Doing Business with the 'Enemy'

As everyone knows, the Bush Administration has a major throbbing hard-on against the Islamic Republic of Iran, dating all the way back to the Revolution in 1979. I see it as the primary event in the chain of events that lead to the current masturbatory eagerness Vice President Cheney and various other neoconservatives have about military action against the country.

Well, something odd came out in the news today. Despite two Presidential terms' worth of tough and at times inflammatory rhetoric (for example, Bush's big mouth can be blamed for the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Iran's President), United States exports to Iran have seen a tenfold increase.

Items not covered under the sanctions, such as fertilizer, bull semen (bull semen?) and cigarettes are sold to Iran. Pepsi shows up in Tehran markets, and it's believed that military rifles and parts (definitely ON the sanctions list) have also been sent over there. Even - and this made me smile - arrestor gear for aircraft carrier catapults (even though Iran doesn't have an aircraft carrier).

This should come as no great surprise, once one understands the history of the Bush Family. George's grandfather Prescott did business with Germany back in the 30s and into the 40s, essentially helping the regime there acquire foreign capital in order to finance its nefarious schemes.

(Please note no violations of Godwin's Law.)

And the stuff and nonsense about not talking to Iran? Codswallop. We talked with North Korea, and the DPRK is cooperating to a certain extent in exchange for food and other essentials.

So let's sit down with the Iranians, break open the Pepsi and pass around a few packs of Pall Malls, and have a chat.