Comments on: Libya: Amazing foreign policy flip-flop http://deepblade.net/journal/2006/05/libya-amazing-foreign-policy-flip-flop.html Cutting through the effects of the US empire Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:03:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Eric http://deepblade.net/journal/2006/05/libya-amazing-foreign-policy-flip-flop.html#comment-591 Eric Fri, 19 May 2006 22:09:36 +0000 http://deepblade.net/journal/2006/05/libya-amazing-foreign-policy-flip-flop.html#comment-591 Thanks for the comment, Jeff. Iran holds some major cards that the Saddam government did not have in 2003, the sympathetic government and Shi'ite public in Iraq being a biggie. Futhermore, Iran has not been destroyed by sanctions, is pumping oil apace, has huge gas reserves, and has customers like China who absolutely are not intimidated by the US. The crazies under Rumsfeld and Cheney may well try some bombing. That might fly pretty well politically at home. But the consequences can hardly be expected to turn out positive from the crazies' point of view. Thanks for the comment, Jeff. Iran holds some major cards that the Saddam government did not have in 2003, the sympathetic government and Shi’ite public in Iraq being a biggie. Futhermore, Iran has not been destroyed by sanctions, is pumping oil apace, has huge gas reserves, and has customers like China who absolutely are not intimidated by the US. The crazies under Rumsfeld and Cheney may well try some bombing. That might fly pretty well politically at home. But the consequences can hardly be expected to turn out positive from the crazies’ point of view.

]]> By: Jeff http://deepblade.net/journal/2006/05/libya-amazing-foreign-policy-flip-flop.html#comment-590 Jeff Thu, 18 May 2006 08:06:45 +0000 http://deepblade.net/journal/2006/05/libya-amazing-foreign-policy-flip-flop.html#comment-590 I always thought it was interesting that Lybia fingered Pakistan as the source of its weapons technology. It seems to me that this put us in an odd spot having to thank our enemies for accusing our friends of wrongdoing. Also, when Lybia first began this open process of returning to the fold after the invasion in Iraq neo-cons said that the military effort in Iraq was working because it was scaring the bad guys throughout the region into submission. However, this is where the Iran case is so important because the government there is not cowering but is becoming even more bellicose. Perhaps killing for peace won't work afterall. I always thought it was interesting that Lybia fingered Pakistan as the source of its weapons technology. It seems to me that this put us in an odd spot having to thank our enemies for accusing our friends of wrongdoing.

Also, when Lybia first began this open process of returning to the fold after the invasion in Iraq neo-cons said that the military effort in Iraq was working because it was scaring the bad guys throughout the region into submission. However, this is where the Iran case is so important because the government there is not cowering but is becoming even more bellicose. Perhaps killing for peace won’t work afterall.

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