Tag: United Nations

And Donny Babbled On

Yesterday his High Majesty walked into the UN to give the yearly speech that all presidents have done for decades…..and he did not disappoint and threw more red meat for those mental midgets he calls MAGA.

There was problem with the teleprompter that delayed his speech…..thank god it was rectified or god knows what junk would have fallen from the mouth of the idiot.

Once the teleprompter glitch was out of the way, President Trump hit a wide range of subjects in an aggressive speech on Tuesday to the UN General Assembly. Highlights via the BBC, the AP, the Washington Post, and the New York Times:

  • Climate change: He called this the “greatest con job” in history, a statement a BBC reporter says was met with gasps. “If you don’t [move] away from the green energy scam, your country is going to fail,” Trump told his fellow world leaders. He said the idea of a carbon footprint is “a hoax made up by people … with evil intentions.”
  • Immigration: Trump told the world body to end the “failed experiment of open borders,” accusing the UN of facilitating an “invasion” of the US and other Western nations. He said Europe in particular is in “serious trouble” because of immigration.
  • Flexing: But even while depicting himself as a peacemaker, Trump boasted of ordering strikes on Iran and on alleged drug smugglers from Venezuela. “We will blow you out of existence,” Trump warned future smugglers.
  • Biden: Trump went after his predecessor a number of times, referring to the “Sleepy Joe Biden administration” as one of the most “corrupt” and “incompetent.” He again blamed the Russia-Ukraine war partly on Biden.
  • UN slam: “What is the purpose of the United Nations?” Trump asked. “I’ve always said (the UN) has such tremendous, tremendous potential, but it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential.” Trump said he has resolved multiple global conflicts in contrast to the UN. “Empty words don’t solve wars.”

Your typical red meat….on immigration, climate change, Biden, and taking a shot at the UN….all predictable.

Did he say anything positive?

You decide….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Biden’s UN Farewell

Soon to be former president Joe Biden strolled up to the podium at the General Assembly of the United Nations to make his last speech as president.

And was it a bunch of crap!  (My thoughts included)

President Biden delivered his final address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, and while he addressed international conflicts, he also spoke of his decision to withdraw from the 2024 race. Details from outlets including CNN, the New York Times, the AP, and the Guardian.

  • “Some things are more important than staying in power,” Biden told his fellow world leaders. “As much as I love the job, I love my country more. I decided, after 50 years of public service, it’s time for a new generation of leadership to take my nation forward.”

(Was not his intention he flub up a debate and had to walk down)

  • Biden said he has witnessed a “remarkable sweep of history” in his life and warned that “we’re in another inflection point in world history—for the choices we make today will determine our future for decades to come.” On the same theme, he sounded a note of optimism: “I know many look at the world today and see difficulties and react with despair, but I do not,” he said. “We are stronger than we think” when acting in unity.

(This is a loaded statement….well crafted to mean anything)

  • The president said the world “cannot look away” from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or stop supporting the latter. “The good news is Putin’s war has failed at his core aim,” Biden said. “He set out to destroy Ukraine, but Ukraine is still free. He set out [to] weaken NATO, but NATO is bigger, stronger, more united than ever before.”

(But we can look away from the Middle East while Israel attacks and kills with impunity)(He claimed that he was working to bring a “greater measure of peace and stability to the Middle East” even though his administration continues to provide full-throated support for Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza and its escalations in Lebanon.  And that is so much chicken sh*t)

  • He also lamented the “bloody civil war” in Sudan, saying it had “unleashed one of the world’s worst humanitarian [crises].”

(Good one…when was the last time he brought this crisis up?)(In his address, Biden also called for countries to stop arming the opposing sides in the war in Sudan. “The world needs to stop arming the generals, to speak with one voice and tell them: Stop tearing your country apart. Stop blocking aid to the Sudanese people. End this war now,” he said.)(Good advice a shame he or anyone else in DC will take it)

For those interested this is a transcript of Biden speech to the UNGA….

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/09/24/remarks-by-president-biden-before-the-79th-session-of-the-united-nations-general-assembly-new-york-ny/

Anyone that follows international affairs will see the hypocrisy in this speech….I am sorry but his words ring hollow.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Is This A Step Forward?

