Iran will close the Strait of Hormuz, a transit point for one-fifth of oil trading

[merrill]

Iran says a nuclear scientist involved in its uranium enrichment program was killed by assassins in Tehran on Wednesday, becoming the latest Iranian scientist to die in a series of similar incidents.

Earlier this week, Iran announced it had sentenced a U.S.-born man to death for allegedly spying for the CIA. Meanwhile, the United States is leading a global campaign to shut down Iranian oil exports in order to pressure the country to end its alleged nuclear weapons program.

Iran responded by threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, a major transit point for one-fifth of oil traded worldwide.

"If we are increasing the sense of threat, we may be able to prevent [the Iranians’] capabilities to a certain extent, but we’re also increasing their desire for the nuclear deterrent," says Trita Parsi, founder and president of the National Iranian American Council.

"At some point, that desire will overcome the obstacles. In essence, you cannot threaten a country into feeling secure."

A Path to War? Assassination of Iran Nuclear Scientist, New Sanctions Strain U.S.-Iran Relations

 

[ScienceRocks]

Why threaten? Why not do?

 

[Mr. H.]

Why would this be of interest to you.
You oppose the Keystone project.
They're both just conduits.

 

[g5000]

Why threaten? Why not do?

Because if they did, they'd be cutting off their own dick. Iran is hurting from all the economic sanctions. If they close the straits, that is their one and only economic artery which still brings money into their economy.

So this is a case of "this will hurt me a lot more than it will hurt you".

They are bluffing.

But rattling sabers plays well for their domestic rabble, just like "bomb bomb bomb Iran" does here.

 

[merrill]

In the short term closing the Hormuz could have dramatic impacts on the USA economy...

 

[Avatar4321]

In the short term closing the Hormuz could have dramatic impacts on the USA economy...

Yeah, because people like you prevent us from building up our energy infrastructure.

 

[merrill]

In the short term closing the Hormuz could have dramatic impacts on the USA economy...

Yeah, because people like you prevent us from building up our energy infrastructure.

Wrong again. I'm all for energy efficient vehicles which will create jobs and more jobs because of new technology.

Meanwhile threatening Iran 24/7 is not good diplomacy. The heart of the concern is Iran oil and natural gas. This is being treated like a secret.

This is a big reason the USA needs to cut wayyyyyy back on oil demand. Move forward not nowhere.

The USA does not want to be dependent on foreign energy nor do I want the USA to be blowing my tax dollars and killing innocent soldiers,fathers/mothers/children or grandparents all in the interest of controlling the world oil supply. It stinks!

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Iran says a nuclear scientist involved in its uranium enrichment program..

He was non-essential. Israel killed him to increase pressure on us in hopes we'll go to war with/for them.

This is the beginning and Israel is blackmailing us.

 

[Avatar4321]

Energy efficient vehicles arent energy infrastructure.

Oil refineries, natural gas refineries, nuclear power plants, hydroelectic plants, pipelines, coal mining etc. That's infrastructure.

You've made it clear that you oppose that.

 

[merrill]

Iran says a nuclear scientist involved in its uranium enrichment program..

He was non-essential. Israel killed him to increase pressure on us in hopes we'll go to war with/for them.

This is the beginning and Israel is blackmailing us.

How can we be sure the CIA was not involved?

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Iran says a nuclear scientist involved in its uranium enrichment program..

He was non-essential. Israel killed him to increase pressure on us in hopes we'll go to war with/for them.

This is the beginning and Israel is blackmailing us.

How can we be sure the CIA was not involved?

Because they were gutted in the 70's.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Iran will not close the Straits if they do we will blow their asses away.

 

[JStone]

Iran says a nuclear scientist involved in its uranium enrichment program..

He was non-essential. Israel killed him to increase pressure on us in hopes we'll go to war with/for them.

This is the beginning and Israel is blackmailing us.

Fuckwit, there is no evidence Israel was involved. And, the Rabs are on record urging an attack on Iran.

Go play in the sandbox with the other children.

 

[toomuchtime_]

In the short term closing the Hormuz could have dramatic impacts on the USA economy...

Not at all. Public and private strategic oil reserves are sufficient to prevent rising spot oil prices from effecting our economy for as long as two months, and the Iranian navy would be destroyed and the Strait opened long before that ran out.

 

[toomuchtime_]

Iran says a nuclear scientist involved in its uranium enrichment program..

He was non-essential. Israel killed him to increase pressure on us in hopes we'll go to war with/for them.

This is the beginning and Israel is blackmailing us.

Why assume Israel killed him? Most of the European countries, especially Britain and France, and all the Arab countries other than Syria are committed to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, and they all have intelligence services that perform covert operations.

