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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Iran threat: Attack by West risks all 'Middle East oil'
2005-03-03
Iran has warned that Gulf Arab oil would be endangered by any U.S. attack on the Islamic republic. In the first such threat, a leading Iranian official raised the prospect of Iranian retaliation against Middle East oil exports. The official said such Gulf Cooperation Council oil states as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia could be threatened. "An attack on Iran will be tantamount to endangering Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and — in a word — the entire Middle East oil," Iranian Expediency Council secretary Mohsen Rezai said on Tuesday.
About 40 percent of the world's crude oil shipments passes through the two-mile wide channel of the strategic Straits of Hormuz. Iranian forces are deployed at the head of the channel. Oman and the United Arab Emirates are located on the other side. Teheran could easily block the Straits of Hormuz and use its missiles to strike tankers and GCC oil facilities, according to the new edition of Geostrategy-Direct.com. Within weeks, the rest of the world would be starving for oil and the global economy could be in danger.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects that oil tanker traffic through the Straits of Hormuz will rise to about 60 percent of global oil exports by 2025.
Rezai, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and a candidate for president, told the Fars News Agency that any Western attack on Iran would send oil prices rocketing to $70 per barrel. He said such a significant increase in oil prices would also be sparked by international sanctions on Teheran.
Posted by:Steve

#23  Iran makes mischief and their precious little islands near the UAE will be a thing of the past for them. Also to shut Iran down, one only needs to attack some pipelines and oil terminals for ships. Then the MMs will be SOL, and the Chicoms will experience serious pucker factor.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2005-03-03 11:05:36 PM  

#22  "Hang down your head, Mad Mullahs, hang down your head and cry, hang down your head Mad Mullahs, poor boys, you're bound to die....."
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2005-03-03 9:10:51 PM  

#21  The German Bundesmarine is patrolling the Strait of Hormuz, Mr Mohsen.

Better don't mess with them.
Posted by: True German Ally   2005-03-03 9:02:23 PM  

#20  Those islamic animals know Bush will pull the trigger on 'em, in a heartbeat......But WHEN?? That's what's got 'em peein' all over themselves. You know...a man can only go so long without sleep, and I don't imagine those idiots are sleepin' very well these days.

I bet you can cut the paranoia with a chainsaw. Ha ha ha ha ha.......let 'em sweat.
Posted by: Tom Dooley   2005-03-03 8:52:41 PM  

#19  When Iran is rolled belly up, they'll be too busy to continue sabotaging the Iraqi pipelines, so Iraqi will immediately be able to ship more oil. Win/win in my book (except for the Mullahs, but they've already filled their secret bank accounts).
Posted by: trailing wife   2005-03-03 8:43:17 PM  

#18  Lets not forget about Venezuala. Remember, we're about to suicide Chavez.
Posted by: BrerRabbit   2005-03-03 7:54:00 PM  

#17  too late Bobby - remember when you couldn't do the ™?

Bwahahaha
Posted by: Frank G   2005-03-03 7:51:33 PM  

#16  Condi Rice should call Ralph Kline to begin discussions about statehood. It could be the start of a beautiful relationship.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-03-03 7:49:55 PM  

#15  Classical_Liberal, $15/b for Alberta sands crude stopped being problem when the market prices rolled over $30/b. Considering other costs like transportation in the equation, the disparity somehow narrows down. If we also consider the hidden costs (political), the Alberta oil is a helluva deal. Canada is the second largest supplier, after Mexico, to US markets and I am sure Albertans do their best to take first place soon.
Posted by: Sobiesky   2005-03-03 7:46:33 PM  

#14  Vaporizing Iran shouldn't have that much effect on the petroleum markets

Besides directional drilling can get around most any surface radiation...
Posted by: BigEd   2005-03-03 7:19:03 PM  

#13  Don't forget, there is more recoverable oil in Alberta tar sands than there is under the ground in Saudi Arabia. Problem is the Cannuck sand crude is $15/B to extract verus $2/B for jihadi crude. The threat of a price collapse prevents investment in this and similar projects round the world.
Posted by: Classical_Liberal   2005-03-03 7:15:31 PM  

#12  Meh.

Dear Iran,

1. Please make oil expensive enough to force the US to finally champion alternative energy technologies, then it's "good luck trying to drink that worthless black crap, Ms. Rafsanjani".

2. Too bad; since you waited so long to get all puffed up, "Mother Of All Battles" has been taken; regardless of the form yours takes, this brinksmanship will bring the same results to your country.
Posted by: Hyper   2005-03-03 6:55:37 PM  

#11  LOL Bobby!
Posted by: half   2005-03-03 6:54:34 PM  

#10  Great picture, Fred.

I hope these clowns keep goosestepping - the more the better. It's very hard on the knees. Makes it harder for them to run away. ;-p
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2005-03-03 6:43:31 PM  

#9  Vaporizing Iran shouldn't have that much effect on the petroleum markets.

These guys shouldn't make threats they are neither prepared to carryout nor to live with the consequences if they do. I would think that any attack on the economic lifelines of the West would result in the immediate elimination of the Iranian military and the execution of any Iranian that even approach the border.
Posted by: RWV   2005-03-03 6:13:20 PM  

#8  In the first such threat, a leading Iranian official raised the prospect of Iranian retaliation against Middle East oil exports.

Do that, and their goose will surely be cooked. Thoroughly.
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2005-03-03 5:32:00 PM  

#7  Art Buchwald hasn't been funny in years but I did laugh once at his column of lines he uses as an ice-breaker at parties:

"As I was windsurfing through the Straits of Hormuz..."
Posted by: Seafarious   2005-03-03 5:31:24 PM  

#6  They do seem to be very nervous. More than I would be right now given Bush's current statements. I just don't get the feeling that we (or Israel) are about to blast them.
Posted by: Laurence of the Rats   2005-03-03 5:22:58 PM  

#5  Most of the north (Iranian) side of the Straits of Hormuz is populated by ethnic Arabs. Map Iran is at risk of being dismembered along ethnic lines.
Posted by: phil_b   2005-03-03 5:21:17 PM  

#4  forgot to add, me thinks they're getting nervous.

This statement should make ANWR easier.
Posted by: anonymous2u   2005-03-03 4:58:20 PM  

#3  ..sounds like a reasonable trade off.

>>"Teheran could easily block the Straits of Hormuz.."

>>Washington could easily block the Mullahs life force.
Posted by: Cleamp Ebbererong2543   2005-03-03 4:54:56 PM  

#2  They're already heading up to $70/bbl.

This is how they're getting even w/US.

Posted by: anonymous2u   2005-03-03 4:48:19 PM  

#1  Every silver lining has a cloud (©)
Posted by: Bobby   2005-03-03 4:42:38 PM  

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