The carnage has been raging in Gaza since October and in that time there have been many calls for a ceasefire to get humanitarian aid to the civilians that are starving and in need of medical assistance.

Finally a glimmer of hope…..I did say a ‘glimmer’.

The US achieved a rare victory at the United Nations on Monday, when the Security Council endorsed the three-phase peace plan that begins with a ceasefire in Gaza. The vote was 14-0; Russia abstained but did not block the measure. The move adds to the international pressure on Israel and Hamas to end the fighting, the New York Times reports. The resolution states that Israel has accepted the US-backed plan’s terms and urges Hamas to do so, per the BBC. “Israel has already agreed to this deal,” US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, per the Hill, “and the fighting could stop today if Hamas would do the same.”

Israel’s acceptance has been muddied, though, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying publicly that the attacks on Gaza shouldn’t stop before Hamas’ military capability is destroyed and all hostages are released. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Netanyahu on Monday to lobby for the ceasefire, and he was in Egypt earlier in the day to build support for it. “My message to governments throughout the region is: If you want a ceasefire, press Hamas to say yes,” Blinken said in Cairo.

Hamas released a statement after the vote welcoming such provisions as a prisoner exchange and reconstruction in Gaza. Russia’s ambassador complained that the Security Council doesn’t know exactly what the US has agreed to with Israel. The US asked the council to take its word that Netanyahu’s government accepts the terms, declining to spell that out in the wording. Despite that issue, Vasily Nebenzya said Russia abstained because the plan had broad support among Arab countries, per the Times

Keep in mind I did say a ‘glimmer of hope’.

But for those that keep a shut mind here is the full text of a plan announced by Biden.

This framework’s purpose is the release of all civilian and military Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip whether living or not whom have been detained during all periods in exchange for a number that will be agreed upon of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, and restoring a sustainable calm which would achieve a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, the reconstruction of Gaza, opening of the border crossings, and facilitating movement of people and transfer of goods.

The framework agreement is made of 3 stages which are interconnected, subject to the following:

The First stage (42 days):

1. Temporary cessation of military operations by both Parties and the withdrawal of Israeli forces eastwards away from densely populated areas along the borders in all areas of the Gaza strip including Gaza valley (Netzarim axis and Kuwait roundabout) as mentioned below.

2. Temporary cessation of aerial movement (military and surveillance) in the Gaza strip for 10 hours daily, and for 12 hours daily during days where exchange of hostages and prisoners will take place.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/gaza-war-text-ceasefire-proposal-approved-israel

The plan is pretty thorough and a bit convoluted….but at least there is a plan and now is the time for such cessations to begin.

MSM is reporting that HAMAS has not responded to the proposal….not so….

Al Jazeera has obtained a copy of the Gaza ceasefire proposal that Hamas said it accepted on Monday. The deal, which was put forward by Egypt and Qatar, would come in three stages that would see an initial halt in the fighting leading to lasting calm and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Palestinian territory.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/6/text-of-the-ceasefire-proposal-approved-by-hamas

Now we wait for the other shoe to drop and I am sure it will be doing so sooner than later…..what will be the stumbling block this time?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

UN Gets New President

This is one for the “Got to be kidding” file.

Within the United Nations there is the ever powerful Security Council and recently Russia has become the president of the Council…..

Russia is once again the head of the UN Security Council, a body tasked with ensuring international peace.

The last time that Russia held the position of president — in February 2022 — it invaded Ukraine, the BBC noted.

The UN Security Council is made up of 15 members, 10 of which are voted in for two-year stints. The other five are permanent members and have veto power. They are the United States, France, the UK, China, and Russia.

The 15 members rotate the presidency every month. The president of the Security Council is considered the face of the body and represents it in front of the larger United Nations.

While Ukraine protested Russia’s term as president, as a permanent member, there is little any of the other members can do. 

https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-is-again-the-president-of-un-security-council-2023-4

There is the whole problem in a nutshell…..5 permanent members that have veto power…..nothing can be accomplished as long as the idiots in the US, Russia, France, England and China have the power to stop any progress dead in its tracks.

Since the last time Putin was in charge Russia invaded Ukraine….how will this play out in the social media BS?

What was said from the White House?

From the White House podium on Thursday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that a country that “flagrantly violates the U.N. Charter” and invades its neighbor has no place on the council, but there is “no feasible international legal pathway” around that.

