Saturday, March 29, 2008

Beyond Petroleum

We all agree that American military and people are over stretched, and are not too gung ho at the present moment to start a new war. (Give them another 30 years to recover, and then you shall have soldiers who "defended (defeated, rather) America in Iraq", will be running for president, and will be busy invading Canada's oil sands, or--since will have gone green by then--massive water reserves!)


So, how have they be settling the score with the big bad naughty disobedient Iran? By imposing unilateral sanctions and pointing their paper-tiger paws at those who have dared to do business with Iran.

Almost immediately after US sanctioned British, Armenian firms for breaking US-imposed sanctions , a Swiss company ignored US and made a multibillion-dollar deal with Iran! A few days after, India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp, announced that in a month Hinduja Group may sign a deal with Iran to develop natural gas field. A couple of weeks earlier than US's new rounds of economic huffings and puffings, Iran and Indonesia signed a deal to jointly set up an Indonesia oil refinery. Another exploration deal was signed with Vietnam at around the same time.

These deals coincided with Iran's announcement that it will hold The Thirteenth International Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Industries and Products Exhibition 16-21 April, 2008. The timing of the Oil & Gas West Asia 2008 conference, that will be held in Oman between April 21-23, makes convenient for those who pretend to respect Iran's sanctions, to follow up on the dealings made in the Iranian conference!

But how effective is the empire in wreaking havoc in Iran, and how serious will it be in imposing sanctions on Iran's oil industry?! America has run out of options. The only plausible scenario is accepting Iran, the way it is, and allowing the Iranians decide the future of their own democracy, economy, culture and religion.

In the meantime, Iran's laying eggs in other baskets.

Fitch Ratings, a global rating agency providing consultancy on investment credit opinions, issued an above passing average rating for Export Development Bank of Iran.

Recent EDBI's activities include:

Providing required finance to export 300 train wagons to Cuba
Supplied credits to export drugs and medical equipment
Pledged to finance water filtration plant in Sudan
Granted credit line to Ivory Coast
Supported the exports of the technical and engineering services in Afghanistan
Announced that the potential of financing tourism industries is bottomless!
Supported building cement factory in Venezuela

Building alliance with the "little" guys, in the grand scheme of history, is the right tide for Iran to be riding now.

Inauguration of a number of "first" conferences are evidence of Iran's serious drive to move beyond petroleum:

First International Conference of Tourism Investment Opportunities.
First Conference on Software Exports
First Conference of ECO mayors (Good urban governance)
First Conference on Organizing and Administering Employment Bureaus (global labour/skill exchange)

In fact, there are so many conferences happening in Iran that we had difficulty finding a 5-star hotel room for our visiting colleagues in November of last year! People who visit Iran leave satisfied, well taken care of, and well paid. Iranians are generous hosts; and even though one may doubt their long terms motives, one cannot help appreciating the pleasures of the fine offerings.

Culture is the other new Iranian export. Hollywood is America's second largest export industry (after weapons). Iran's global fame in "intellectual" cinema industry has turned into a burgeoning "popular movie" industry. Iran's cultural exports aim at the concerns, cultural dilemmas and traditions of the Muslim cinema-goers, who were otherwise visually alienated by both the Hollywood and Bollywood's cultural immodesty.

Iran is driving plans for a Persian-language satellite network to broadcast in Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

Iran, Russia sign deal for radio, TV cooperation

Moving pictures are not the only markets that Iran is exploring. It is reaching to her neighbors with its successful car products:

Iran to export cars to Azerbaijan
Iran due to export Samand cars to Turkey
Iran Khodro to ship Samand cars to Russia

Economic alliance with these neighbors is far more important to Iran's long term stability than satisfying the whim of America's chicken-hawks (TM:jolly Roger).

Read this excellent article as it highlights some of the fallacies of the West's assumptions about their divide and conquer scheme in the Middle East!

Iran is America's capitalist sister, don't believe those who think they hate each other! Unlike India, and Arab countries, Iran doesn't harbor any deep rooted, secret resentment of the ex-colonizers. The sooner this cacophony ends, the better for everyone! But again, little jealous brat Israel won't want that, would she? And the regional whores wouldn't be able to wedge inches by getting concessions from a squeezed Iran and a confused, greedy, needy America; they won't be able to milk both cows at the same time anymore, would they?!

Interesting decade ahead!

But I am not to worry. Were Iran to be defeated, Saddam's rapist co-adventure with his "then" western masters was the time to do so! As history witnessed, he has turned to dust! Who's next?!

14 comments:

David said...

I hope you are right Naj that there will be no attack on Iran in the remaining months of Bush's abysmal Presidency. I am a bit worried that he may order a bombing of Iran, but hopefully he is not completely insane and realizes what a disaster that would cause.

On the lighter side, I am glad there are still plenty of countries willing to do business with Iran. Business and trade are good things that can create stability, and hopefully more freedom for Iranians in the future.

Barmakid said...

Hello Naj and David,

The idea that the Bush admin was or still is going to attack Iran is unhinged from reality.

Policy makers understand that any military aggression toward Iran would result in the population rallying behind the Islamic government. They witnessed first-hand how war (in this case, with Iraq) fortified the revolutionary government in the 80s - as you briefly mentioned Naj.

The admin exploited the media's inclination to propagate sensational stories and allowed the public's perception of a potential attack against Iran to balloon, particularly the Iranian government's perception. What good is the threat, i.e the stick, if no one believes it will materialize?

They were never seriously going to attack, they just needed to create that perception in order to prod the clerics into abandoning their nuclear ambitions. And as the NIE showed, they were successful.

Cheers,
barmakid

Unknown said...

