Why are we really targeting Iran?

Could it have to do with them dumping our dollar?

Iran, OPEC's second-largest producer, has stopped conducting oil transactions in U.S. dollars, a top Oil Ministry official said Wednesday, in a concerted attempt to reduce reliance on Washington at a time of tension over Tehran's nuclear program and suspected involvement in Iraq.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's President, has called the dollar a 'worthless piece of paper.'

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Iran Dumps U.S. Dollar For Oil Trades
comments welcomed

Who cares what they do?

Our government.

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"If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is."

-Ronald Reagan

Who cares?
Why would you even be reading or posting on a politically inclined, pro American message board if you feel "who cares", especially towards a country we might get into a nuclear war with!

I don't mean to come across rough, but we must understand why our leaders lead us into conflicts in the first place.

Well lets see, we have been targeting Iran for a few years now, and they starting dumping our dollar when?

Oh and don't be an alarmist, we are not going to get into a "nuclear war" with Iran. Iran has no nukes yet, and when they do, they will never have as many or as good of ones as us.

A "nuclear war" between us and Iran would be like a fight between a 98 pound weakling and a heavy weight. Iran might blow one up here, but we could erase them from the face of the earth if they did. So I really doubt it will happen. Iran just wants you to be afraid, and it appears it is working.

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Charles_Main

"Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct."
Thomas Jefferson

"Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition."
Thomas Jefferson

Dont use common sense and facts. You blow the whole conspiracy.

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The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd. Indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widespread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible.

-Bertrand Russell

Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable

-Laurence J. Peters

I never said that you had no right to have an opinion. I just said that it was, in fact, worth nothing.

-Maineman ( on 12 June 2007)

What's the difference between being afraid and being prepared? Iran is defying the UN. It supports Hezbollah. It's been tied to the Shia fundamentalist militias in Iraq.

What happens if Iran controls ALL the oil in the Middle East? Especially since we appear to not have the sense to drill our shit?

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You can't always be first .... but you CAN be NEXT

No.

Iran is irrelevant.

The oil exports from Iran account for less than 0.1% of all international trade. All trading in oil accounts for about 1% of global capital flows.

The idea that moving oil off the dollar standard would mean the dollar would end its status as the world's reserve currency is silly. 20% of all currency transactions do not include the dollar in any form already.

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The empiricist will change his opinion in light of contrary evidence. The ideologue will retain his opinion despite contrary evidence.

You are preaching to the choir my friend.

I was simply discounting the Fear tactic they are using saying we are going to get into a Nuclear war with Iran. What we should fear from a Nuclear Iran is not a Nuclear war, for the reasons I stated. What we should fear is:

A) who they might share their Nukes with

B) How they would be able to dominate the Middle east through fear with them.

I have been screaming for 5 years now about how we need to stop Iran from Getting nukes at all costs. I just do not think we need to fear a direct Nuclear war with them, that does not mean we should not fear them having Nukes.

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Charles_Main

"Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct."
Thomas Jefferson

"Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition."
Thomas Jefferson

We shouldn't fear ANYTHING, Charles.

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"If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is."

-Ronald Reagan

The strength of the USA has more to do with it economic power than its military.

Sans a viable economy, our military will naturally have to be pared back.

So when an oil producing nation like Iran elects not to accept petrodollars for their petroeum?

That IS a significant blow to American power.

Who cares?

Who CARES?

Patriots of this land should care.

Well, yeah, we should care. But how much should we legally or morally be allowed to do about it? It's Iran's oil, not ours.

I somehow think that Toro's analysis is a bit off, I'd like to see sources for the numbers he posted. It doesn't seem right that Iran's oil has such little effect on us. And I'd like to see what the 20% of goods are that are sold internationally via other currencies.

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"If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is."

-Ronald Reagan

I'm not suggesting that we should do anything about it.


But here's one thing I know...there are more petro-dollars in circulation thoughout the world than there are dollars in circulation in America.

If they all migrated back to this nation?

Wow!

Exactly. And that's precisely the reason why we strong-arm the oil nations. It's not JUST about Iran. Or even Iraq for that matter. It's the statement we make in doing so, that if you fuck with us economically, you'll be blasted back to the stone age.

Eventually though, we're going to pick on someone that's got a close enough ally that would be willing to retaliate in kind. Iran's got a few.

Have you seen the latest demonization in the media regarding Venezuela? Now all the sudden Venezuela is harboring terrorists, and according to Fox News, they could be the next breeding ground. Give me a fucking break.

When does it begin to become obvious to everyone that the oil nations who don't play ball are our main targets? And when does it start to become obvious that it isn't about terrorism?

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"If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is."

-Ronald Reagan

I do NOT think Iran is dumping dollars because we are strong arming them.

I DO think their financial ministers are (much the Saudi government did in the late 70's when their decision to convert their dollars into gold causes a 550% spike in gold prices) seeing that the value of their petro dollars is decline and they just don't want to hold or trade for them anymore.

If they loved us (as Saudi Arabia's government does now) they might STILL be making this decision.