Don’t hold your breath, United Nations
The United States can hope all it wants to win over China to agree on sanctions over Iran, but I believe there is no chance of this happening [“AP sources: US eyes January for new Iran sanctions,” Seattletimes.com, Politics & Government, Dec. 4].
Iran is becoming more of a threat, and the U.S. believes sanctions are the answer to preventing Iran from enriching uranium. It is easy for the United States to propose sanctions since the only items we import from Iran are rugs and textiles — hardly an economic loss for either nation.
China, however, imports hundreds of thousands of barrels per day from Iran as reported by the Energy Information Administration. China being a fast growing nation, cutting Iran as its second largest source would be fatal to their progress.
Sanctions may not only be impossible, but also dangerous for our nation’s security. When Japan invaded Manchuria during World War II, the U.S. was shocked at their aggression and imposed sanctions on oil exports to Japan. Out of anger, Japan attacked the U.S., thus involving the U.S. in WWII.
Today, Iran is the aggressive nation and if we were to disrupt their interests, it could provoke another attack on U.S. soil.
— Mark Korvas, Bellevue