"Han" wrote in message

Oil prices are high because of geopolitical
circumstances. War in Syria, threats back and forth with Iran, sanctions
against Iran, none of which helps lower the price. Add "maintenance" of
refineries here and there in the US (as is usual before switching to
funny summer gas), troubles in Africa's oil countries, and SNAFU comes to
mind. Remember that acronym?

History buffs might recall how well our oil sanctions worked against Japan
just before WWII. Sanctions punish an entire country for the actions of a
few idiot leaders. Actually, as we see with gas prices the entire *world*
gets punished by sanctions. If we want to stop Iran from building a bomb, a
consortium of every country that feels threatened should pony up equal
amounts of money to just go in and obliterate the damn nuke facilities.
Though they don't say it, I don't think any of Iran's neighbors are happy
about them getting the bomb. It's just not politic to say so.

We seem to like pulling off Band-Aids as slowly as possible to prolong the
agony. We should say to Iran: "If you won't let UN inspectors in you DEMAND
a forced inspection - and possible obliteration of whatever it was you were
hiding." It's what should have happened in Iraq, but instead we decided to
engage in a decade of "nation building" for the Iraqis, all expenses paid.
This is simple stuff, made difficult by years of wars of choice that have
sapped our will and resources. Couple international war fatigue with the
belief that sanctions have the desired effects and you've got a recipe for
trouble.

--
Bobby G.