Obama admin. lifts sanctions against Russians linked to Iran

[Facetious]

US lifts sanctions against Russians linked to Iran
May 21 04:03 PM US/Eastern
By ROBERT BURNS
AP National Security Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration on Friday removed sanctions against three Russian organizations the U.S. had previously accused of assisting Iran's effort to develop nuclear weapons.
Penalties against a fourth Russian entity previously accused of illicit arms sales to Syria also were lifted.

The timing of the decisions, published in Friday's Federal Register but not otherwise announced by the State Department, suggested the possibility of a link to U.S. efforts to win Russian support for a new U.N. Security Council resolution expanding sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

The State Department on Friday did not immediately respond to questions about lifting the sanctions.

Two of the entities—Dmitri Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology and the Moscow Aviation Institute—had been sanctioned in January 1999 under a 1994 executive order authorizing such action. The order was aimed at organizations determined to have contributed to a foreign country's development or production of weapons of mass destruction or missiles capable of launching such weapons.

When the administration of former President Bill Clinton announced those sanctions, then-Energy Secretary Bill Richardson said the two institutions "directly support Iranian efforts to develop nuclear weapons."

At the time, the Russian government denied such support for Iran.

U.S. sanctions imposed in October 2008 against Russian state arms trader Rosoboronexport for alleged illicit assistance to Iran's nuclear program also were lifted by the State Department on Friday.

Rosoboronexport said at the time that it had sold only defensive weaponry to Iran.

Earlier this year, Anatoly Isaikin, head of Rosoboronexport, said Russia still considers Iran a valuable arms customer. That was a reassuring message to Tehran despite recent indications of Moscow's support for tougher Western sanctions.

Isaikin told a news conference in late January that no international agreements bar Russia from selling weapons to Tehran.

Russia signed a 2007 contract to sell the powerful S-300 air defense missiles to Tehran but so far has not delivered any. No reason has been given for the delay, but Israel and the United States strongly objected to Iran obtaining the long-range missiles, which would significantly boost the country's air defense capability.

The State Department on Friday also lifted sanctions against Tula Instrument Design Bureau in April 1999 for providing anti-tank guided missiles to Syria.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9FREE2G0&show_article=1


That's the way you do it, lift the sanctions as a gesture of good will in the hopes that the russians will breach their long range missile contract with Iran, is that how it works? . . and if you choke and Russia should deliver said ''defensive only'' missiles :clown: as contracted, ''it doesn't matter, after all, hegemonic America prolly needs to be put in her place anyway, at least the majority, kook - right wing - fringe anyway, the big racist oppressors!'' "\| :rofl:

 

[georges]

no wonder why everyone hates this president so much

 

[Jagger69]

I really don't see what the problem is with this at this juncture in the process as long as these Russian entities show good faith in the cessation of arms supplies to Iran. The fact that the Russians have yet to deliver any of the long-range missiles to Iran is a positive sign. I would hope that these concessions to Russia act as an insurance policy to prevent the transaction from ever taking place at all. In the global chess-match of diplomacy, you have to give up something to get something.

You can scream the sky is falling about this but I'll reserve judgment until this thing plays itself out. How will you feel about this if the transaction ends up being canceled and the UN calls for broad sanctions against Iran as a result of Russian support? And, honestly, if this had occurred during the Bush administration, would you be so quick to pass judgment on it? Besides, the sanctions can always be re-invoked if Russia doesn't play ball with us.

I'm going to keep a close eye on this one. Very interesting. Perhaps Jack Bauer is mixed up in it somehow. :dunno:

 

[georges]

Making stupid and risky concessions knowing how untrustworthy is Ahmadinejhad, is like playing with fire.But knowing how much a poor geostrategist Obama is, that is not astonishing. The policy of the outstretched hand doesn't work in time of war or in a time of high political tensions. It is not by surrendering to your opponent that you win and it is neither by making stupid and risky concessions that one wins. One wins by obliterating an enemy or a rogue regime.

