Frmr CIA officer Phil Giraldi: Worst-case Iran scenario is WW3
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Washington is fully prepared for an armed conflict with Iran -- says the US defence department. The Pentagon chief Leon Panetta says there's still room for dialogue but sufficient military forces are in the Persian Gulf in case Tehran decides to block a vital oil route there. This comes after Iran said it would close the Strait of Hormuz only if the country's security -- and the security of its nuclear facilities -- is threatened.
Tehran is backed by Russia which says military action would bring disastrous results. Iran agreed to resume six-party talks over its atomic programme. But there are fears the country is already under attack, after the latest murder of one of its nuclear scientists, which Tehran blames on Israel.
Former CIA officer Philip Giraldi says a military confrontation in the Gulf could lead to a new world war.
Fight against Damascus and Tehran a threat to Russian and Chinese interests
Not the entire world is wishing for a different Iran, although it does seem like that at times. Superpowers China and Russia are charting their own course, and in spite of their modern relationships with the West, there are still a lot of differences.
News reports on Iran are now following each other in rapid succession, and together they form a new step towards a military conflict. [...] What follows is an analysis of these fast-moving developments
NATO and CIA covertly arming Syrian rebels in order to weaken Iran
It is clear that all the pieces are being put into place for a war against Iran. It is a long-term project demanding many years worth of preparation, and the ultimate goal is getting closer all the time. One component of this preparation is the covert arming of Syrian rebels.
Israel and the U.S.: Iran not working on a nuclear weapon
While the world is getting the impression that a war with Iran has drawn a few steps closer, representatives of Israel and the U.S. are making some remarkable statements about the Islamic Republic. These statements are remarkable in part because, at the same time, the build-up to a military confrontation would seem to be continuing apace.
Economist Albert Spits: the euro is gone by the summer of 2012
De Wit: No, but it’s going to cost an awful lot of money to reprint all of those currencies and make the switch.
Spits: Sure, but it’s going to cost a lot more money to try and save the euro, which cannot be saved.
Government has to be more open, transparent and accountable: Marietje Schaake (D66)
[...] proactive thinking on the part of those operating inside the ruling establishment can nevertheless be a positive thing. This is exactly what Marietje Schaake, European Member of Parliament for the Dutch political party D66, contributes in her article [...]. I ask het what she means by going from being the governed to being the governors'.