“As unpalatable as it may be to see Russia presiding over the council, the reality is this is a largely ceremonial position which rotates to council members month by month in alphabetical order,” she said, adding that the U.S. encourages Russia to conduct itself professionally so the council can carry out its work.

“Russia is a permanent member,” said one council diplomat. “While they are misbehaving gravely on Ukraine and just tearing the [U.N.] Charter apart, my expectation is they will do this presidency in a professional manner.”

Thoughts?

Enough is enough.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Biden’s UN Speech

AS per usual the president of the United States has made his mandatory speech to the UN General Assembly….and as usual the speech is full of hypocrisy…..

Of course Ukraine had to be a prominent part of the speech…..

At the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, President Biden focused most of his speech on Ukraine and accused Russia of violating the UN Charter by launching the war.

“Russia has shamelessly violated the core tenets of the United Nations Charter — no more important than the clear prohibition against countries taking the territory of their neighbor by force,” he said.

Biden’s comments highlight US hypocrisy on the issue as Washington currently occupies a major portion of eastern Syria despite the Syrian government’s opposition. The US also supports Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and its blockade of Gaza, and Saudi Arabia’s war and blockade on its neighbor Yemen.

Biden said that the US will continue to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia based on the principle that “you cannot seize a nation’s territory by force.”

The president also accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of making “reckless” nuclear threats. Earlier in the day, Putin ordered a partial mobilization and warned Russia could use nuclear weapons if its “territorial integrity” was “threatened.”

“President Putin has made overt nuclear threats against Europe and a reckless disregard for the responsibilities of the non-proliferation regime,” Biden said.

US support for Ukraine in its war against Russia has escalated tensions to a point where many experts and officials believe there is a greater risk of nuclear war today than there was during the Cold War. But the US shows no sign of backing down on its policy of supporting Ukraine, and Putin’s moves on Wednesday signaled a Russian escalation in Ukraine.

An interesting speech…..and as usual it was full of contradictory statements…..

The US condemns others for the same things they do…..take for instance the invasion and occupation of Iraq….or US is currently occupies a major portion of eastern Syria despite the government’s objection.

I understand the support for Ukraine but we should stop trying to claim the moral high ground….it is as if “Do as I say not as I do” sort of thing.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

UN Security Council Veto

While the conflict rages in Ukraine….and the idiots here in the US like MTG and Trump and Gaetz mouth their lunacies there is a big story on the international stage…..the UN.

There are 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council and all it takes to kill any legislation is one member to veto the action.

How moronic is that?

First we should ask why 5 permanent members?

The permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (also known as the Permanent Five, Big Five, or P5) are the five sovereign states to whom the UN Charter of 1945 grants a permanent seat on the UN Security Council: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

According to Oppenheim’s International Law : United Nations, “Permanent membership in the Security Council was granted to five states based on their importance in the aftermath of World War II.”

It is the 21st century and those dark days of WW2 are gone….time to re-think the Security Council.

The UN is doing just that…..

The United Nations is on Tuesday set to debate a provision that would require the five permanent members of the body’s Security Council – the United States, United Kingdom, France, China and Russia – to justify invoking their veto powers.

The reform to the Security Council has been floated for years at the UN but has regained new traction following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Currently, the five permanent members can veto any resolutions put forth by the Security Council. Meanwhile, the rotating 10 other members have no such power.

The latest proposal, put forth by Liechtenstein, is co-sponsored by 50 countries including the US. No other permanent members are currently co-sponsors, although France has indicated it will support the move, according to the AFP news agency.

The text of the proposal, obtained by the AFP, calls for the 193 members of the General Assembly to gather “within 10 working days of the casting of a veto by one or more permanent members of the Security Council, to hold a debate on the situation as to which the veto was cast”.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/19/un-to-debate-security-council-permanent-member-veto-power

This is a major item for accountability….but most people will ignore this simply because they hate the UN for whatever reason….but I think that hatred is misplaced and I have let my thoughts on it be known…..

Why Hate The United Nations (UN)?

