Posted on 12/23/2010 4:57:41 PM PST by epithermal
Despite sanctions and trade embargoes, over the past decade the United States government has granted special licenses allowing American companies to do billions of dollars in business with Iran and other countries blacklisted as state sponsors of terrorism, an examination by The New York Times has found.
At the behest of a host of companies — from Kraft Food and Pepsi to some of the nation’s largest banks — a little-known office of the Treasury Department has made nearly 10,000 exceptions to American sanctions rules, approving deals involving countries that have been cast into economic purgatory, beyond the reach of American business.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
And none dare call it TREASON!
It’s easier than that to do business in Iran.
US companies form subsidiaries in Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels and that company can go into Iran without much of a problem.
When it comes down to more corporate profits versus putting American GIs at risk, which side do you think Congress is on?
IBM had offices in Japan and Coke delivered to Germany during WWII. Right through battlefields. Got more protection then medical teams. Vodka with Russia in the coldwar - how many billions did we spend while still trading with them?
Business is business and war is hell.
I understand how you feel but we go to war due to a failure of government(s) not businesses. On the positive side, you can hate Kraft and Pepsi as much as you like - not a fan of any of their products.
Why this would surprise anyone after how quickly we started trading with Red China and North Vietnam is beyond me; the war dead of Korea & Vietnam must be rolling over in their graves.
These corporations love the trade sanctions as it removes competition.
There is no excuse for ANY US company to conduct business with Iran. ANY business with Iran helps the regime directly or indirectly, either by legitimating it and declaring Iran “open for business” as if nothing is wrong, or through fees, taxes, tariffs and OUTRIGHT BRIBES which are often paid for such access...Meanwhile, Iran kills Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan and sponsors Al Qaeda, Hezbollah and HAMAS...
The sanctions have always been meaningless. We have never enforced sanctions against Iran. Even sanctions during the hostage crisis of 1979-1980 were a myth.
My personal belief is that one of the reasons we have seen the Treasury switch the emphasis to “targeted” sanctions against Iranian entities and individuals (everything from the IRGC to their banks) is that it has proven too arduous to try to get comprehensive sanctions against Iran passed.
The targeted approach is evidence that the sanctions that everyone assume are in place do not in fact exist. Why would Treasury need to formally declare sanctions against Bank Melli and Bank Saderat, the two largest banks in Iran, both state operated, if there were comprehensive sanctions against Iran?
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