Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Iran Gets Chinese Protection; Europe Folds
And the times get more interesting
Following the signing of a a huge, long term energy deal between Sinopec Group and Iran, China removes the only serious diplomatic lever we held over the mullahs. True to form, Europe capitulates thereby putting the onus on the US. This is an ominous development.
Diplomacy seems doomed. Will the US take millitary action to stop Iran's program? Will Israel? Can we afford to wait until after Iraq's Janurary elections to stop the Iranians? Are the Chinese trying to complicate or sabotage our efforts in Iraq? Do they see a nuclear Iran as a welcome counterbalance to American power in the region or are they hoping we exhaust ourselves diplomatically and/or militarily?
We'll likely have the answers over the next three months. It will be interesting.
Following the signing of a a huge, long term energy deal between Sinopec Group and Iran, China removes the only serious diplomatic lever we held over the mullahs. True to form, Europe capitulates thereby putting the onus on the US. This is an ominous development.
Diplomacy seems doomed. Will the US take millitary action to stop Iran's program? Will Israel? Can we afford to wait until after Iraq's Janurary elections to stop the Iranians? Are the Chinese trying to complicate or sabotage our efforts in Iraq? Do they see a nuclear Iran as a welcome counterbalance to American power in the region or are they hoping we exhaust ourselves diplomatically and/or militarily?
We'll likely have the answers over the next three months. It will be interesting.
