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Comments (5 of 5)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5excellent article, thanks a lot. hope to see more from you.
Dear Sir/Madam
If Iran shift from accepting dollar for oil sell to Euro ,the shift will have harmfull economics consequance on US ,but only for a while ,and in the long run it may be the best thing happened To America .I will explain:
The increase in International trade had and continue to have a very seriouse negative impact on American working class. American workers achieve highest standard of liveing when American foriegn trade was les then 5% of its GNP. The higher foriegn trade became the lower standard of living for American worker became,by American workers I mean university educators , judges and cabinet members plus every one else that had to go to work five days week at least to prevent becoming homeless.
Shifting to Euro by petrolium producing country ,if it happens ,it will compale America to inact a true fisical displain at home, and more important to shun and avoid international Armed conflict abroad.Gradualy America becomes itself again :A land for workers and a peace, science and art promoting nation.
Some time best of favors are done by those who intended to hurt
If I to advice the Secretary of State Doctor Rice I will tell her to call Iranian counter part and tell him go ahead make my day
amnesty international.com
URGENT ACTION
Iran: Possible incommunicado detention/ fear of torture and ill-treatment/ possible prisoners of conscience: Elham Afroutan (f)
PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 13/011/2006
10 February 2006
UA 34/06 Possible incommunicado detention/ fear of torture and
ill-treatment/ possible prisoners of conscience
IRAN Elham Afroutan (f), aged around 20, journalist and member of the
Writers' Association
And up to six other journalists
Elham Afroutan and up to six other journalists working for the provincial
weekly newspaper Tammadon-e Hormozgan (Hormozgan's Civilization) were arrested
on 29 January following the publication of a satirical article. They may be
prisoners of conscience, detained solely for exercising their right to freedom
of expression. The seven may be held incommunicado and are at risk of torture
and ill-treatment. If convicted, they may face the cruel, inhuman and degrading
punishment of flogging.
The article published by Tammadon-e Hormozgan compared the 1979 Islamic
Revolution in Iran and the advent of Ayatollah Khomeini to AIDS and gave the
current physical embodiment of the disease as President Ahmadinejad. Reports
suggest that the article was reproduced in the newspaper's health section
because of its title: "Open fight against AIDS".
The journalists were arrested in the city of Bandar Abbas, in the province of
Hormozgan, where the newspaper is based, as soon as the issue appeared on the
streets. Demonstrations were staged and ended with the newspaper's offices
being ransacked and torched. Ali Dirbaz, the editor of Tammadon-e Hormozgan and
the parliamentary representative for Bandar Abbas, was questioned by the Tehran
Prosecutor's Office and then freed on bail. On 30 January the Persian-language
Radio Farda, which broadcasts from outside Iran, reported him saying that he
was not aware of the article being published and that the author should be
executed for the article's numerous insults against the Islamic revolution and
state officials.
The Deputy for Press Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance
suspended Tammadon-e Hormozgan shortly after the arrests. The Ministry's
statement on the closure accuses the newspaper of violating Iran's press law
and refers the case to the relevant judicial bodies for prosecution.
Elham Afroutan and those detained with her are not known to have been formally
charged, nor to have had access to legal representation, their families or any
medical treatment. Under various articles of Iran's Penal Code which deal with
insults to Ayatollah Khomeini (the founder of the Islamic Republic), the Office
of the Supreme Leader or defamation of officials or individuals, the
journalists could be sentenced to varied amounts of time in prison. They could
receive up to 74 lashes as an alternative or in addition to a prison term.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Article 24 of the Islamic Republic's Constitution states that "Publications and
the press are free to present all matters except those that are detrimental to
the fundamental principles of Islam or the rights of the public." This
constitutional protection of press freedom, albeit limited, has been paid
little regard over the years by the Iranian authorities. Many writers and
journalists have had their right to freedom of expression severely restricted
and have been victims of grave human rights violations.
Article 19 of the ICCPR, to which Iran is a state party, states that everyone
has the right to freedom of expression. While international law recognises that
this right is not absolute and may be subject to certain restrictions, it
states that such restrictions should be only such as are provided by law and
are necessary and proportionate for certain specified purposes, such as
protection of the rights of others, national security or public order. While
the protection of the rights of others may include protection against
defamation, it is generally recognised that the scope of acceptable criticism
of politicians is wider than that of private individuals. Politicians knowingly
lay themselves open to public scrutiny and accordingly must be expected to
tolerate more criticism than private individuals, particularly in view of the
interests of open discussion of political issues. International law does not
permit freedom of expression to be restricted simply on the grounds that others
find a statement offensive. Amnesty International considers people imprisoned
for exercising their right to freedom of expression in line with international
law to be prisoners of conscience.
AI Index: MDE 13/011/2006 10 February 2006
I agree, that was a very interesting article. A question though, why would Europe want to perpetuate the dollar oil market if the stability, advantages and prestige - as listed by the author - associated with running the oil market would clearly benefit the eurozone countries, were the markets in euro?
I'm not sure that Europe does want to perpetuate the current monopoly but reasons for doing so might be:
- a weakened US dollar would almost certainly reduce consumer demand for imports into the US market, a market from which European exporters make a lot of money (Mercedes, BMW, BP etc.)
- Europe does very well for itself as things currently stand. It is extremely difficult to accurately predict the effects that the Bourse will have and maybe playing it safe by leaving things as they are is the wisest course of action.
- Euro trading would benefit Iran's trade ally China. China recently announced an economic plan to irradicate poverty within it's borders by 2050. Parts of this plan made reference to the goals of increasing car ownership by many millions and moving 1 billion people from rural areas to the cities to work in industry. As such China will be competing intensely with Europe for dwindling oil and gas supplies. Expect to see increased US and Chinese investment and intervention in West Africa over the next 10 years as they compete for control of Nigerian oil reserves - Nigeria being the 8th largest producer in the world.
The real answer to your question is that I don't know. The above are just some thoughts of mine. Please bear in mind that I have no background in economics and someone who does would probably blow my arguements out of the water.
I just find the whole thing fascinating and given the fact that the US didn't invade Iraq purely to 'spread democracy', I'm just interested in better understanding why the did.