Posted on 04/17/2009 3:22:57 PM PDT by zaphod3000
The Obama administration is pushing for a formal censure of Iran and Syria at the United Nations over an arms-smuggling case (which) highlight(s) the risks that Iranian weapons shipments pose to regional stability.
The move .... could impede the ability of Iranian shipping firms to deliver arms to militant groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian territories, U.S. and other Western officials said.
SNIP
"The fact that Iran is smuggling arms isn't new. What's new is that they got caught in the act," said a European official working on Iran. "We now have the evidence."
The evidence involves an Iranian-chartered cargo ship that was detained in Cyprus after American intelligence suggested it was ferrying arms to Syria. U.S. officials believe the weapons could have been passed on from there to Hezbollah or Hamas.
The Cypriot-flagged ship, called the Monchegorsk, left the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas in January and, according to U.N. documents, was chartered by Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines. Cypriot authorities found dozens of wooden cases on the boat carrying bullet shells, high-explosive gun charges and items related to 125-mm armor-piercing guns. According to the U.N. documents, the Syrian port of Latakia was the port of discharge.
Last month, a U.N. committee ruled that both Iran and Syria violated a Security Council resolution that bans Tehran from both importing and exporting weapons.
U.S. naval vessels stopped and boarded the Monchegorsk in the Red Sea, but let the ship continue through the Suez Canal, due to uncertainties in the Pentagon over Washington's legal right to confiscate the cargo. Cyprus's government subsequently summoned the Monchegorsk to a Cypriot port and asked the U.N. committee that enforces Iran sanctions to rule on further action. The committee ordered last month that the Monchegorsk's cargo be impounded.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
I bet they are scared to death about an UN “censure”. Scaaaary.
Ohhhhhh a censure....Im sure that will get them to abide by the UN’s resolutions. Gimme a break Obama, you really suck.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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Wow, a censure, that'll do it. We wield a mean censure. Which dem Congressmen, sorry Nancy, Congresshomosapiens, will head over to apologize?
I’m sure Ahmadinnerjacket will answer this - you know, when he stops laughing.
God help us.
Germany expected to boycott UN anti-racism meeting
Topnews | April 16 2009 | DPA
Posted on 04/17/2009 1:32:25 PM PDT by knighthawk
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2231758/posts
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