Iran demands more US concessions

[ECH1969]

Iran has urged the US to offer it further incentives to resolve the dispute over its nuclear programme. The US should unblock frozen Iranian assets, lift sanctions and stop "hostile measures", a senior Iranian negotiator told BBC News.

President George W Bush announced a major change in US policy on Friday.

He said the US would back European talks to resolve the stand-off and, unlike before, was prepared to extend economic incentives to Tehran.

These included the lifting of a decade-long block on Iran's membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and objections to Tehran obtaining parts for commercial planes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4344871.stm

[RDANGELO]

1. I would love to know what's going on behind the scenes

As soon as shrub steeped out of Russia, they announced they were selling nuclear materiels to Iran. A bomb went off in Lebanon and , and several countries began badgering Syria to leave Lebanon. There are reports that Israel has announced that they are going to dismantle any settlements established since Sharon came int office. I'm getting a hunch that there is some serious conversations going on between Europe, the U.S. Russia and Middle Eastern countries.

[NEOBuckeye]

2. It's probably all about Peak Oil

Maybe the Bush-Cheney machine is finally beginning to realize how badly they FUBARed in the Mideast. The NeoCons wanted to take Iran down, but our military forces are so bogged down in Iraq, and the general recruitment effort for more troops isn't going well here at all. With public sentiment turning against our occupation of Iraq, reinstating the Draft now for more troops to send into Iraq, or worse, Iran, would be total suicide for this administration. The public outcry would utterly destroy the GOP in 2006.

That, and the fact that Russia and China have alliances with Iran means WWIII if the US were to even try anything, which is a battle that no one can win. My guess is this mostly boils down to Iran making some sort of agreement with the US to let us have at a portion of their oil reserves to mitigate the decline of Saudi production. I'm sure Cheney is just heartbroken, though, over the fact that he won't be able to get off on more bloodshed.

As odd and unexpected as this all might seem for this bunch, maybe they have finally realized just how dire Peak Oil will be if we continue to act like it isn't happening and do nothing about it. Any wonder why Bush was in Ohio last week talking up coal and nuclear plants, when he wouldn't even mention this during the campaign? Maybe the fools have finally realized that if the oil gets cut off, mobs of millions will descend upon DC and will very angrily be demanding answers.