the means by which deep thoughts are winnowed from deep nonsense-Carl Sagan
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