Iran

[NY4Ever]

IAF pilots have completed their mission training and fighter jets have been prepared for an Israeli attack on Iran, the British Sunday Times reported.

The article reported that "the elite 69 strategic F-15 I squadron" had been equipped with weapons that will be tested in combat for the first time, and that two missile submarines were on standby: one in the Persian Gulf and the second in Haifa Bay.

The Times also said that special IDF forces would be helicoptered into Iran to take out targets that could not be destroyed in an air strike.

Iran's nuclear facilities, according to the newspaper report, are widely dispersed at some 40 underground sites throughout Iran, which would make any attack by Israel - or any other nation - exponentially more difficult that Israel 's successful attack on Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor in 1981.

Col. [res] Ze'ev Raz, the former IAF pilot who led the Osirak mission, was quoted by the Times as saying, "What we now have is a lot of targets, which makes the operation much more difficult."

Raz believes an aerial assault on Iran's nuclear facilities is possible. There are many things that the IAF has done over the past few years that the public is not aware of, and it has made many important advances in mid-air refueling. Israel can strike the Iranian nuclear program, Raz said on Israel's Channel 1 TV's Politika program last week.

Former IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Uzi Dayan said last week that if Iran gets nuclear weapons, then so would terror organizations, like Hizbullah. "Israel needs to be ready to act on a military option," Dayan said. "Without getting into details, Israel is capable of doing these things."

[Hany]

this is just spam

NY4ever, why are you posting political news on a forum that is obviously financial?

Let's talk about gay rights, KKK and abortion. What do y'all think?

I think that politics should be kept out of this form.

[NY4Ever]

NY4ever, why are you posting political news on a forum that is obviously financial? >>

Whether you realize it or not, there is nothing that can cause a meltdown in stocks as oil at $100 and Gasoline at $5. This thread is highly relevant to the financial markets. If you don't agree -- don't participate.

[Karel]

I completely agree with freedom of speech, but it doesn't hurt to think once in a while. The Muslim belief that someone who dies on the pilgrimage to Mecca goes straight to heaven was formulated in the times that it took people months and lots of courage to make that trip. It effectively countered the fear that all that effort could become useless, just because of one bandit attack.

The current situation is different, but disasters like the one this year are not easily avoided. Travel over thousands of miles becomes easier and easier, and moderately unmanageable numbers of people now make the Hajj. It will only get worse. The Saudi are already discouraging people who want to go a second time. See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hajj#Di...oming_the_Hajj

Regards,

Karel

[Websman]

Great info Karel. You're not part Vulcan are you? You always seem to have a logical answer...

[Hany]

?

Freedom of speech is a great thing when respecting others. I wouldn't voice an opinion that totally disrespects Christians, Atheists, etc and then say that it's relevant because of blah blah. It's obvious that most people here are not religious but who gave you the right to make fun of muslims.

Let's say I post a thread that says "I hope that the Iraqi insurgents kill the invading Americans because Americans are ignorant Christians that ..."

Wouldn't you be offended? Can't you feel the hatred in the above sentence? I've been a $MM$ fan for 5 years (not as active as I like to be) and I would hate for this board to transform from a $MM$ stocks board into a general news board with some info on stocks.

Think about this: If Al-Qaeda activist starts posting on this board with their radical views, would this be allowed?

[Karel]

I think the point about being respectful should be noted. When people err along those lines, respect them still, but preferably correct errors in a factual way. No need to start crusades, go light on rhetorical questions.

Now what was this thread about again?

Regards,

Karel

[ParkTwain]

Saber-rattling by Israel destabilizes world markets, just as Iran's recent blustering about Israel did. Iran cannot have nuclear weapons anytime soon; they don't even have an enrichment program underway, as far as the international community is aware. So Israel's comments are inflammatory and unhelpful. China and Russia are already doing business regarding nuclear technology with the regime in Tehran, so UN Security Council enforcement of an end to those developments is unlikely.

The U.S. is the leader of the free world. The U.S. also imports more crude oil than any other nation. You would think that with the U.S.'s clout and economic situation, the present U.S. administration would take steps to stabilize international oil markets and to encourage a diplomatic resolution to the present squabbles in the Middle East. Does the present U.S. administration have some interest in keeping world oil prices high (i.e., >$60/bbl)?