After WW2 and the founding of the UN much has happened……

World War II demonstrated this ugliness in the Holocaust and in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. From Hiroshima and the Holocaust rose two mighty movements, one for peace and against the perils of further nuclear attacks, and the other for an end to the divisions of humanity and for a nonalignment from these divisions. The Stockholm Appeal of 1950, signed by 300 million people, called for an absolute ban on nuclear weapons. Five years later, 29 countries from Africa and Asia, representing 54 percent of the world’s population, gathered in Bandung, Indonesia, to sign a 10-point pledge against war and for the “promotion of mutual interests and cooperation.” The Bandung Spirit was for peace and for nonalignment, for the peoples of the world to put their efforts into building a process to eradicate history’s burdens (illiteracy, ill health, hunger) by using their social wealth. Why spend money on nuclear weapons when money should be spent on classrooms and hospitals?

Despite the major gains of many of the new nations that had emerged out of colonialism, the overwhelming force of the older colonial powers prevented the Bandung Spirit from defining human history. Instead, the civilization of war prevailed. This civilization of war is revealed in the massive waste of human wealth in the production of armed forces—sufficient to destroy hundreds of planets—and the use of these armed forces as the first instinct to settle disputes. Since the 1950s, the battlefield of these ambitions has not been in Europe or in North America, but rather it has been in Africa, Asia, and Latin America—areas of the world where old colonial sensibilities believe that human life is less important. This international division of humanity—which says that a war in Yemen is normal, whereas a war in Ukraine is horrific—defines our time. There are 40 wars taking place across the globe; there needs to be political will to fight to end each of these, not just those that are taking place within Europe. The Ukrainian flag is ubiquitous in the West; what are the colors of the Yemeni flag, of the Sahrawi flag, and of the Somali flag?

Now is the Time for Nonalignment and Peace

I believe that the world would be better off without these powers of veto in the hands of a single nation.

All nations need to be held to the same standard and the elimination of this silly veto power would be a great step forward.

Turn The Page!

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“lego ergo scribo”

Biden At The UN

Uncle Joe did what most presidents have done…..he went to the UN and gave a speech outlining his agenda…..and the prospects for the planet.

In the past some of these speeches have been memorable and those were just damn laughable…..Joe’s was….well you decide…..

President Biden used his first address before the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to declare that the world stands at an “inflection point in history” and must move quickly to address the issues of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and human rights abuses. Some highlights, via the AP and the Wall Street Journal:

  • Cold War: Without mentioning China directly, Biden acknowledged increasing concerns about rising tensions between the two nations. But he said, “We are not seeking a new Cold War or a world divided into rigid blocs.”

(And we have done just that with all the mash-up and war or words with China)

  • Afghanistan: “We’ve ended 20 years of conflict in Afghanistan,” Biden said. “And as we close this period of relentless war, we’re opening a new era of relentless diplomacy of using the power of our development aid to invest in new ways of lifting people up around the world.”

(And yet we are doing nothing to change the attitude to war)

  • Cooperation: Biden urged global unity on “ending this pandemic; addressing the climate crisis; managing the shifts in global power dynamics; shaping the roles of the world on vital issues like trade, cyber, and emerging technologies; and facing the threat of terrorism as it stands today.”

(And yet corporations still control the response to the climate problems they help to create)

  • Pandemic’s lesson: “Our shared grief is a poignant reminder that our collective future will hinge on our ability to recognize our common humanity and to act together,” said Biden, adding that the next decade “will quite literally determine our futures.”
  • A duty: “All the major powers of the world have a duty, in my view, to carefully manage their relationships so they do not tip from responsible competition to conflict,” he said.

(Okay this part is just damn laughable….nothing Biden is doing shows such a duty)

All in all it was a typical UN speech to the world…..generated some news tags but all in all showed nothing that will make the world a safer place for us mere mortals to live upon.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

 

The Latest On Climate

The clock is ticking!

TICK TOCK

The UN has released its report on the condition of the planet with climate change…..not at all a glowing report…..

