Phase III of Operation Sandbox Launched

Photo by photoluna25.

Iran's oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari spoke at the OPEC conference in Madrid today. He basically said that if attacked, Iran would respond fiercely and that such an attack would drive oil prices higher than anyone could imagine. But he also said:

Nozari, however, said Tehran would not cut oil deliveries and would continue supplying the market even if struck by Israel or the United States.

Um...is it just me or is he saying, "Go ahead and attack us, we'll be rich!" Or maybe he's saying, "Thousands and thousands of our people will die, but those of us who make the decisions can wipe our asses with gold."

AP's George Jahn says:

Tehran is under U.N., U.S. and European sanctions because it has defied U.N. Security Council demands to suspend its uranium enrichment program. But with oil supplies tight and prices at unprecedented levels, the energy industry remains tempted by the possibilities of investing in Iran, OPEC's second largest oil producer and No. 2 in terms of the world's natural gas reserves.

Is it possible that Bush, Olmert, and Ahmadinejad are all having a big threesome? If Iran could, as Nozari claims, continue to ship oil while at war, can you imagine the amount of money that bring in? I don't think we even have numbers that go that high. The energy industry powers the US government. It is so far fetched that the US would go to war just to get oil and make money?

Oh wait....

So, perhaps this indirect announcement is Phase III in a twelve step plan to justify another Middle East campaign.

I can imagine how this was planned:
(Scene: a dark room with lush surroundings, a group of men hold drinks and cigars)

Ahmadinejad: So I'll act like a real asshole. Say bad stuff about Jews and the US and freedom.

Bush's handlers: And we'll say, "Whoa, this guy is dangerous! We should keep an eye on him."

Ahmadinejad: And then I'll start messing around with nuclear power and be real suspicious about it.

Bush's handlers: Then we'll threaten military action.

Ahmadinejad: This will cause me to act even creepier.

Bush's handlers: But how to keep the investors from getting nervous....hmmm...

Ahmadinejad: I have an idea....

Bush likes War

Joschka Fischer, the former Foreign Minister of Germany, published an article Friday in which he outlined the events in the Middle East of late and made predictions for the near future. He wrote that Bush's recent visit to Jerusalem was less to congratulate Israel on its 60th birthday and more to give it the go ahead to attack Iran's nuclear facilities. Fischer writes:

Bush's central topic, including his speech to Israel's Knesset, was Iran. Bush had promised to bring the Middle East conflict closer to a resolution before the end of his term this year. But his final visit to Israel seemed to indicate that his objective was different: he seemed to be planning, together with Israel, to end the Iranian nuclear program - and to do so by military, rather than by diplomatic, means.

Fischer specifically highlighted that this military action is likely to take place before the end of the Bush administration because it is unclear what the next administration's strategy would be. Most likely, no matter who is elected they won't be as much of a warhawk as Bush.

And sixth, with the approaching end of the Bush presidency and uncertainty about his successor's policy, the window of opportunity for Israeli action is seen as potentially closing.

It's like when you know mommy won't let you have an ice cream so you ask daddy instead.

Is Bush high? Are we not already involved in another war? One that was also prompted by supposed weapons of mass destruction. He's like a little boy, going around blowing the tops off anthills with firecrackers. Further, and as I have mentioned before, Ahmadinejad is not stupid. If he were planning a covert attack on any country he would not give them warning beforehand. That tells me he is not about to attack Israel or the US or anyone else with the capability to fight back. He's going to goad whomever he likes into a fight, and then use their own momentum to push their faces in the dirt. And we are falling for it.