Here is another interesting wrinkle:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroeuro

//
A petroeuro is a petroleum trade valued on the euro as opposed to the US dollar (a petrodollar). Trading of any natural resource, including petroleum, is controlled through trading partnerships involving both exporters and importers of the resource, in a defined marketplace, and through a trade agreement. The major countries holding petroleum reserves since the decline of US production are dominated by OPEC, and hence, OPEC may choose dollars, euros, yen, or any currency providing perceived advantage, politically or economically. As of 2005, OPEC continues to trade in petrodollars, but some OPEC members (such as Iran and Venezuela) have been pushing for a switch to the euro.

On March 20, 2006, Iran is planning to open an International Oil Bourse (IOB, exchange) for the express purpose of trading oil priced exclusively in Euros. This will establish a Euro based pricing mechanism, or 'oil marker' as it is called by traders. The three current oil markers are US dollar denominated, which include the West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI), Norway Brent Crude, and the UAE Dubai Crude. In 2003, Iran started trading with its European and Asian partners using the Euro. The Iranian Oil Bourse, however, will also establish a fourth 'oil marker', dominated by the Euro.
//

[Websman]

Does the present U.S. administration have some interest in keeping world oil prices high (i.e., >$60/bbl)?

You nailed it Park... That is the big question. Who's profiting from high oil prices?

[Adam]

Park is right on.

Webs question is major. Who profits in an unstable world with high oil prices???


P.S. My appologies for former statements that may have been deemed insensitive.

[ParkTwain]

Google "petroeuros" to read for yourself!

Petroeuros - the real economic threat to the U.S.?

http://www.serendipity.li/wot/akleh.htm

//
March 19, 2005 — Iran does not pose a threat to the United State because of its nuclear projects, its WMD or its support to "terrorists organizations" as the American administration is claiming, but rather in its attempt to re-shape the global economic system by converting it from a petrodollar to a petroeuro system. Such conversion is looked upon as a flagrant declaration of economic war against the US that would flatten the revenues of the American corporations and eventually might cause an economic collapse.

In June of 2004 Iran declared its intention of setting up an international oil exchange (a bourse) denominated in the Euro currency. Many oil-producing as well as oil-consuming countries had expressed their welcome to such a petroeuro bourse. The Iranian reports had stated that this bourse might start its trade with the beginning of 2006. Naturally such an oil bourse would compete against London's International Petroleum Exchange (IPE), as well as against the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), both owned by American corporations.

Oil-consuming countries have no choice but to use the American Dollar to purchase their oil, since the Dollar has so far been the global standard monetary fund for oil exchange. This necessitates these countries keeping the Dollar in their central banks as their reserve fund, thus strengthening the American economy. But if Iran — followed by the other oil-producing countries — offered to accept the Euro as another choice for oil exchange the American economy would suffer a real crisis. We could witness this crisis at the end of 2005 and beginning of 2006 when oil investors would have the choice to pay $57 a barrel of oil at the American (NYMEX) and at London's (IPE) or pay 37 Euros a barrel at the Iranian oil bourse. Such choice would reduce trade volumes at both the Dollar-dependent (NYMEX) and at the (IPE).

Many countries had studied the conversion from the ever weakening petrodollar to the gradually strengthening petroeuro system. The devaluation of the Dollar was caused by the American economy shying away from manufacturing local products — except those of the military — by outsourcing American jobs to the cheaper third world countries and depending only on the general service sector, and by the huge cost of two major wars that are still going on. Foreign investors started withdrawing their money from the shaky American market, causing further devaluation of the Dollar.

The keen observer of the money market could have noticed that the devaluation of the American Dollar had started since November 2002, while the purchasing power of the European Euro had crept upward to reach nowadays $1.34. Compared to the Japanese Yen the Dollar had dropped from 104.45 to 103.90 yen. The British pound climbed another notch from $1.9122 to $1.9272.

Economic reports published at the beginning of this month (March 2005) had pointed towards the deep dive of the American economy and to the quick rise of the deficit up to $665.90 billion at the end of 2004. The worst is still to come. These numbers worried the international banks, which had sent some warnings to the Bush administration. ...

There is only one technical obstacle to the use of a euro-based oil exchange system, which is the lack of a euro-denominated oil pricing standard, or oil 'marker' as it is referred to in the industry. The three current oil markers are U.S.-dollar-denominated: West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI), Norway Brent crude, and UAE Dubai crude. Yet this did not stop Iran from requiring payments in the euro currency for its European and Asian oil exports since spring 2003.

