Posted on 10/25/2007 3:33:18 AM PDT by maquiladora
The Bush administration plans to roll out an unprecedented package of unilateral sanctions against Iran today, including the long-awaited designations of its Revolutionary Guard Corps as a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction and of the elite Quds Force as a supporter of terrorism, according to senior administration officials.
The package, scheduled to be announced jointly by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr., marks the first time that the United States has tried to isolate or punish another country's military. It is the broadest set of punitive measures imposed on Tehran since the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy, the officials said.
The new sanctions will empower the United States to financially isolate a large part of Iran's military and anyone inside or outside Iran who does business with it, U.S. officials said. The measures could affect hundreds of foreign companies by squeezing them to drop Iranian business or risk U.S. sanctions.
The administration will designate the entire Revolutionary Guard under Executive Order 13382, signed by President Bush in June 2005, which allows the United States to freeze the assets of any proliferator of weapons of mass destruction and its supporters. Iran is being designated for its ballistic missile program. The United States will announce a list of Iranians involved in that program -- civilians as well as military officials -- who will also be designated, U.S. officials said.
Under the same executive order, the administration also intends to designate Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, which controls Iran's defense industries, as well as companies owned or controlled by the Revolutionary Guard, U.S. officials said.
The overall impact, according to U.S. officials, will be to make a pariah of the most critical parts of Iran's military and its defense and commercial industries.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Gee, what’s the rush? This has only been going on for years.
I did lose in the office pool, however. I was betting the Wall by our border would be built before we went after the Iranians.
Long overdue.
28 years too late.
This is a bunch of silly State Dept feel good crap and will have absolutely no effect on Iran’s military. These people are morons.
Excellent move, Europe’s negotiations have obviously been impotent as usual.
Package of sanctions....that’ll fix ‘em. /s
Include Iran in the axis of evil - check
Demand inspections - check
Make your case to the UN - check
Exhaust all dimplomatic efforts - check
Israel on board? - check
Declare Revolutionary Guards Terroists Org. - check
France on board? - Hell has frozen over - check
Let’s Roll!
marks the first time that the United States has tried to isolate or punish another country's military
Having last night watched Ken Burn's "The War", I'd say this is not the first time the United States has punished another country's military
Pathetic isn't it? The clowns in DC can't make a decision on anything except more social welfare spending.
We’re just threatening to not allow them to watch television for a week.
This is gonna tic off a lot of people. LOL.
GO W!!
‘fraid you’re right.
so has 'diplomacy' finally run its course ???
NOT AGAIN!!!!!!
Come on now George....give a better reason than this. How about just saying that they're supplying the enemy in Iraq or something equally not WMD related?
ping
This move takes some brass ones by Bush, who I admire.
It should set the stage for a blockade of Iran and leave open the option of bombing Iran’s military.
I tend to agree. We will be using the strength of our economy and our position in global commerce against them. Reagan used economic strength against the Soviets, but not in such a direct way.
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