War-Rumors-Iran-Trump-Bob Davis Podcast 832

Presidential Election Ahead…Cue The War Drums

War and rumors of war. This time between the United States and Iran. These days you don’t know what’s real. We’ll talk about it in War-Rumors-Iran-Trump-Bob Davis Podcast 832.

The Devil’s In The Details

In addition I’ll provide details and perspective you don’t get from breathless cable news channels, talk radio and advocate commentators. Once a crisis develops advocacy media will try to convince viewers for or against.

Complicated Issues

Iran is a much more complicated issue.

First of all, at issue is the so called JCPOA. The Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action.

The JCPOA was signed by all five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Iran during the Obama administration.

Moreover in exchange for Iranians giving up weapons grade uranium some US and European sanctions dating back forty years were temporarily waived.

The Worst Deal Ever…Might Have Been Working

In 2016 republican presidential candidate Donald Trump campaigned on getting rid of the JCPOA calling it ‘the worst deal I’ve ever seen’. In contrast some  sources say Iran was actually abiding by that agreement. By the way, the deal Trump signed with North Korea recently pledging to de-nuclearize the Korean Peninsula was in fact a communique like the JCPOA, with fewer conditions.

Trump Imposes Sanctions

No matter. President Trump has taken the US out of the deal and imposed sanctions last year. Just recently the US has reimposed sanctions on Iran’s oil exports as well as copper, aluminum and steel most recently. The economic effects have not been good for Iran.

Iran Uses Proxies To Retaliate and Threatens To Start Enriching Uranium

Reportedly Iran has retaliated using Houthi rebels in Saudi Arabia to attack oil pipelines and shipping in the Persian Gulf.

Trump Sends The USS Abraham Lincoln

Trump ordered a US carrier battle group into the gulf. The Saudis want Iran ‘defanged‘ and have called for ‘surgical’ US Airstrikes.

24 Hour Cable News Channels and Talk Radio Love War

Here come endless loops of jets leaving carrier decks. Pundits talking over shock and awe. Headlines across the bottom of screens showing US troops in Iraq.

Deja Vu All Over Again

Finally we have been through all this before. It did not end well. In fact it has not ended. The Iranians are not paragons of virtue but they are no Iraq or Afghanistan either.

In conclusion we ought to think about that before we’re snookered into another war.

(Editor’s Note: I refer to PPP when giving Iran’s per capita income at about 22,000 a year. In US Dollars it’s probably about 8,000 a year. In addition I gave Iran’s oil export total as 1.2 barrels a year. Even more it is roughly 1.2 million barrels a day.)

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War-Rumors-Iran-Trump-Bob Davis Podcast 832

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trump Kills Iran Deal-Now What?-Foreign Affairs Update-Podcast 721

President Trump decertified the JCPOA or ‘Iran Deal’ of 2015, on Friday May 11th. Trump has kicked off a firestorm of coverage which has not fully explained what’s going on. Again. Time to find out about the details of the Iran Deal in Trump Kills Iran Deal-Now What?-Foreign Affairs Update-Podcast 721.

Stormy Daniels Sells Newspapers

Moreover coverage of international relations doesn’t usually generate a lot of views, likes or shares. Hence one of the main reasons American media spends a lot of time on salacious stories.

Foreign Policy Isn’t A Campaign Slogan

Furthermore, voters don’t think about these things in election years. Slogans and shouted one liners on the campaign trail get lots of applause from true believers. Build The Wall. Tear Up The Iran Deal. Make America Great Again.

Politicians Make Big Mistakes

Truth is our leaders can make serious mistakes in this arena. Consequently missteps and screw ups can effect all of us for a very long time. Seems like presidents get a lot of support from congress and the people as they blunder about. Therefore, some background some of these mistakes in Time to find out about the details of the Iran Deal in Trump Kills Iran Deal-Now What?-Foreign Affairs Update-Podcast 721.

It’s Not A Treaty

The so called Iran Deal is not even an Executive Agreement, as has been reported. Most noteworthy it is within the president’s discretion to do anything he wants with this agreement. Did Trump ‘kill’ the deal? Is it a mistake? Was Iran violating the terms of the JCPOA?

Constitutional Authority

In addition was it constitutional for President Obama to enter into a political commitment? Did the House endorse elements of the deal? Did the Senate debate the agreement? Find out in Time to find out about the details of the Iran Deal in Trump Kills Iran Deal-Now What?-Foreign Affairs Update-Podcast 721.

Whatever Trump Does Is A Mistake, right?

In conclusion one of the problems with this president is the media’s habit of reacting to anything he does as a mistake. Without defending the president, maybe the specifics should be reported and judgments left to the American people.

Most of all, that’s what I do in this podcast. Find more podcasts on the Iran subject from the campaign trail in 2016, and through the years here.

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Trump Kills Iran Deal-Now What?-Foreign Affairs Update-Podcast 721

Podcast 346

Shore Power! Live from the Mobile Podcast Command Unit 8, now with Shore Power! As the power issue begins to resolve on Unit 8, we’re able to produce studio quality podcasts from the road … and try out the new coffee maker. Since everything now is powered up, that means the printer works and that means getting back into the news flow. The big story we’re watching is still the negotiations with Iran. Reportedly the US and the 5 (or 6) nations negotiating with Iran will sign a 3 page letter, after which economic sanctions will be lifted. But, it is also reported that Iran will be able to continue enriching uranium, and could be on a one-year path to having a nuclear weapon. Depending on who you read, or talk to, economic sanctions either worked, or didn’t. Considering the fact that Iran seems to be getting the best of the west, and especially the Obama administration in these negotiations, this looks like a major win for them. It also gives President Obama a ‘feather in his cap’ toward his legacy. Will an agreement with Iran produce long term problems in the middle east? Is this a good deal? Also percolating is the hysteria about Indiana’s new ‘religious freedom’ law. And, back in the Twin Cities (Editor’s Note: Remember I am in Scottsdale, Arizona right now) them fight over what the state pays commissioners and other ‘important’ state government functionaries continues. Meanwhile despite all the talk about millennials moving into hip downtown sections of decaying northern cities, new census data shows people moving to less dense suburban cities. How does this trend counter the standard sell of Light Rail, walkable cities, and downtown venues subsidized by taxpayers? The chair of the Met Council wasn’t supposed to get a 5 figure raise (from 61 thousand a year to 120+) but apparently he has. “It’s a full time job”, say those ‘in the know’, not a part time job. A part time job for 61 thousand a year? Nice. Getting a raise that almost doubles your pay, for any reason. Priceless. In any case, another example of a chief executive that simply ignore the legislature, whether it’s republican, or democrat. And about 100 residents of a Minnetonka apartment complex is suing the hated Met Council to stop the Southwest Light Rail. They say the train will ruin the peaceful atmosphere for biking and hiking behind the complex. What ruins LRT? That is the question. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating and Baklund R&D.