Iran's determination to use the petroeuro is inviting to other countries such as Russia and the Latin American countries, and even some Saudi investors, especially since Saudi/American relations have weakened lately. This determination had also invited an aggressive American political campaign using the same excuses used against Iraq: WMD in the form of nuclear bomb, support to "terrorist" Lebanese Hezbollah organization and threat to the peace process in the Middle East.

The question now is what would the American administration do? Would it invade Iran as it did Iraq? The American troops are knee-deep in the Iraqi swamp. The global community — except for Britain and Italy — is not offering any military relief to the US. Thus an American strike against Iran is very unlikely. Iran is not Iraq; it has a more robust military power. Iran has anti-ship missiles based at Abu Mousa island that control the Strait of Hermuz at the entrance of the Persian Gulf. Iran could easily close the strait thus blocking all naval traffic carrying gulf oil to the rest of the world, causing a global oil crisis. The price of an oil barrel could reach $100. The US could not topple the regime by spreading chaos the same way it did to Mussadaq's regime in 1953 since Iranians are aware of such a trick. Besides Iranians have a patriotic pride in what they call "their bomb".

America has resorted to instigating and encouraging its military bastard, Israel, to strike the Iranian nuclear reactors the way it did to Iraq's. Leaked reports had revealed that Israeli forces are training for such an attack, expected to take place next June. Israel is afraid of an Iranian bomb. Such an "Islamic" bomb would threaten Israel's military hegemony in the Middle East. The bomb would extract some Israeli concessions and would create an arm race that would gobble up a lot of Israeli defense expenditure. Furthermore the bomb would force the US to enter into negotiations with a nuclear Iran that might limit Israeli expansion ambitions.

Iran had invested a lot of money and effort to obtain nuclear technology and would never abandon it, as evident in its political rhetoric. Unlike Iraq, Iran would not keep quiet of Israel strikes its nuclear facilities. Iran would retaliate aggressively, which may lead to the destabilization of the whole region including Israel, the Gulf States, Iraq and even Afghanistan.
//

[Lyehopper]

Does that mean you don't like me Lye? I'll stop voicing my opinion if it bothers people. I just want someone to come up with a solution to the problem that doesn't involve dropping bombs.

Sheesh!.... NO!!!!.... I don't know you.... you should read my post again.... I'm just against censorship that's all..... I didn't say I disagreed or agreed with your statements.... I directed my post to Websman, thus the statement by him that he would come up to VA and whoop my arse!... LOL....

I do know Webs, we've become friends.... If you can gain anything from the exchange between Webs and me (and others).... you will understand WHAT $$MM$$ forum is all about....

BTW for the sake of "board peace" we do exercise self controll (from time to time)lol.... We don't find a need to win every fight or have "the last word".... and we also appologize when we've "tweaked" a fellow member the wrong way. There are a great bunch of fellas here.

If I've NOT do so yet.... WELCOME to the forum ADAM.... DUDE!!!!

So are you an energy sector investor?

I hate ESLR and I love to short it. I'm not sure why I hate it.... I just do.... I have some mental problems....

BillyJoe? Got any of that "new" medication DUDE?

btw Adam.... I offered Webs and my "services" to handle that Iran "problem".... I do not own a bomb.... Weds?.... well who know what Webs had hidden up one of those Flordia coves.... Webs and me also kicked around the idea of an Australian invasion, You see... shhhhhhh!... We have "inside contacts" on the mainland.... but HEY!!!!....I've received no calls yet.... so I'm on to other ventures....

Now I know how IIC feels when IBD refuses to call him.lol Hey IIC!!!! maybe you should lower your price a little.... THEN in a few months (when you've shown how "THEY" CAN'T make it without you) you can buck for a big ol raise. Hey!!!! they might hire you as a.... $$MM$$ infiltrator! That's the angle I'd use if I had your great talents.

~Lye

[Websman]

I do not own a bomb.... Weds?.... well who know what Webs had hidden up one of those Flordia coves.... Webs and me also kicked around the idea of an Australian invasion, You see... shhhhhhh!... We have "inside contacts" on the mainland.... but HEY!!!!....I've received no calls yet.... so I'm on to other ventures....

~Lye

I don't have any bombs, but I can get my hands on a couple cases of dynamite.

[Adam]

I'm right with you lye, I was foolin with you anyway. My boss can't even get me to shut my mouth. I was half joking bout the comment that was taken offensive.

P.S. I'm in!!! Let me know when Its time to dig up the stash. Revolution brother!

[Adam]

Park, You tryin to scare us or push up oil prices with that article????LOL