 

[JStone]

Iran says a nuclear scientist involved in its uranium enrichment program..

He was non-essential. Israel killed him to increase pressure on us in hopes we'll go to war with/for them.

This is the beginning and Israel is blackmailing us.

Why assume Israel killed him? Most of the European countries, especially Britain and France, and all the Arab countries other than Syria are committed to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, and they all have intelligence services that perform covert operations.

One theory is that Iranans are behiind the assassinations.

 

[Katzndogz]

The assassination of these scientists have all the marks of a Mossad operation. They are too well done to be by inept Americans or Europeans. EVEN if the decision was made in Paris or Berlin, the operatives were likely Mossad.

I wish I had the confidence that some of you have that obama would not do more than wring his hands and say "Please" to Iran, if the Strait of Hormuz was closed. I just don't. He would make a speech about how keeping the Strait opened isn't necessary we are supposed to be fighting global warming by a reduced dependence on oil. In fact, Iran's closing the Strait means that they fell into obama's brilliant but diabolical plot to save the world.

 

[JStone]

The assassination of these scientists have all the marks of a Mossad operation. They are too well done to be by inept Americans or Europeans. EVEN if the decision was made in Paris or Berlin, the operatives were likely Mossad.

I wish I had the confidence that some of you have that obama would not do more than wring his hands and say "Please" to Iran, if the Strait of Hormuz was closed. I just don't. He would make a speech about how keeping the Strait opened isn't necessary we are supposed to be fighting global warming by a reduced dependence on oil. In fact, Iran's closing the Strait means that they fell into obama's brilliant but diabolical plot to save the world.

You mean, Iranians are too incompetent to pull off the hits? They seem to have a pretty good track record of murdering their own people

 

[toomuchtime_]

The assassination of these scientists have all the marks of a Mossad operation. They are too well done to be by inept Americans or Europeans. EVEN if the decision was made in Paris or Berlin, the operatives were likely Mossad.

I wish I had the confidence that some of you have that obama would not do more than wring his hands and say "Please" to Iran, if the Strait of Hormuz was closed. I just don't. He would make a speech about how keeping the Strait opened isn't necessary we are supposed to be fighting global warming by a reduced dependence on oil. In fact, Iran's closing the Strait means that they fell into obama's brilliant but diabolical plot to save the world.

In other words, you don't think any country but Israel is clever enough to have carried out these assassinations. I think many countries that don't want Iran to have nuclear weapons are capable of paying Iranian informants to report the schedules of these scientists and then to pay them to attach a bomb to a car or do a drive by shooting. In fact, for many of these countries, the task would have been easier than for either the US or Israel since they already have diplomatic missions in Iran as well as various commercial connections, giving them easier access to potential Iranian informants and operative, which Israel and the US do not have.

People commonly make the mistake of believing only Israel would be threatened by Iran's nuclear weapons. This is not true. Iran's Shahab 3 missile can reach any target in Israel while carrying a nuclear warhead, but since developing that missile, Iran has developed its Shahab 6 missile that can deliver a nuclear warhead to any target in Western Europe. Why would Iran develop the Shahab 6 if it didn't intend to target the cities of Western Europe with nuclear armed missiles? Iran is presently developing a Shahab 7 missile that will be able to reach the US east coast and a few hundred miles inland. Clearly, Iran intends to target US cities.

Imo, Obama is not as principled as you suggest. He is an ambitious politician who champions any cause that is popular with his base within the Democratic Party and does not alienate too many moderate Democrats or independents, but he is clearly willing to ditch any position, any cause, if it becomes politically costly. So we hear no more about closing Guantanamo or trying those terrorists in federal courts, and after cozying up to Abbas and getting him to demand a building freeze and pre 1967 borders as preconditions for negotiations, when those positions proved to be politically costly, he abandoned Abbas. In Abbas' words:

“It was Obama who suggested a full settlement freeze,” Abbas explained. “I said OK, I accept. We both went up the tree. After that, he came down with a ladder and he removed the ladder and said to me, jump. Three times he did it.”

Palestinian Leader Mahmoud Abbas's Frustration with Obama - The Daily Beast

When Obama's attempts to bring down the Netanyahu government failed and his J Street lobbyists failed to influence the overwhelming support US voters give to Israel, other than in one gossipy tet a tet with Sarkozy, Obama has stopped criticizing Netanyahu and has begun supporting the positions of the Netanyahu government and not those of the PA.

Imo Iran's threats to close the Strait of Hormuz is nothing but bombast, but in the unlikely case that Iran did try to do it, not taking military actions to keep the Strait open and to punish Iran for the attempt would be so politically unpopular with most voters, and thus with most in Congress, that it would be almost impossible for the Obama administration to function if he refused to take action.