At first glance, with no context, the title of this blog might seem ridiculous.
But is it?
From Ian Hanchett’s article at breitbart.com:
On Tuesday’s “CNN Newsroom,” CNN Military Analyst and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Wesley Clark (Ret.) stated that American sanctions against Iran won’t be effective in part because “the United States really doesn’t want to seal off Iran’s oil exports” to keep oil prices from spiking…
“…the United States really doesn’t want to seal off Iran’s oil exports. We know where they’re coming out, through Dubai and Oman. And they’re being doctored up with chemicals and sometimes you can’t tell where it’s coming from, but the United States doesn’t want to face steeply rising oil prices. You cut off a million, a million-and-a-half barrels a day of oil on the global market, you’re going to have an impact on prices, and this is what the Americans don’t want. The other sanctions, unless you’re willing to sanction third-country parties who are dealing with Iran, you’re not going to be much more effective than you’ve been thusfar. … So, I don’t pose much hope for sanctions….”
Is General Clark correct? I don’t know.
But if he is, what would our motivation be to allow Iran to generate untold billions of dollars by producing oil, thus keeping prices down? Can anyone realistically doubt that Joe Biden, who has spent a half century basing political decisions on little other than how many votes it gets or costs him, would have this top-of-mind?
One other thing: if, as a major oil producer, we did everything we could to stop Iran in its tracks, and made up the difference by increasing production of our own oil, wouldn’t that solve the price issue?
And – here’s one for the books – wouldn’t it improve the environment in the process?
Does anyone seriously think Iran gives a damn about environmental concerns when it pumps out oil? The oil we pump, by contrast, is strictly governed by such concerns.
So if it is our oil rather than Iran’s, not only do we get the immense financial benefit, but, comparatively, we keep the environment cleaner as well.
A little something to think about this election year….