 

[bodie54]

Excellent.
That's the right move to make.
Russia could be instrumental in influencing Iran, and unlike our last president this one understands that.
Also as Jagger points out if there are any indications at all that Russia's not playing ball those sanctions can always be re-invoked.

no wonder why everyone hates this president so much

:wtf:

His approval ratings are about twice what Blockhead Bush's were.

oh that's right I nearly forgot......despite all facts to the contrary you continue to harbor the fantasy that only "ghetto dwelling scum" support Obama

 

[Ulysses31]

Excellent.
That's the right move to make.
Russia could be instrumental in influencing Iran, and unlike our last president this one understands that.
Also as Jagger points out if there are any indications at all that Russia's not playing ball those sanctions can always be re-invoked.



:wtf:

His approval ratings are about twice what Blockhead Bush's were.

oh that's right I nearly forgot......despite all facts to the contrary you continue to harbor the fantasy that only "ghetto dwelling scum" support Obama

Most non Americans love Obama too :lovecoupl

 

[georges]

Most non Americans love Obama too :lovecoupl

people who are of the left wing yes, but certainly not the right wing

 

[bodie54]

It is not by surrendering to your opponent

Good lord no one's surrendering here Georges. It's called diplomacy. It's a high stakes chess game. I realize you right wingers have lost any sense of its importance - God knows Bush was fucking clueless in that arena, with disastrous results. But amazingly enough it has a long long history of at times bearing fruit in delicate situations where brute force can't.

One wins by obliterating an enemy or a rogue regime.

You mean we should "Shock and Awe" them again?
How that work out in Bush's two wars?
The only thing shocking was our inability to kill the ONE MAN we were after, despite dropping millions of tons of bombs in his direction.

 

[Red Spyder]

Most non Americans love Obama too :lovecoupl

Well, let them take him with them

 

[titsrock]

Facetious there was a time when you atleast tried to be "fair and balanced"

I think if you're trolling Breitbart for info/topics, my how the mighty have fallen...

 

[Jagger69]

Making stupid and risky concessions knowing how untrustworthy is Ahmadinejhad, is like playing with fire.

Pssst.....Georges. Ahmadinejhad is Iranian, not Russian. We're lifting sanctions on the Russians.

 

[bodie54]

Facetious there was a time when you atleast tried to be "fair and balanced"

Facetious can't see beyond a 1950s red scare mentality :dunno:

It's incomprehensible to him that we actually have big ticket interests in common with the Russians and Chinese.

 

[Red Spyder]

Don't be fooled, people. The Cold War may be over, the Soviet Union may be gone to the ashbin of history, but the game is still going on. Both the U.S. and Russia are still spying on and trying to screw each other and they will continue to do so as long as their interests are in conflict to each other. Russia would love for NATO to dissolve and NATO would love for Russia to stop arming our enemies.

 

[316sherm]

...another, I hate Obama thread...nice!

 

[Hot Mega]

Don't be fooled, people. The Cold War may be over, the Soviet Union may be gone to the ashbin of history, but the game is still going on. Both the U.S. and Russia are still spying on and trying to screw each other and they will continue to do so as long as their interests are in conflict to each other. Russia would love for NATO to dissolve and NATO would love for Russia to stop arming our enemies.

Even our allies spy on us. Some spying is done at the behest of our g'ment since we can't (legally) use our g'ment agencies to do it.

Beyond that, Israel has been caught spying covertly on our g'ment several times.

Russia is no different from the US..there are old time hard liners who see an American boogeyman in every crevice. When the reality is, we no longer have very much in the way of strategic competing interests. Russia isn't going back to communism, they aren't interested in invading the US, they have no interest in further bankrupting their nation funding imperialism and we tend to have a common enemy in terrorism.

They have their friends and we have ours who then have local interests. But there are not many reasons to be at odds generally so most realistic people in both g'ments say what's the point?

