US slaps new sanctions on Iran, Russia objects



By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - The United States slapped new sanctions on Iran and accused its Revolutionary Guard of spreading weapons of mass destruction on Thursday but Russian President Vladimir Putin said such moves only forced Tehran into a corner over its nuclear program.

Also labeling Iran's Qods military force a supporter of terrorism, Washington imposed sanctions on more than 20 Iranian companies, banks and individuals as well as the defense ministry, hoping to increase pressure on Tehran to stop uranium enrichment and curb its "terrorist" activities.

"Today, Secretary Paulson and I are announcing several new steps to increase the costs to Iran of its irresponsible behavior," said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who made the announcement alongside Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

The moves were controversial at home as well as abroad.

Several Democratic presidential candidates, though not front-runner Hillary Clinton, said they were worried the White House had begun a march to war.

"I am deeply concerned that once again the president is opting for military action as a first resort," said Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd, a long-shot Democratic candidate.

Clinton, a New York senator, issued a statement backing the sanctions.


It is the first time the United States has sought to take such punitive measures against another country's military. Russia and some other U.S. allies believe dialogue rather than more punishment or military action is the way forward.

"Why should we make the situation worse, corner it, threatening new sanctions?" Putin said in Lisbon.


"Running around like a mad man with a blade in one's hand is not the best way to solve such problems," he told a news conference with Portugal's president.

Iran responded angrily.

"The hostile policies of America against the respectful Iranian nation and our legal organizations are against international regulations and have no value," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini was quoted as saying on the state broadcaster IRIB's Web site.


"Such policies have always failed."

More?

http://www.reuters.com/article/lates.../idUSN25425946

"The hostile policies of America"?...

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The Pessimist complains about the wind.
The Optimist expects it to change.
The Realist adjust the sails - William A. Ward

Ya see folks?...

THIS is why presidential candidates should have testing for brain damage...

Excuse me Mister Clueless...

If military action is the "first resort", the WTF just happened?!?!?!?!?!!?!?

SANCTIONS you dip****!!!!!...That is an action that is NOT a miltary resort!!!!!!!!

So that means we are trying other avenues BEFORE resorting to military action...

...dummy!...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

And that is WHY..Christopher Dodd remains a long shot...

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The Pessimist complains about the wind.
The Optimist expects it to change.
The Realist adjust the sails - William A. Ward

I'm sure what he means by that is that these sanctions are no more than a CYA leading up to military action, a smoke-screen designed to give the administration the right to say, "See? We tried!"

He's probably right.

However, what Dodd fails to understand is that nothing short of military action will deter Iran and, in fact, the policies of this administration over the past 6 years has made that action inevitable. Among the few things we've accomplished in the Middle East is to make Iran the 1000 lb Gorilla of the region and they must now be confronted or admit defeat. Neither is a good option, but there simply isn't any choice now.

What worries me more than anything is that we are unprepared to follow through on military action to the point of removing the current Iranian regime. We simply lack the military power to do so and just a bombing campaign will only solidify support for the Mullah's in Tehran among their own people and around the world. Unable to bring a new war to a successful conclusion (along with the 2 we're already struggling with), we'll be revealed as a paper tiger long on rhetoric and short on ability. Allies around the world, from the Sub-Continent to Europe, are already bailing out on us and charting courses which seem to be designed to limit the damage of their past affiliation with us and another inconclusive, divisive war will only accelerate that movement and put Tehran in the position of world leader in the fight against American globalism.

It's tragic in the extreme that the current administration has done nothing to prepare for this coming war with Iran and has frittered away our strength in Iraq, but that's the facts of the matter. Unfortunately, they're still believing their own propaganda and seem to assume that everyone will understand what we're doing and support us. They'll be wrong again, this time with monumental effects on the rest of the world. I can't see any possible scenario flowing from opening a dance with Iran which won't lead to world war.

I hope your wrong. There is always Pakistan to contend with. Now Turkey is bombing the Kurdish rebels tonight. I don't know if I don't think these two idiots (Bush/Cheney) are trying to start WWIII

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Truth, Justice and the American way

Seems to me that the Russians objected to santions on another group that declared their hatred for Jews.

Germany...

the more things change the more they stay the same.

Hell former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder is on the board of a Russian oil company.

Gazprom

During Schröder's final weeks in office he signed an agreement between Germany and Russia to build the Nord Stream pipeline under the Baltic Sea to supply Russian gas directly to Germany, bypassing Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic countries. Soon after stepping down as chancellor, Schröder accepted a post as the head of the shareholders' committee in a Russian-led consortium, controlled by Gazprom, which is building the pipeline, raising questions about a potential conflict of interest. German opposition parties have expressed concern over the issue, as have the governments of countries over whose territory gas is currently pumped.[9] In an editorial entitled Gerhard Schroeder's Sellout, the American newspaper Washington Post has also expressed sharp criticism, reflecting widening international ramifications of Schröder's new post. [10] Democrat Tom Lantos, chairman of the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs and holocaust survivor, likened Schröder to a "political prostitute" for his recent behaviour. [11]

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Truth, Justice and the American way