Monday May 28, 2012

RichardPearce's past comments

  • 1

    RichardPearce

    Isn't this the same person who holds that holding Israel to account for its abuses of both its own (the refugees from the parts of Palestine now known as Israel) and the population of what is left of Palestine.

    Posted in: Clinton calls for holding Syrian leaders to account

  • 1

    RichardPearce

    So far, every US lead action in its attempts to crush Iranian independence has turned out to have pretty bad side effects (short and long term) for America, and I have the feeling that this one might keep that track record going.

    The previous 'sanctions' that kept the small and part of the middle sized Iranian corporations from doing business through SWIFT lead to the creation of a system that they could use, one that, unlike SWIFT, was not open to the US (and EU) surveilance, and which naturally also became the system of choice for anyone who did not want their transactions subject to that surveilance.

    But, the total move is going to seriously undermine SWIFT's reputation with countries that the US has also tried to crush, or pressure, through the financial system, because the precidence has been set that it will go that far to appease the American government. And given that the second (rapidly approaching first) biggest economy will have to find a way to make sizable payments without SWIFT, as will Japan, India, Pakistan, Iraq, Kuwait, etc to Iran, there will likely soon be a rival to SWIFT, not based in the EU, or North America, and that rival is unlikely to denominate in US dollars or Euros.

    That would only be a minor side-effect, nothing really to worry about, if it wasn't for the synergistic effect that comes into play thanks to the European financial instability, and the effect on the value of the US dollar that a drop in demand for it for international trade will have. Europeans are going to be looking for someplace to shield their money from the EU taxmen collecting spiralling upwards rates, and if the new alternate SWIFT is dealing in something that has an intrinsic value (like the US dollar did before they ended the 'gold standard') and the US dollar's value is dropping, money is going to flow at an accelerating rate into that system, furthering the Eurozone's instability and the decline in value of the greenback, which will in turn make moving money into the new system more desirable, and around and around it'll go, until the system cracks, in all likelihood taking SWIFT down with it.

    Posted in: Global clearinghouse ready to evict Iranian banks

  • 1

    RichardPearce

    In the past 4 years, France has seen, according to official police reports, 803 'failed, foiled, or succeeded' terrorist attacks.

    Guess how many of those were 'Islamist' in nature?

    ZERO

    A fact that people need to keep in mind when reading these sorts of stories.

    Indeed, it is rather interesting to look at the police stats, and see the rather glaring discrepency between what the public discourse (and, due to politics, police priorities) is, and what the facts suggest it should be.

    You can visit the Europol site and see their published EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report and see the numbers.

    Posted in: France raises terror security alert

  • 1

    RichardPearce

    Seeing as the editorial policy of this site seems to be skewed towards the view that the Iranian election was likely rigged, let me provide a link to the American University of Maryland's public policy program's research group, World Public Opinion, and their analysis.

    http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/pdf/feb10/IranElectionFeb10rpt.pdf

    Posted in: Ahmadinejad says future is Iran's

  • 0

    RichardPearce

    Yes, much of the Christian world has denounced this act, and there will be condemnations of it thundering forth from many (if not most) churches in the US.

    And, though this is a good thing, what do you remember about 9/11.

    Do you remember that much of the Muslim world denounced that act, and the condemnations that thundered forth from most of the Mosques around the world, or do you remember the few exceptions?

    If you answered the second (as the people who have been screaming about those few exceptions devoutly hope you will), ask yourself, isn't it likely the same thing is going to happen over this incident?

    Posted in: Clinton, Gates denounce planned Quran burning

  • 0

    RichardPearce

    Isn't it interesting that Israel's nuclear program, which is basically identical (other than who was supporting it) to Syria's, did not get designated 'clandestine' in the article?

    And despite the US screaming that Iran is non-compliant with the NPT, it actually is (though it refuses to adopt the more stringent, voluntary 'additional protocols').

    As for 'singling out Israel', there are 4 countries that are not covered by the NPT, one of whom is under sanctions (North Korea), two of which are having their attempt to join the NPT blocked by, amongst others, the US (India and Pakistan want to join as weapons states) and one which is unsanctioned and unwilling to join. Of course, you can't talk about that one, or even include it in the list, or you're 'singling out Israel'.

    Posted in: IAEA chief asks Israel to join nuclear nonproliferation treaty

  • 0

    RichardPearce

    Here is an interesting pair of programs from a NY radio station that shines a fair bit of light on what is really driving the controversy.

    Here is the open line show that was restricted to those who actually worked or lived in the area of Park 51 http://beta.wnyc.org/shows/bl/2010/aug/20/open-phones-lower-manhattan-residents-park51/

    and here is a discussion with the spokesperson for one of the 9/11 family groups that support the effort and a spokesperson for one of the 9/11 family groups that oppose the effort http://beta.wnyc.org/shows/bl/2010/aug/17/

    Posted in: Rallies over mosque near ground zero get heated

  • 0

    RichardPearce

    Starviking, sorry, but there are a lot who are making that sort of comments on other sites due to nothing but contempt (and, it looks like, a few here)

    Posted in: Iran inaugurates nation's first unmanned bomber

  • 0

    RichardPearce

    There are 9 countries in the world where uranium and/or plutonium are enriched without the IAEA being able to monitor that enrichment and track where that enriched material goes.

    None of them are Iran.

    There are 3 basic anti-WMD treaties in the world. Iran is in compliance with all 3.

    There are numerous anti-WMD agreements covering troubled regions and countries that are suspicious of each others intent towards the other, all of which contain mechanisms for each member of the agreement to monitor those they suspect might harbour hostile intent towards them to assure themselves that there is not an effort being made to develop WMDs for use in secret. Iran has proposed just such an agreement for the Middle East, which would include every country that they are suspected of trying to develop WMDs to attack.

    So, what makes Iran such a country to fear? Their decision to use the strength they do have to allow them to refuse the demand by the strong that they give up their rights under international law,and their decision to support those even weaker who are facing similar demands.

    Posted in: Iran starts nuclear reactor; says intent peaceful

  • 0

    RichardPearce

    It is a little amusing to see the contempt expressed towards the engineering and scientific capabilities of a country that's scientific output is greater than many EU countries, and is space capable.

    I'm old enough to remember the days when an announcement of any sort of advance out of Japan would have been greeted with the same scorn.

    Posted in: Iran inaugurates nation's first unmanned bomber

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