The days of American devised and led sanctions are over. The whole world sees what America is up to. Nuclear weapons are no substitute for Viagra.

Naj said...

David, Barmakid, Tim

I, personally, think such a huge blow to America's credibility is not a very good thing, unless it's quickly replaced by another power!

I also think America would have had a far better chance of reaching a desired security or HR outcome, had it engaged in conversation with Iran, rather than acted like the paper bully!

Presently, what I am more worried about is the damage Hillary Clinton is doing to "the hope of a post-bush new era" in pursuit of POWER.

Selfish bitch!

(Did I tell you I HATE women who cry "we are the little victims"?)

Barmakid said...

I agree, she needs to go. I've said it before, I'll say it again: Up with Obama! Down with Chelsea's mama!

barmakid

Naj said...

I fell off of my chair when I heard pundits fuss about "Chelese said mum is gonna be better than dad!"

As if US presidency is a piece of inheritance to bounce between mommies and daddies!

And the fact that people pay attention to such crap and that she gets press coverage over such blabber is REALLY disgusting!

Morteza Mirgholami said...

Interesting views, I enjoy your comments on Iran foriegn policies.

Thanks
Mort

David said...

I don't think that Hillary Clinton is so bad. If she could win the nomination, I would vote for her. However, I don't see that she has any realistic chance of being nominated. But, if she keeps pummeling Obama, it could result in a McCain election. I really really don't want to see that!

jmsjoin said...

naj
no one seems to realize this is the chief idiot we are talking about!
Nobody seems to like to hear the truth but attacking Iran was a foregone conclusion before he attacked Iraq. That is why we stay the course. This is just beginning.
This facade of Democracy and the sham of an election process here in the US is just to keep minds off what is getting ready to happen. Cheney's visit and Fallon's removal were part of the idiots preparations . Most do not realize he was due to leave in 2 months but was surprisingly released last Friday.

When they find his replacement you can bank on the attack soon after.
We are realists and right on. Bush does not care about common sense of that we are over extended, only getting his way, his forever war. To avoid any number of unpleasant options he must attack before elections then it still gets unpleasant but he has enough power and control to take over.
I am bummed because as you know, one of my sons leaves in a month but the one in EOD gets there soon and right where everything is blowing. Oh man what a friggen future those scum have created!

Just think about it! I thought the fallout of a nuclear war would be a deterrent. not today! Mutual destruction use to be a deterrent but today it looks like the goal.
I thought the fallout would prevent a nuclear war because someone would have to be able to access the resources but it doesn't look like it.
With us having an accelerated plan to make capturing our shale oil more economical Canada's oil sand is just a bonus, with us having more oil than the entire world combined T Boone Pickens said gas at the pump would have to hit $5 per gallon and we're getting there.
I thought that could be why Bush did not mind gumming up the rest of the worlds supply. but, with the trade winds the extensive fallout would blow right to us. AAARRRGGGHHH!

Anonymous said...

I think you're wrong about America lasting another 30 years. But if you turn out to be right, it will be a wingtard coward from this era who will be running, not one of those who was actually brave enough to put on a uniform.

Naj said...

JR,

you mean it won't be some one like McCain?! :)

Naj said...

Morteza,

thank you for visiting. Your blog seems to hog my computer, so I couldn't comment.

Jim,
You have been predicting an attack on Iran for a long time; but it will not happen.

1) Americans, even the most hawkish, will not nuclearly contaminate a country in which they hope for long term investement.

2) Americans, even the most stupid, will not jeopardize their interests in the Persian gulf.

3) Americans have no option other than carpet-bombing Iran. If you travel to Iran, and see the terrain, you will see an ENTIRELY different landscape from that in Iraq and Afghanistan. Just as they are stuck in Afghanistan, bound by the mountain, in Iran they have not only the mountains, but also the desert, which are intertwined.

I agree with you that Cheney and ISRAEL WANTED to attack Iran first. I am sure they were not idiots, and if they thought they COULD, they would have! Iran is far stronger than it was 5 years ago, and thus, deterring games, like spreading teh rumor that Saudi's are worried about a nuclear fallout, is the little show put in place by Cheney, to PROJECT the image of "the mad man is gonna attack with or without fallon", to coerce Iran into submission!

u-u! Not gonna happen!
Cheney's gotta pack and go play some other dummies!

TomCat said...

Naj, I hope that you are correct and agree that for the US to attack Iran would be an insane act. However, what bothers me is that Bush is not a sane man and neither is McConJob.

Naj said...

TomCat,

I don't know why everyone says Bush is "NOT" sane! I think your presumption is that as the president of the USA, he had to care for the well being of his people and country?

That's the fallacy of your assumption!

You see:
Who is profiteering from this war?
Bushco; as the was has 1) raised the price of oil; 2)flourished the weapon's industry!
Who's double-term presidency was ASSURED by this war? Bush!
Who's petroleum Corporate allies are reaping the benefits of disarray in Iraq? Bush!
Who's making a profit by promoting nuclear proliferation by encouraging all ME countries to buy into the nuclear energy? Bush!

In fact, I think these people are very sane, and very aware of their OWN profit! If they were NOT sane, they will have already captured Bin Laden, and would have ended the root cause of instability.

Also, if they were not sane, they would have ensured peace is achieved between Palestine and Israel.

However, such peace will cut the hands of the arms dealers and gas guzzlers short. Who in the right mind will bring demise to his own business.

The problem of US populace is to have believed that Bush was a patriotic president, and gave a damn about the American's lives!

u-u!

FAAAALSE!

And as long as America thinks their corporations, or their oil industrialists, and their arms dealers CARE to protect them, such so called madness will be happening!

Bush is very sane!

Insane are those who think he doesn't MEAN the harm he is doing!