I should really begin this blog by saying, "I told ya so," altho, it wouldn't do any good.
So, let's open today's entry with the following links to set the stage.
As usual, from my favorite source, the English language Turkish press, regarding the implications of Georgia, Russia and Iran:
www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/home/9670112.asp?gid=244&sz=9483
The above flows NOT from "neocons" but from
http://www.jbanc.org/
which I have had on my blogs for umpteen number of months, years. Totally disregarded.
Ignored.
They continue blabbing about Bush's war.
The implications of the Georgia explosion.
Front and center, NATO and EU expansion, very much at the heart of it all. Shit or get off the pot.
The US military has been doing the dirty work for awhile, in Iraq and elsewhere, while European multi-nationals are also reaping benefits from privatization, expansion and investment in Iraq, Iran, the GCC, Middle East, etc.
They have just been put on notice and sent a bill via Georgia.
This is hardly the end.
Just the beginning.
The opening salvo.
Next, regarding the pro-Iran lobby, here, and Europe, the following article,
http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m46410
And, a little footnote on the above.
During the Clinton Administration there was ALMOST a rapprochement between Iran and the US. I did some entries about this on my previous, now blocked, blog, regarding objections by the Pahlavi interests, represented by the Kenneth Timmerman-WorldNetDaily faction in the US.
For ALITTLE background reminder on the above, from 2000,
www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.printable&pageId=6753
And, about Timmerman,
www.rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/3275.html
I assume that Morgan Stanley and their friends (the First Persia Fund) will make sure the Pahlavi interests are adequately represented in any future privatization developments.
As I have said, previously, Iran's present Fascist clerical regime WILL GO. They are damaged goods.
Obstructionist.
They have outlived their usefulness.
Iran's clerical regime and its militias will no longer have a MONOPOLY on power in Iran.
They will morph into something else, like Sadr.
Meanwhile, along these lines, Iraq is about to be divided.
In the north, Kurdistan, and the south, Basra, in a "federalism" scene which will conform geographically to the economic interests of Dana Gas, Crescent Oil, Heritage, Eagle Group of Iraq, etc.
Much info available on this on numerous websites, some of which I've had on my blog, in the past.
But, here's another one,
www.arablinks.blogspot.com/2008/08/basra-group-reported-starting-one.html
In the north of Iraq, the implications of an independent Kurdistan can be seen easily to potentially implicate and reconfigure the entire map, enlarge, encompass, threaten, impinge, impact, nibble away on the territorial integrity of Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, bypass, encircle, block and threaten Russia.
More regional instability, aggression, war.
A clear extension of and concomitant to events in Georgia, which has merely been the first shoe to drop in a number of regional shoes remaining to fall, from Kirkuk to regime change in Iran.
And, then, there's Ukraine.
And, you can expect the Armenia genocide resolution to pass through Congress easily the next time around.
What the Lord giveth, he taketh away. Any temporary deals, cease-fires, negotiated at the moment between Russia and Georgia will be null and void shortly by upcoming events related to Kirkuk, Basra and regional destabilization near Russia's borders. Georgia will become a cause celebre. A rallying cry.
And, the UN is planning to reestablish and expand its presence in what remains of Iraq.
In the South of Iraq, an independent Basra region will be formed, whether or not geographically annexed to Iran and/or the GCC.
The Basra region is already, de facto, economically aligned with Iran and the GCC both through their Dana Gas and Crescent Oil intertwined directorates.
Iran supplies Dana with its energy/gas.
Another fact conspicuously ignored.
Further, regarding Iran and Iraq, another free trade zone on the border, in addition to the present Free Trade Zone of Iran's Kish Island,
www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=66600§ionid=351020102
Now, presented here is a nice roundup of some pertinent highlights surrounding Gazprom's recent expansion, as you can see,
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=9853
In the above, he mentions that Iran can supply Nabucco gas to Europe. Well, that's certainly true.
BUT, it will be PRIVATIZED gas. Dana Gas?? NEVER MENTIONED.
There's a reason why Iran's Ahmadimidget got the cold shoulder from his recent visit to Turkey. NO DEALS completed. Everybody is waiting for the other shoes to drop. Ahmadimidget is damaged goods.
And, it is now, finally, openly discussed and acknowledged as a factor that Europe depends for almost half their energy supplies from Russia. So, Western Europe is strategically, economically "trapped" or dependent on Gazprom. THIS is the power/economic relationship that "they" feel must be changed. Western European multinationals are equally dependent or interdependent upon American military power to open up and maintain market access for them elsewhere. They are intimately intertwined, including Eastern Europe. So, ultimately, for their own economic interests, despite anything they say now, they WILL go along with the US/East European attempts to impede, inhibit, restrict Russia and Gazprom.
And, no problems would exist about Russia and Gazprom, IF Russia's Gazprom were not 51% state owned. Gazprom is not completely nationalized, but, it is 51% more than anything here, in the US. (People who live in glass houses should not throw stones). And, then, there's Russian collaboration with Venezuela and Venezuela's recent nationalization programs. Both fact and principle is THE threat. A precedent.
But, Russia, too, is caught with its own internal contradictions and fifth column. Its private oligarchs, Western investment and capital market integration. So, in this overall situation, either Putin/Russia intensifies re-nationalization, in which case there is a tangible reason for which to fight, or, they/he might as well avoid the whole show and simply give up now and become another player in the Fascist program of global privatization. There's no reason to bother fighting to defend and expand the interests of private oligarchs, Chubais, Fascist scum, et.al.
For some highlights in this ongoing development, I decided to simply add these links at the bottom, for more easy reading.
"Foreign Investors Pour Billions into Iraq's Kurdistan...
www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2008-08-15\kurd.htm
Germany's BASF Wintershall Group plans expansion into Abu Dhabi, UAE, Persian Gulf, Qatar, Iraq, Egypt,
www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidDN20080814002852/lok071511080814#DN20080814002852
And, then, "...Abraaj Appoints CEO for Pakistan..."Recall, the ubiquitous Hamid Jafar sits on the interlocking Board of Abraaj, Dana, Crescent, the American University, etc.
The question ought to be, "Where is Jafar NOT on the Board?
www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20080814100715/lok10700080814
And, is it any wonder given all of the above and more, "Tension on the Straits of Hormuz,"
www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20080815112909/lok112900080815
And, for Egypt's EFG-Hermes. Reminder, Citibank, well situated in Pakistan, Lebanon, Turkey, Israel, is a 20% shareholder and has 2 Board seats on EFG-Hermes, if I remember correctly.
They have record profits this year:
http://www.efg-hermes.com/English/allnews.aspx?NID=1&h=h1
For updates on Dana Gas, one can go directly to their website, as well. They, too, like EFG-Hermes, and others, have posted substantial gains,
www.danagas.ae/press/dgFinRpt-en.html
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