Infinite Monkey Theorems 20100714 – Cowards Edition

Calendar July 14, 2010 | Posted by Michael S. Langston

Coward #1 cleric Anwar al-Awlaki - thinks people should die, so long as they’re easy targets and he gets others to do it (via Aol news here):

(July 12) — Molly Norris, the American cartoonist who started “Everybody Draw Muhammad Day,” has been placed on the hit list of radical Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki….

Coward(s) #2, NAACP is leveling charges of racism as a tool against those they simply disagree with (via CNN here):

The NAACP has passed a resolution that condemns what it feels is rampant racism in the Tea Party movement….

Coward(s) #3, France – scared of freedom (via BBC here):

France’s lower house of parliament has overwhelmingly approved a bill that would ban wearing the Islamic full veil in public….

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Sanctions in Iran – Good News?

Calendar June 14, 2010 | Posted by Michael S. Langston

Via WaPo (here):

UNITED NATIONS — After several months of grueling diplomacy, the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday imposed a fourth round of sanctions on Iran’s military establishment — a move that the United States and other major powers said should prompt the Islamic Republic to restart stalled political talks over the future of its nuclear program….

This is seemingly good news, but the details prove otherwise.  For instance, it’s a known axiom that sanctions against Iran are unlikely to motivate Iran much if China and Russia weren’t on-board completely, yet….:

…The administration did succeed in preserving support from China and Russia, although only after assuring them that the measures would not impair their ability to continue trading with Tehran…

Not only will Russia and China continue to trade at will with Iran, but Russia will continue to help Iran with nuclear plants and military technology (via BBC here):

…Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed the missiles were not subject to the limits set by the UN on cooperation with Iran.

He said Moscow was in talks on building further nuclear reactors in Iran….

Theoretically the sanctions will hurt large business interests in Iran to put pressure on the Iranian government to come back to the table for negotiations.   But this only allows Iran more time.  They have been quite successful for several years now in extending a hand as if they are willing to negotiate, only to use that outreach to delay the international community from acting.

In reality, these sanctions seem to be both completely ineffectual and designed (intentionally or not) to allow Iran back into playing the delay game with the international community while they continue their nuclear plans.

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