Trump’s
Economic War on Iran: 88% Reduction in Oil Exports, 6% Shrinkage of Economy, by Juan Cole
The
United States is already at war with Iran, squeezing its economy down to
nothingness. If another country tried to do this to the US just on a whim and
with no UN or international-law basis, the US would certainly launch a war over
it.
Iran’s
choices are much more limited because it is a small, weak, Third World country,
with not so much as a proper air force. But countries without conventional
military capabilities that are squeezed like this by an enemy reply with
unconventional tactics.
Trump
did this to Iran despite Iran’s adherence to the 2015
nuclear deal or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as certified
quarterly by the UN International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran oil exports
before Trump Breach of Treaty and Severe Sanctions of 2017: 2.5 million barrels per day (# 6
exporter in world after Canada). Iran oil exports in June 2019:
300,000 barrels a day. (# 27 in world, after Equatorial Guinea and Australia)
Iran’s economy
grew an incredible 12.9% in
2016 after the UN Security Council
signed the nuclear deal with Tehran and lifted sanctions. In 2019, Iran’s economy under US sanctions will shrink an incredible 6%
Al-Jazeera English reports that “the rial, plummet[ed] by about 60% over
the past year. Inflation is up to 37% and the cost of food and medicine has
soared by 40% to 60%, according to EU figures.”
Note
that Trump’s sanctions are unilateral. They haven’t even been approved by
Congress, and are actively rejected by the United Nations Security
Council.
They
are a form of financial blockade. Physical blockades of this sort are
considered legitimate causes for war in international law.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody
GA Tea Party Leader
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