(John) Bolton Hints at Other Options for Iran

[sabra]

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/30-04062006-637600.html

Bolton Hints at Other Options for Iran

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is considering other diplomatic and economic options to deter Iran from developing nuclear weapons if diplomacy at the United Nations Security Council fails, U.N. Ambassador John Bolton said Thursday.

"It would be, I think, simply prudent to be looking at other options," Bolton told reporters.

He said the United States could suspend import allowances for Iranian rugs and pistachios, which were relaxed years ago in hopes of stimulating small business in Iran, and consider a crackdown on alleged financial crimes similar to U.S. pursuit of alleged fraud by North Korea. There are steps other governments could take as well, Bolton said, including financial and travel restrictions.

The United States has had no diplomatic and few economic ties with Iran since the 1979 storming of the American Embassy in Tehran.

[Deep13]

1. Throw a stapler at them, John!

:-)

[Ian David]

2. How about closing Halliburton's office in Tehran?

You know... the one helping Iran build the nuclear powerplant we're so concerned about?

Published on Saturday, August 6, 2005 by CommonDreams.org
Halliburton Secretly Doing Business with Key Member of Iran's Nuclear Team
by Jason Leopold

Scandal-plagued Halliburton, the oil services company once headed by Vice President Dick was secretly working with one of Iran’s top nuclear program officials on natural gas related projects and, allegedly, selling the officials' oil development company key components for a nuclear reactor, according to Halliburton sources with intimate knowledge into both companies’ business dealings.

Just last week a National Security Council report said Iran was a decade away from acquiring a nuclear bomb. That time frame could arguably have been significantly longer if Halliburton, which just reported a 284 percent increase in its fourth quarter profits due to its Iraq reconstruction contracts, was not actively providing the Iranian government with the financial means to build a nuclear weapon.

Now comes word that Halliburton, which has a long history of flouting U.S. law by conducting business with countries the Bush administration said has ties to terrorism, was working with Cyrus Nasseri, the vice chairman of the board of directors of Oriental Oil Kish, one of Iran’s largest private oil companies, on oil development projects in Tehran. Nasseri is also a key member of Iran’s nuclear development team.

“Nasseri, a senior Iranian diplomat negotiating with Europe over Iran's controversial nuclear program is at the heart of deals with US energy companies to develop the country's oil industry”, the Financial Times reported.

More:
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0806-21.htm

[meegbear]

3. "Or we could just invade ... I mean import rugs and pistachios elsewhere

Ahhhhh, yes, that's what we should do."

[tatertop]

6. and war it shall be

[Missy M]

4. Oh No!! The US is going to suspend imports of two things...

I love, Iranian rugs and pistachios. How cruel.

[Hardrada]

10. Call 'em Freedom Rugs (I'd like a few) and Freedom Pistachios

and import them anyway.

[sinkingfeeling]

5. I wish there were countries that would pursue fraud by the USA. I

wish some international group would condemn the USA for violations of treaties and building new nuclear weapons. I wish we could end fascism in the US.

[Jade Fox]

7. The United States has had no diplomatic and few economic ties with Iran si

Well, except for that whole Iran-Contra thing in the 80s. For you youngsters, Iran-Contra was the Genesis of out current secret government operations, and it taught our Bushco power brokers they had to be even more secretive and lie a lot.

Actually, this is good news. Bolton is getting the message that Americans are not up for another costly, bloody attack on another country.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. Sleight of hand tactic. * is going to bomb Iran and bomb it some more.

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/04/04/iran-strike/

[MrPrax]

9. Is this the new diplomacy?

War is getting too expensive, so the new tactic is just 'rob' their treasuries and claim you are saving the planet...pfft