Iran warns oil could reach $200 on sanctions

[ECH1969]

Global oil prices could hit $200 per barrel if the United States pursues international sanctions against Iran, an Iranian official said on Thursday, although analysts passed the comment off as saber rattling.

Iran's Foreign Relations Vice Minister Manuchehr Mohammadi told Venezuelan state television, "The first consequence of these sanctions would be an increase in the price of oil to around $200 per barrel."

The statement comes after the United Nations on Monday demanded that Iran suspend all nuclear development within a month or face the threat of sanctions. Iran responded that it had a sovereign right to nuclear development.

"It serves (Iran's) interests to create this kind of concern in the world community about the price of oil," said Mark Routt, a senior analyst with Energy Security Analysis Inc. "But there are elements to suggest it might not reach that level."

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=top...

[ShortnFiery]

1. Well, we have to reflect and ask ourselves ONE important question ...

Are we ready to kill and die for IRAN's OIL?

If we are not, don't believe the Propaganda although that President of theirs is as big of a Nut-bar as our Dear Leader, One Each, A Village Idiot from Texas.

[Delphinus]

3. But of course!

Are we ready to kill and die for IRAN's OIL?

Not "we" as in the boys club that runs the country, but the unconscious collective "we" who agree with Dick/Darth Cheney/Vader's assessment that "the American way of life will not be compromised".

[ShortnFiery]

6. Again, we will NOT have the "cannon fodder"

This will end, wait for it.

Keep the faith baby!

[zonkers]

7. Yes we are!!!!!!! (pic!)

[Vidar]

14. Beware of the Holy Hand Grenade.

[SpiralHawk]

2. "Bring it on." - BushCo & Republicon Oil Cronies

"We will laugh all the way to the bank." - Republicons

[mom cat]

25. You got that right!

[radfringe]

4. another question

at what point will we say "screw oil" and really put effort into research and development of alternative energy/fuel?

[ShortnFiery]

8. When the neo-cons realize that they will NOT have enough troops to occupy

Iran. They think that we will jump to "enlist" but they are delusional.

There won't be enough troops and they will either have to "draft" or cease with their grand plans to rule the world.

[chill_wind]

16. We won't try to occupy Iran.

I doubt there is or ever has been any real contemplation of any ground war.
Airstrikes are what they would use, and what they've always talked about, at least from all the speculation written about in the last couple years in the best of my memory. That is, if the neocons can't get Israel to proxy it for us. Just my take.

It makes it all no less horrible to contemplate. Actually more so, if that's even possible. (ie nukes.)

[BrightKnight]

18. A blitzkrieg regime change w/ minimal or no occupation.

I imagine that this is the Primate House's contingency plan.

----------

Air strikes alone won't work. I doubt that crippling Iran would accomplish anything. You would have to go in and finish the job.

Get in, Phoenix Project the leadership, mop up a bit, hold elections, get the hell out of there and hope for the best.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

22. when the govt takes all private research (under war powers)

and gives it to Haliburton on a no bid basis. After all, it will be a war on energy.

[Gullvann]

24. Please wait another couple of decades.

So we in Norway can sell our oil first :-P

It is hard to be socially conscious person from Norway. I am happy that the socialists won the elections, and that we have a lot of oil money to use to help our citizens.

But, it sucks that we earn more money whenever there is trouble in the middle east, or other mayhem and the oil prices rice.

I think Norway should increase our foreign aid in proportion to the increasing oil prices.

There is a lot of rebuilding to be done in Lebanon for instance

[Delphinus]

26. If we had done this,

no wars would have to have been fought for oil.

[plasticsundance]

5. Bush/Cheney/Bolton/Rice

All look at each and agree that they can still afford oil at that price, and that's all the consideration the American people receive from them.

[Vidar]

13. Boy have you got that right.

[whosinpower]

9. That is what they are hoping for

suits them just fine.

Don't ever ever think that the Iraq war had to do with gaining access to the oilfields - it wasn't. It is who controls the spigot baby. And it is who gets access to the spigot - for how much, for how long, and when.

If Iran wants to really damage Bushco - they would threaten to drop their price of oil to $18/barrel....and watch the neocons scramble then. THAT would hurt them far far more than $200/barrel. You must understand that the neocons don't give a rat's ass about the economy. They only see the bottom line of the oil barons - and the oil barons will be greedily smacking their fat lips if oil jumps to that price.

I know this sounds backwards - but it would work.

[HereSince1628]

12. You're right that sounds backwards. But maybe you're right...

What sort of bothers me is that the pundity said there are factors that -might- keep the price from reaching that. Which sorta implies that it also might reach that.

[w4rma]

28. And then the speculators step in and the price still goes up. (nt)

[Gully Foyle]

10. Screw it

oil will rise, demand will decline, prices will drop. Pretty simple cycle.
Besides Iran is just playing to it's strength on the international stage.

here is a question, at what price will US fields become profitable again?

[HereSince1628]

15. Well the price and demand stuff looks good on paper,

but not everyone has a year's supply of tuna tucked away with their plastic tarps, sleeping bags, and duct-tape.

[Gully Foyle]

19. Humph

Fuck the tuna the Worthington and Loma Linda veggie soy protein stuff stays good in a can for at least two years.

[HereSince1628]

20. Yeah, well not everyone has a year's supply of that either

$200 a barrel gas will create a food pricing crisis and folks won't be able to walk away from that by "shifting" spending habits.

[acmavm]

11. Okay, watch NASCAR Dad and Soccer Mom when

THEY can't afford their gas.

[Virginia Dare]

17. Next comes the realization..

that they are holding hundreds of thousands of debt on items that are now virtually worthless. That will be a serious smack in the head.

[cliss]

21. The Iranians are playing hardball.

And they are playing for keeps. They know they are dealing with a vulnerable economy. Not just the US, but Europe as well. The industrialized nations depend on the black gold for their survival. Without it, they go back to the Horse & Buggy days.

I'd call that pretty desperate.

Ahmadinejad said recently, "The US is a hollow superpower". Meaning = watch the colossus sway back and forth.

[megatherium]

23. Call Iran's bluff. They need the oil/gas revenues to stay in power. nt

[KamaAina]

27. Horse hockey.

Before it got anywhere near that, consuming countries like ours would impose rationing.

Hell, they might even get serious about alternative energy. Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?

[Anakin Skywalker]

29. HOORAY! Buy Some

Schwinn stocks now.

[Nihil]

30. I like their style!

Avoid a war by getting Bush & Cheney to w*nk themselves to death instead!

The thought of all those dollar signs should be enough to do it!

[legin]

31. notice how the strategic reserve doesn't get mentioned lately

It used to be that if the oil price went anywhere near the $65 - $70 range, then the 'strategic reserve' stories would start being aired on the business chanel on cable (CNBC?).

Now the oil price sits at $75 and there is nothing.

One could suggest that these commisars know that bush* won't dip into the reserve until Iran's production goes off-line, i.e. when Iran is being bombed back to the stone-age.