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Gold9472
01-20-2005, 10:06 PM
U.S. Warns Iran Over Missiles, Punishes Chinese Firms

Tue January 18, 2005 02:15 PM ET
By Adam Entous

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration expressed concern on Tuesday about Iran's pursuit of longer-range ballistic missiles and imposed sanctions on Chinese companies it accused of helping Tehran in those efforts.

The economic sanctions -- which the Chinese government denounced as unjustified -- were part of a broader campaign by the Bush administration to keep Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them. Iran denies its nuclear facilities are to be used to make weapons.

"I hope we can solve it diplomatically. But I will never take any option off the table," President Bush told NBC television in an interview when asked about the potential for military action against Iran.

The Bush administration made no public announcement of the sanctions, first reported by The New York Times on Tuesday. The penalties and the Chinese companies affected were disclosed in government documents published earlier this month.

U.S. officials say the exports to Iran included high-performance metals, the Times said.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush will work with European allies "to find a diplomatic resolution to Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons."

"They made some very clear commitments and we will see by their actions whether or not they are finally serious and willing to follow through on those commitments," McClellan said.

"We have a number of concerns about Iran, including their pursuit of nuclear weapons and their interest in longer-range ballistic missiles, and we've expressed those concerns," McClellan added.

CHINA OPPOSES WEAPONS SPREAD

China on Tuesday said it stands opposed to any spread of weapons of mass destruction.

"The U.S. government has wantonly launched sanctions against Chinese companies without any evidence," Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan told a news briefing in Beijing.

The penalties bar the companies from doing business with the U.S. government and prevent them from obtaining export licenses allowing them to buy controlled technologies from American companies.

The Chinese companies on the penalties list include China Aero-Technology Import Export Corp.; China Great Wall Industry Corp.; and China North Industry Corp., also known as NORINCO.

Also targeted are: Beijing Alite Technologies Company Limited; China's Q.C. Chen; Wha Cheong Tai Co.; and Zibo Chemet Equipment Corp., known as well as Chemet Global Ltd.; Ecoma Enterprise Co. Ltd. of Taiwan; and Paeksan Associated Corp. of North Korea.

Bush has praised China for its help in seeking a diplomatic end to the North Korean nuclear standoff.

Two of the largest companies cited by the administration, China Great Wall Industry and China North Industry, previously have been penalized by the United States. Each is closely linked to the Chinese military.

In December, the State Department imposed similar sanctions on four Chinese companies for selling weapons or arms-related technology, including Liaoning Jiayi Metals and Minerals Co., Wha Cheong Tai Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Triple International Ltd.

Good Doctor HST
01-20-2005, 10:36 PM
I'd like to add a snipet on the subject, courtesy of today's Washington Post. It's about our Vice President, so if you have any small children in the room....


"Vice President Cheney said yesterday that Iran is a top threat to world peace and Middle East stability, accusing Tehran of sponsoring terrorism against Americans and building a "fairly robust new nuclear program."

In an interview aired on MSNBC's "Imus in the Morning" show a few hours before President Bush's inaugural address, Cheney warned that Israel "might well decide to act first" militarily to eliminate Iran's nuclear capabilities if the United States and its allies fail to solve the standoff with Tehran diplomatically.

"Given the fact that Iran has a stated policy that their objective is the destruction of Israel, the Israelis might well decide to act first, and let the rest of the world worry about cleaning up the diplomatic mess afterwards," Cheney said. In 1981, Israel sent warplanes to destroy Iraq's nuclear reactor.

"We don't want a war in the Middle East, if we can avoid it," he said. Iran denies that its nuclear facilities are used for producing nuclear weapons; the Bush administration disagrees."

(Boldface emphasis added by me)

I almost choked on my food when I read that. It's like saying Hugh Hefner wants to avoid naked female models....

Gold9472
01-20-2005, 10:41 PM
He's a wartime president. When he makes decisions in the Oval Office, he's got war on his mind.

Good Doctor HST
01-20-2005, 11:04 PM
He's a wartime president. When he makes decisions in the Oval Office, he's got war on his mind.

And $$$$..... How much more would Halliburton succeed if they got to build up Iran too?

Gold9472
01-20-2005, 11:05 PM
And $$$$..... How much more would Halliburton succeed if they got to build up Iran too?

How much have they made off of Iraq? I know the Pentagon was withholding $300Mil in payment because of overcharging by Halliburton. If they can withhold $300Mil, and not break a sweat, I can't imagine how much they're making.

Good Doctor HST
01-20-2005, 11:16 PM
According to the April 11, 2003 issue of CNN Money, Halliburton stood to make roughly $490 million dollars profit on a 2-year project just making emergency repairs to Iraq's oil infrastructure. They've billed Congress $4.18 billion dollars as of August 2004; they haven't accounted for 43% of it though.....

Gold9472
01-20-2005, 11:17 PM
BTW... did you know what I said about "War Time President" was quoted from the President himself? Prick.

Gold9472
01-20-2005, 11:17 PM
According to the April 11, 2003 issue of CNN Money, Halliburton stood to make roughly $490 million dollars profit on a 2-year project just making emergency repairs to Iraq's oil infrastructure. They've billed Congress $4.18 billion dollars as of August 2004; they haven't accounted for 43% of it though.....

Well, ya know... a little here... a little there... :mad:

Good Doctor HST
01-20-2005, 11:25 PM
I saw this pic of Cheney. It looked so sinister... I think it's perfect.

http://www.mindfully.org/Industry/2004/Halliburton-Pentagon-Questions11aug04.gif

Yeah, Bush prides Himself as a Wartime President. He played it up the whole election, and middle America swallowed it wholesale. He has to keep up the "Wartime pres" moniker, b/c then no one notices his economical blunders, which will rear their head his second term.

God
01-20-2005, 11:31 PM
Just remember... this is what America wanted.