The new week begins with grim reading from a landmark UN report about the state of the planet. The 3,000-plus page assessment of the climate concludes that while things are bad now—witness the extreme weather unfolding around the globe—they are certain to get worse in the coming decade. However, the authors say it’s possible to stave off the most dire scenarios, essentially a planet unrecognizable from the one we know today, though only if nations take immediate steps to start reining in greenhouse gas emissions. Coverage:

  • The report: Read it here. Produced by the International Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, it was written by more than 230 scientists and based on more than 14,000 studies. It’s a “code red for humanity,” says the UN, per the AP.
  • New rate: Extreme heat waves that used to hit once every 50 years now happen once a decade, say the authors, per Reuters. And that rate will almost certainly get worse. The same general trend applies to droughts and heavy rains.
  • The warming: The world has warmed about 1.1 degrees Celsius since the 19th century, and the authors say it is almost certainly too late to avoid reaching the Paris accord threshold of 1.5 degrees by 2040, reports the New York Times. At that mark, the world becomes an even more dangerous place, with more than 1 billion at risk from frequent heat waves.
  • Bleak quotes: “We can expect a significant jump in extreme weather over the next 20 or 30 years,” says Piers Forster of the University of Leeds, one of the authors. Another co-author, Linda Mearns of the US National Center for Atmospheric Research, tells the AP: “It’s just guaranteed that it’s going to get worse. I don’t see any area that is safe.”
  • Longer term: The report lays out five scenarios, and in three of them, the world surpasses 2 degrees Celsius warming by mid-century. On these tracks, it’s possible the mark could surpass 3 or even 4 degrees. In the rosiest scenario, an immediate shift away from fossil fuels would enable the rise to level off at about 1.5 degrees.
  • One forecast: A rise of 2 degrees “could trigger the inexorable collapse of the Greenland ice sheet and more than six feet of sea-level rise that could swamp coastal communities,” per the Washington Post. “Coral reefs would virtually disappear.”
  • Blame: The report says it’s “unequivocal” that human behavior has warmed the planet. As for current events: “Extreme events, heat waves, droughts, heavy precipitation: When we see these things in the news, they really are a result of climate change and the science is really able to detect that,” says co-author Jessica Tierney, of the University of Arizona, per Quartz. “You can always get an extreme flood or drought by chance, but now we can show that the chances of some of these events happening would have been almost nil.”

The planet is burning and the best we can do is ignore the coming problems.

Time is running out!

TICK TOCK

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“lego ergo scribo”

Not With US Help

For ten days Israel has been punishing Gaza’s civilians for the actions of Hamas…..and the US has called for ceasefire….most of that is rhetoric and means nothing….just a way to calm the protests and cover Israel’s ass for them (something we do constantly).

***A ceasefire after 11 days is holding but it is a very shaky cease***

The US has never been serious about a solution that is beneficial to both sides…..not since the 1970s that is…..and it is NOT serious today.

Why would I say this?

…

more than 300 American lawmakers publicly pledged their unconditional loyalty to a foreign power.

In a letter to the chair and ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, the members of Congress cautioned against “reducing funding or adding conditions on” US welfare checks (totaling $3.8 billion annually) to Israel.

The letter name-checks US President Joe Biden, who, nearly a year ago tried to have it both ways — decrying Israeli annexation of Palestinian land and the eviction of Palestinian residents to make room for Israeli squatters (“settlers”), while likewise volubly assuring Jewish campaign donors, “I’m not going to place conditions on security assistance.”

Now Biden and members of Congress from both sides of the partisan aisle feign surprise and dismay as the Israeli regime once again makes war on the populations of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip.

What the heck did they expect?

Peace in Palestine? Not if American Politicians Can Help It

But as they (whoever “they” are) actions speak louder than words…..

The UN Security Council was considering a statement condemning the violence in Gaza, which has left hundreds of Palestinians dead including dozens of women and children, and calling for a ceasefire—but the US blocked it Monday, the Wall Street Journal reports. According to Al Jazeera, that’s the third time in a week US opposition to such a statement has prevented one from being released. The council held an emergency virtual meeting to discuss the crisis, and China, which holds the rotating presidency of the council for the month of May, drafted the statement late Sunday. After it was blocked by the US, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson told reporters, “We urge the US to shoulder its fair share of responsibilities, take a just stance, and work with the majority of the international community to support the Security Council.”

 
Times of Israel, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken became the first US official to call for a ceasefire late Sunday. The draft UN statement, obtained by the Times, “expressed [the council’s] grave concern regarding the crisis related to Gaza and the loss of civilian lives and casualties, and called for de-escalation of the situation, cessation of violence and respect for international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, especially children.” On Monday afternoon, Israel’s defense minister thanked the US for blocking it, the Independent
Another reason there should be NO ONE country that can veto the will of the UN….plus there should be NO permanent members on the Security Council….that in NO way promotes democracy and that was the original intent for the UN.
 