 

[Ulysses31]

Someone has to offer an olive branch to move things forward so why not America? Show people a little respect and you'll get it back, if only a little at a time.

 

[Facetious]

I really don't see what the problem is with this at this juncture in the process as long as these Russian entities show good faith in the cessation of arms supplies to Iran. The fact that the Russians have yet to deliver any of the long-range missiles to Iran is a positive sign. I would hope that these concessions to Russia act as an insurance policy to prevent the transaction from ever taking place at all. In the global chess-match of diplomacy, you have to give up something to get something.

emphasis in bold text "IF" (?)

You can scream the sky is falling about this but I'll reserve judgment until this thing plays itself out.

After the mushroom cloud and lost civilization ?

How will you feel about this if the transaction ends up being canceled and the UN calls for broad sanctions against Iran as a result of Russian support?

I'm a trust but VERIFY kind of guy, this is trust less verification!

And, honestly, if this had occurred during the Bush administration, would you be so quick to pass judgment on it?

Oh, most definitely, even more so knowing that he was a false prophet conservative.

Besides, the sanctions can always be re-invoked if Russia doesn't play ball with us.

After the fire perhaps :flame:

I'm going to keep a close eye on this one. Very interesting.

I'm encouraged actually

Remember . . "IF" :hatsoff:

 

[Red Spyder]

Even our allies spy on us. Some spying is done at the behest of our g'ment since we can't (legally) use our g'ment agencies to do it.

Beyond that, Israel has been caught spying covertly on our g'ment several times.

Russia is no different from the US..there are old time hard liners who see an American boogeyman in every crevice. When the reality is, we no longer have very much in the way of strategic competing interests. Russia isn't going back to communism, they aren't interested in invading the US, they have no interest in further bankrupting their nation funding imperialism and we tend to have a common enemy in terrorism.

They have their friends and we have ours who then have local interests. But there are not many reasons to be at odds generally so most realistic people in both g'ments say what's the point?

True, Israel is pretty good at that, but I wonder if our side sort of lets them get away with it as long as they don't get too greedy or something. I'm pretty sure they got the design for their nukes from us. :rofl:

Now, if Russia, which as the Soviet Union was the craddle of communism, as you say isn't interested in going back, why do liberals still want to try it here?!?! There's a nice tropical paradise 90 miles south of Miami where they can move and help the bearded walking corpse run things over there. Come on, libs!! Move to Cuba, they got beautiful women there!! And extremely nice beaches for the equal enjoyment of all the proletariat!!

 

[Jagger69]

emphasis in bold text "IF" (?)

After the mushroom cloud and lost civilization ? I'm a trust but VERIFY kind of guy, this is trust less verification! Oh, most definitely, even more so knowing that he was a false prophet conservative. After the fire perhaps :flame:

I'm encouraged actually

Remember . . "IF" :hatsoff:

Ok pal. Fair enough. However, it's really easy to sit back and Monday-morning quarterback these types of strategic plays. How would YOU handle this? The same way Georges would by proactively nuking Iran?

If you don't have a viable alternative plan to what is transpiring then you are simply complaining and not offering any reasonable alternative. So....let's hear it. I'm all ears (as Ross Perot would say). Enlighten us all, my friend.

 

[Hot Mega]

True, Israel is pretty good at that, but I wonder if our side sort of lets them get away with it as long as they don't get too greedy or something. I'm pretty sure they got the design for their nukes from us. :rofl:

Now, if Russia, which as the Soviet Union was the craddle of communism, as you say isn't interested in going back, why do liberals still want to try it here?!?! There's a nice tropical paradise 90 miles south of Miami where they can move and help the bearded walking corpse run things over there. Come on, libs!! Move to Cuba, they got beautiful women there!! And extremely nice beaches for the equal enjoyment of all the proletariat!!

Communists want communism. There are some here as there are all over the world. Not sure though how you figure liberals want it since in principle they are the antithesis of one another.