@edgarblythe,
edgarblythe wrote:
Iran ran afoul of the US to the point of causing the treaty to be broken by moving to drop the use of US currency. But for that, the ones pushing to attack Iran would be less vocal and the treaty likely be in force today.
Given that the use of alternate currencies in trade by Iran is a most obvious means of partly circumventing our sanctions, I doubt seriously that either the Obama or the Trump Administrations is at all surprised by these actions. Moreover they don't amount to much. France, in particular, is interested in saving the largely State owned Airbus corporation, and potential sales to Iran are one of their reasons for favoring this otherwise ineffective agreement. I believe this too has been obvious to both administrations.
The current troubles in the Middle East are largely a consequence of the misdeeds of the European Powers, chiefly the UK, Germany and, to a lesser degree, France during the 20th century. Now, none of them appear to feel any responsibility for the consequences, or indeed even to the threats presented by Russia and Iran in the region. They appear content to let us deal with these consequences and prefer themselves to take current profits from dangerous regimes.
In the case of Iran there has long been growing distaste for its oppressive regime its people. Obama appears to have willfully rejected the rising ambitions and desire for change on the part of Iranians soon after he took office. This unrest appears to be resurging again, and I believe our current policy is much more likely to weaken this regime than the largely ineffective agreements backed by the Europeans and "led" by the feckless Obama and his stooge John Kerry.