If there is to be a peace then do not look to the US for leadership….we are too busy stroking the scrotum of BiBi.
 
While we snuggle up to Israel innocent civilians continue to die in the name of self-defense.
 
Keep in mind that Israel buys US weapons with US taxpayer dollars….

On May 5, Hamas commander Mohammed Deif issued a warning to Israel’s government: Unless Israeli police and troops stopped attacking Palestinians in Jerusalem — including not just those protesting against the regime’s theft of their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood on behalf of Israeli “settlers,” but also worshipers at al-Aqsa mosque, one of Islam’s most sacred sites — rockets would fly.

On the same day, the Biden administration notified Congress of its approval for Boeing’s sale of $735 worth of Joint Direct Attack Munitions to the Israeli regime.

When Israel’s Regime Buys US Weapons, It Buys Them With Your Money

 
Ask yourself this….if the Biden group condemns the Saudis action in Yemen…why not Gaza?
 
What part of killing civilians is acceptable?   Any civilian.
 
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“lego ergo scribo”

Embargo–Going–Going–Gone

After thirteen years the UN’s arms embargo placed on Iran has now run its course and is gone….

As you would expect the warmonger-in-chief Pompeo is thumping his chest like some crazed primate….even to the point of issuing threats…..

After months of US opposition, the Iran arms embargo at the UN has expired, and despite the US opposition, UN officials are uniform in agreement that it actually has expired. Don’t tell that to the Trump Administration though, as they insist it’s still in place.

Reflecting US promises to enforce the non-existent embargo themselves, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened to impose US sanctions on any nations that sell arms to Iran, or offer them training or services.

That’s been the US position since they failed to extend the embargo, but it’s not clear it will actually do anything, as the nations most likely to provide Iran with arms and services, Russia and China, will almost certainly ignore US threats the same way they do on everything else Iran-related.

Iranian officials don’t expect a huge rush to buy arms anyhow, as a decade of embargos has made them self-sufficient in a lot of things. Still, Russia and China can offer some better versions of equipment, or at a better price than Iran can make them themselves, and there is no real legal obstacle to that anymore.

The fact that the US opposes, or indeed “forbids” such sales is likely to ensure that some happen just to spite them, with Russia in particular very clear that they intended to make sales to Iran once the legal restriction was lifted.

(antiwar.com)

Parties should weigh what this cessation would mean….

European governments should carefully weigh the risks that come with the expiration of the UN arms embargo. Given the ongoing Western military support to regional partners, and the growing alignment between Israel and the Arab world, the expiration of the embargo is unlikely to alter the balance of power in the Middle East in the short term. The pragmatic way to address these concerns is by reaching side agreements with Russia and China over the timing and scope of such arms sales to Iran, in ways that prevent a rise in tension in the Middle East.

No doubt, Moscow and Beijing will sign arms deals with Tehran – and perhaps even major ones, such as those involving the Russian S-400 missile defence system, which Iran is eager to acquire. Tehran may also seek to sign deals for battle tanks, fighter jets, surface-to-air missiles, and anti-radar missile systems – which can target surface-to-air defence systems, thereby putting the forces of the US and its allies at greater risk in the Middle East. However, given precedent and a series of political and economic restraints, it is unclear whether these deals would result in delivery in the near future.

Do not expect a rush of arms sales to Iran

Now that the embargo has expired….Iran is looking at incoming cash from arms sales…..

Iran on Monday said it is more inclined to sell weapons rather than buy them, after it announced the end of a longstanding UN conventional arms embargo.

Tehran said the ban imposed more than a decade ago was lifted “automatically” as of Sunday, based on the terms of a 2015 landmark nuclear deal with world powers, from which the Islamic republic’s arch-enemy the United States has withdrawn.

“Before being a buyer in the arms market, Iran has the ability to supply” other countries, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters.

Iran Says Will Sell More Arms Than Buy After Embargo Lifted

Will this make a difference in the Middle East say?

Will this put the brakes on troop withdrawals?

Any thought?

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“lego ergo scribo”