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Skirting U.S. sanctions, Europeans launch trade mechanism for Iran

reuters.com

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Re: Skirting U.S. sanctions, Europeans launch trade mechanism for Iran

#31

Post by benj111 »

shaki-dora wrote: post #10
colde wrote: post #3

I'm surprised that Britain is even behind this, as they might have been a bit nervous about the US response, considering their ongoing Brexit. This is a great example of how current US foreign policy means a loss of soft power all over the world. I do think that this is a win for world stability though, trading tends to help relations, which helps stops all sort of unpleasantness. Whether this will be enough i don't…

It’s mostly a win for world stability because it preserves, to a limited degree, the notion that you can mutually agree, put it in writing, and count on the other side fulfilling its obligations as long as you do. Nobody with half a grasp of reality doubts that Iran was fulfilling its end of the nuclear deal. It’s entirely unclear why China, or North K, or really anybody should trust the US Government in the future.…

You seem to be getting downvoted, I'm not sure why.

Anyone care to justify?

Edit: Or just downvote me instead.

Re: Skirting U.S. sanctions, Europeans launch trade mechanism for Iran

#32

Post by anonu »

As America steps back from the world stage, we will see more alliances being forged that exclude the USA.

These plans of dissociation have been in motion for some time now. I think two ruinous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have caused a shift in American foreign policy that we are now starting to see play out more frequently. This will continue for many decades.

Re: Skirting U.S. sanctions, Europeans launch trade mechanism for Iran

#33

Post by boudin »

oriol11 wrote: post #14

[flagged]

Don't mistake a country and the regime that is leading it.

Is punishing a whole country (so including the population) an efficient way to change a regime behaviour? I'm not sure history proved this right... Just look at Cuba ...

Cutting all ties with a country makes the population even more dependant to the actual regime since there's no more direct exchanges with other countries. It also removes some communication bridges would limits the influence of the regime on censorship.

Keeping some economical relationship with the country is not giving full support to the regime, but a way to keep an influence. I'm not saying there's no economical interest behind, of course there is, but the "ban" approach is unlikely to change the situation in a good way in the first place.

Re: Skirting U.S. sanctions, Europeans launch trade mechanism for Iran

#34

Post by benj111 »

x3tm wrote: post #21

And yet, they can't reach an agreement with each other. Edit: I meant this as a light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek, comment re the Brexit negotiations. It was apparently wrong to do so (?). I even took precious time from the fallacy man ( http://existentialcomics.com/comic/9 ).

The EU (minus Britain) are united. Its just Britain that cant agree with itself.

Re: Skirting U.S. sanctions, Europeans launch trade mechanism for Iran

#35

Post by entity345 »

oriol11 wrote: post #15
entity345 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Iran regime largely owes its very existence to the way the West (particularly UK and US) behaved towards the country. Do they think that hitting even harder will have any result?

I became an islamist terrorist state because they forced me to.

Foreign intrusion produced a reaction towards a nationalist and traditionalist government.

It seems no lesson were learned since...

Re: Skirting U.S. sanctions, Europeans launch trade mechanism for Iran

#37

Post by mc32 »

anonu wrote: post #32

As America steps back from the world stage, we will see more alliances being forged that exclude the USA. These plans of dissociation have been in motion for some time now. I think two ruinous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have caused a shift in American foreign policy that we are now starting to see play out more frequently. This will continue for many decades.

Perhaps, but this is orthogonal to that. This is to sidestep US sanctions.

The traditional (not current) left was for disengagement (WTO protests, Iraq protests), it’s strange to see the left now argue for intervention and more internationalism and intervention and hegemony.

Re: Skirting U.S. sanctions, Europeans launch trade mechanism for Iran

#39

Post by jonatanheyman »

oriol11 wrote: post #14

[flagged]

> and is now in a nuclear bomb program for the grace of god

I have no love for Iran what so ever, but opposing them for having a nuclear program while not opposing the US or any other country who also has nukes, is so extremely hypocritical. I'm so astonished to see that argument over and over again.

Re: Skirting U.S. sanctions, Europeans launch trade mechanism for Iran

#40

Post by coldtea »

skh wrote: post #11
grecy wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. I keep hearing the most wonderful things about the people of Sudan, I can't wait to get there soon and discover for myself!

I think you misunderstood the ...start asking for receipts part of nkozrya’s comment. nkozrya is not suggesting that U.S. politician’s are never correct in their assessment of evil. nkozrya is suggesting that they aren’t always right. This is hardly a controversial point. Believing otherwise is dangerous. It is critical that we trust but verify claims of our leaders.

>nkozrya is suggesting that they aren’t always right.

Even more so, there are all kinds of "national interests" political/cultural biases, and even personal interests (e.g. Cheney and Halliburton) mixed in their assessments.

They're not some disinterested third parties trying to make the fairest assessment possible for the benefit of mankind, but agents of a top world dog nation-state wanting to get more resources and control, and to further its own prospects.

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