IRAN: New sanctions proposed — cutting off the caviar, and more...

A Democratic senator unveiled a new Iran sanctions bill today that would tighten the current trade ban with that country, expand financial sanctions and close loopholes that have allowed some U.S. firms to create subsidiaries to invest in Iran.

Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said his bill would incorporate elements of an earlier Iran sanctions bill, but would take "a much stronger stance on Iran sanctions."

Baucus said the bill is written to comply with World Trade Organization rules and to allow the continued, limited sale of agricultural and humanitarian goods. "Slowing the flow of funds and nuclear assistance to Iran's current regime is in the interest of the American people," Baucus said.

His bill would require the president to target the assets of Iranian military and government officials who are subject to sanctions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Baucus introduced the bill as President Bush and European Union leaders are threatening to impose new financial sanctions on Iran unless the country scales back its nuclear ambitions and allows international nuclear inspectors to examine its facilities. Baucus' proposed bill would also tighten the trade ban that President Bush established with an executive order. The bill would end an exception that Bush made for the export of spare parts for U.S. civilian aircraft. And while current law allows businesses to import Iranian nuts, dried fruit, carpets and caviar to the United States, Baucus' bill would not provide those exceptions.

A detailed summary and full text of the proposed bill, including a comparison to current law, is available online.

— Nicole Gaouette in Washington, D.C.

Comments

[hass]

Sen. Max Baucus wants to kiss up to AIPAC.

We'd be shooting ourselves in the foot yet again with these sanctions.

Iranian caviar is the finest in the world. There's plenty of demand for it, and it isn't exactly the biggest source of revenue for Iran (with oil reaching for $200/barrel.)

And any US companies that are excluded from Iran will easily be replaced by Chinese ones.

[Saint Michael Traveler]

We did to Iran before; we are going to do it once more.

We are revisiting the 1953 joint British-USA attack on Iranian economical institutions. Things have not changed much since. We hurt the Iranian people then; we are going to hurt once more. British were fighting for their exploitation of cheap Iranian resources enriching their lavish life style. We Americans were duped to follow the British lead. President Eisenhower resisted but President Truman followed the British lead.
Time magazine, Monday September 08, 1941, wrote: Britain worried about possible Russian encroachments on India, and there was much talk about the Bear that Walks Like a Man. To lubricate diplomatic friction, in 1907 an agreement was solemnly signed which defined each country's sphere of influence in Persia. Britain was to influence in the southeast; Russia in the north. As for the poor Persians, their attitude was aptly summed up in a Punch cartoon of the period. It showed a Persian cat apprehensively sitting between a lion and a bear. "I will pat its head," says the bear, "and you shall stroke its tail." Pleads the cat: "But I have not been consulted!"

The players have not changed, the same colonial powers, a bit different stories.
We Americans are still paying for our foolish mistake of 1953. Are we going to do it once more?

[LiarLiars]

Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister said “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” This is exactly the maxim being adopted by Israeli leaders who are spreading lies, disinformation and half-truths about Iran in order to get the madman in Washington D.C. and his gang of neocons and war criminals to attack another Muslim country on Israel’s behalf.