US, Europe eye risky, unprecedented penalty for Iran over pursuit of nuclear weapons

Comet · Feb 15, 2012

The White House and possibly Europe are looking to expel Iran from SWIFT, a move that would cripple the country financially.

I supported the sanctions on Iran, but remain undecided on whether they should be removed from SWIFT.

Regardless, I seriously doubt SWIFT will decide to evict Iran from the organization. Just do not see it happening unless an enormous amount of pressure is placed upon them by the U.S. and Europe.

WASHINGTON – The United States and Europe are considering unprecedented punishment against Iran that could immediately cripple the country's financial lifeline. But it's an extreme option in the banking world that would come with its own costs.

The Obama administration wants Iran evicted from SWIFT, an independent financial clearinghouse that is crucial to the country's overseas oil sales. That would leapfrog the current slow-pressure campaign of sanctions aimed at persuading Iran to drop what the U.S. and its allies contend is a drive toward developing and building nuclear weapons. It also perhaps would buy time for the U.S. to persuade Israel not to launch a pre-emptive military strike on Iran this spring.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...n-over-pursuit-nuclear-weapons/#ixzz1mRK8mWRV

DodgeFB · Feb 15, 2012

I hate to always be old doom and gloom. But I do not see a happy ending to this mess coming soon.:unsure:

Comet · Feb 15, 2012

DodgeFB said:
I hate to always be old doom and gloom. But I do not see a happy ending to this mess coming soon.:unsure:

It has a decent chance of not ending terribly. There is a lot of posturing and chest-beating right now, but I believe it to be just sabre-rattling.

I very much believe Iran will have a nuclear weapon in the not-so-distant future. But I do not feel they are crazy enough to use it. They know if they light up Israel, it will be game over for them as life as they know it. The retaliation would be overwhelming and devastating.

What you need to worry about is Iran selling one to Hezbollah or some other terrorist organization. That is the true threat. That, or selling the technology to another country that is equally radical.

DodgeFB · Feb 15, 2012

Comet said:
What you need to worry about is Iran selling one to Hezbollah or some other terrorist organization. That is the true threat. That, or selling the technology to another country that is equally radical.

I think all of that will happen. But I am not sure Israel is just chest thumping. They may actually do something.

Obama does not seem to have the pull that Bush did to hold Israel back. I know there was times I thought Bush waited too long to rein
Israel in.

I don't trust the leadership in Iran or Israel to do the right thing. They are both blinded by hate.

Kingdom · Feb 15, 2012

Comet said:
I very much believe Iran will have a nuclear weapon in the not-so-distant future. But I do not feel they are crazy enough to use it. They know if they light up Israel, it will be game over for them as life as they know it. The retaliation would be overwhelming and devastating.

Unfortunately they're crazy, and Khamenei and Ahmadinejad who frequently have contact with Hamas and Hezbollah, two terrorist organisations, don't seem reluctant to use nuclear weapons. Ahmadinejad is so adamant about attacking Israel, that he doesn't really seem to consider the presence of a retaliation from the West.

DodgeFB said:
Obama does not seem to have the pull that Bush did to hold Israel back. I know there was times I thought Bush waited to long to rein Israel in.

As well Israel shouldn't let Obama have that hold on them, because Obama is acting too slow.

DodgeFB said:
I don't trust the leadership in Iran or Israel to do the right thing. They are both blinded by hate.

For some reason the Iranian hate seem stronger. I rarely, or actually never, hear of Israeli authorities speak of elimination of the Islamic system in Iran, let alone the entire Iranian country.

DodgeFB · Feb 15, 2012

Kingdom said:
For some reason the Iranian hate seem stronger. I rarely, or actually never, hear of Israeli authorities speak of elimination of the Islamic system in Iran, let alone the entire Iranian country.

I think Iran needs to talk things up for their people. But Israel is just as likely to act. But they may not say anything until it is done. Israel is deadly serious when it comes to fighting.

Kingdom · Feb 15, 2012

DodgeFB said:
I think Iran needs to talk things up for their people. But Israel is just as likely to act. But they may not say anything until it is done. Israel is deadly serious when it comes to fighting.

No, the Israelis are very smart that way, they keep their mouths shut and use whatever means necessary to protect themselves. I think it is quite understandable. They're very alone in that part of the world.

DodgeFB · Feb 15, 2012

Kingdom said:
They're very alone in that part of the world.

Very true. They must feel like a man sleeping nude in jail.

David · Feb 15, 2012

Comet said:
It has a decent chance of not ending terribly. There is a lot of posturing and chest-beating right now, but I believe it to be just sabre-rattling.

I very much believe Iran will have a nuclear weapon in the not-so-distant future. But I do not feel they are crazy enough to use it. They know if they light up Israel, it will be game over for them as life as they know it. The retaliation would be overwhelming and devastating.

What you need to worry about is Iran selling one to Hezbollah or some other terrorist organization. That is the true threat. That, or selling the technology to another country that is equally radical.

The thing is Iran isn't getting nukes because of Israel, it's getting nukes because the 1 thing an Arab hates more then a Jew is a Persian.

Kingdom · Feb 15, 2012

David said:
The thing is Iran isn't getting nukes because of Israel, it's getting nukes because the 1 thing an Arab hates more then a Jew is a Persian.

I disagree there. Certain Arab countries, e.g. Saudi Arabia, would not like the Persians to get even greater power in the region, but they surely do not want Israeli power in the region either, and that's why this is going on:
Ahmadinejad: Iran will support Hamas until collapse of Israel

Arab or Persian, they're still Muslim and see Israel as a common enemy.

David · Feb 15, 2012

Kingdom said:
I disagree there. Certain Arab countries, e.g. Saudi Arabia, would not like the Persians to get even greater power in the region, but they surely do not want Israeli power in the region either, and that's why this is going on:
Ahmadinejad: Iran will support Hamas until collapse of Israel

Arab or Persian, they're still Muslim and see Israel as a common enemy.

Israel gets nukes and everyone goes "Meh" and invades anyway. Iran talks about getting nuke power plants and everyone freaks out, starts talking about how they need nukes now for MAD and try to get the US and EU to invade so they don't have to. Iran might be Muslim but it's the wrong kind.

Kingdom · Feb 16, 2012

David said:
Israel gets nukes and everyone goes "Meh" and invades anyway. Iran talks about getting nuke power plants and everyone freaks out, starts talking about how they need nukes now for MAD and try to get the US and EU to invade so they don't have to. Iran might be Muslim but it's the wrong kind.

Iran is not getting nuclear power for peaceful purposes, unfortunately Ahmadinejad seem to manage to get through to certain people.

David · Feb 16, 2012

Kingdom said:
Iran is not getting nuclear power for peaceful purposes, unfortunately Ahmadinejad seem to manage to get through to certain people.

No but that doesn't change the retraction b the Arabs or my point.

Kingdom · Feb 16, 2012

David said:
No but that doesn't change the retraction b the Arabs or my point.

And it doesn't change Iran's future danger and power either. I don't think they Persians need to depend on being Arab to be powerful, as a matter of fact, they seem to have a quite good relation to certain Arabs, like the people in Hamas.

US, Europe eye risky, unprecedented penalty for Iran over pursuit of nuclear weapons

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