Is the current conflict with Iran aimed at its oil?

Question

I was just wondering....is the current conflict with Iran's uranium enrichment linked to the fact that Iran is the fourth Top World Oil Producer and Exporter? and aren't Israel and Pakistan on a nuclear program as well?

Answer 1

Pakistan is an official member of the Nuclear Club, and is fighting a mini-cold-war with it's nuclear-armed neighbor, India.

Israel is not officially nuclear, but there is a lot of speculation that they have nukes, maybe even hundreds of them. Of course, there was a lot of speculation that Iraq had WMDs, too.

The potential for conflict between the US and Iran does have something to do with oil, but not, mainly, with Iran's oil reserves. Iran has a pretty strong military, and sits right on the Persian Gulf - it not only produces a fair bit of oil, but it could concievably cut export of oil from the Persian Gulf via military action, holding oil consumers like the US for ransom. That's an extreme scenario, but there are less extreme versions of it, Iranian 'pressure' - the mere threat of the above - could influence OPEC, or manipulate the world oil market, for instance.

To counter that sort of influence (from Iran, other Gulf States, and othe outsiders) the US maintains a military presence in the Gulf region, as well. That used to include bases in Saudi Arabia, but, after 9/11 - one of the stated goals of which was to drive the US out of the holy land of Islam - those bases were closed, and new bases opened in newly-invaded Iraq.

So, unless it pulls completely out of Iraq, the US doesn't need to invade Iran over oil, it has sufficient presence in the Gulf already.

However, Iran is very hostile to the US, and hostile to some of it's allies - Israel and Saudi Arabia, most notably. Thus, even though Iran is more-or-less countered as far as Gulf influence goes (enough so to maintain US interests in the region), it poses a threat beyond just the possibility of disrupting the oil market. Iran exports terrorism, it continues to build up it's military, and it's persuing 'The Bomb.' Those factors make it an ongoing threat, not just a force that needs to be matched, and that's what's likely to bring on any conflict between Iran and the US.

Iran, for it's part, knows it has the potential to be a major player in the Middle East, and, indeed, the world, and wants to realize that potential. Though it's terrorist allies are useful pawns, they aren't enough to secure Iran, itself, for that, it feels a need for nuclear weapons to serve as a deterent force against a act of US agression. That the US has refrained from attacking Iran for almost 30 years following acts of war by Iran against it, does not apear to be sufficiently re-assuring. That nukes in the hands of a hostile terrorist-sponsoring nation might be more provokation than deterent aparently hasn't crossed their minds, either.

Answer 2

Oil, no. It is aimed at these different strategic points.

One, Iran wants Nuclear Capabilities, and has already sworn that it wants to wipe Israel off the map by using the said Nuclear Capabilities.
Two, the stability of the Middle East. Iran wants to be a super power to ensure the population of Iran won't jump the border when the Government of Iraq allows freedom. I mean, use common sense, would you want to live in slavery and under a heavy handed government, or enjoy the freedom of democracy if you had the choice??? Iran doesn't want to spend all their resources patrolling their border to keep the people in the country, cause it would have no population for the government to rule.
Three, Religious Freedom. Iran RULES the country by enforcing the Muslim Religion on it's people. If you do not follow the Muslim religion, you will be under very tough scrutiny. Would you want to be under that type of rule if you were living there??? And with multiple religions next door in Iraq, it would lessen the religious grip in the area....and Iran doesn't want that.
Fourth, The big bully of Iraq is now not a big bully of the area, and Iran is trying to flex and become the big bully of the region.
Oil is not even on the list. If it was about oil, the United States would of invaded South America and Venezuela, it produces the same amount of Oil as Iran, and closer to home.

Answer 3

No, all countries are afraid of what Iran will do, even their fellow Middle Eastern countries. They know Lebanon and Syria are being held hostage by Iran and they don't want the same thing to happen to them. Every country knows how unstable Iran is and has increasing become since Ahmadinejad took office in 2005.

It's been known that Israel has had nukes for many years and no other countries clammered to get them. But now that Iran is threatending to get nukes, Egypt, Jordan, etc all want them as well.

Answer 4

hello? Israel and nuc's are the worlds worst kept secret. India and Paki are staring at each other with them and you would have to disarm both simultaneously(not likely).

Oil and Iran, nope. Shi'ite vs Sunni(Saudi Arabi), Yep!

Israel isn't the issue just the talking point. Saudi Oil is much more important to the world and the Sunni vs Shi'ite war extends back many centuries and the Mullahs in Iran are still waging it and if they trip Iraq(with Democrat help) Saudi Arabi is the ultimate prize.

just so much crap out there and so little clarity about what is and has been going on in the world. Doesn't anyone critically read their history anymore???


Ret. USAF SNCO

Answer 5

To a certain extent, yes. But the real problem with Iranian nuclear capability is that their president has said publically that Israel should be wiped off the face of the Earth. He has also hosted and spoke at a hate group conference for neo-nazis in which he has said the holocaust was a hoax.

If they develop nuclear capability while he's president, we absolutely should bomb their factories and facilities out of existence.

Under any other rational leadership, I would support their development of nuclear tech, but not with him at the helm.

Fortunately, most of their country is young and they don't like the hardliners. Hopefully, we're only a generation away from having Iran as allies again.

Answer 6

Israel has them because we gave it to them. Pakistan has been an actual nuclear power for decades, including many other countries that are nuclear powers. There is a thing called the nuclear non-proliferation treaty which tries to stop the spread of nuclear weapons to any countries that currently do not have them. Pakistan and Israel already have them. This conflict is trying to enforce that treaty and stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Furthermore, Pakistan is an ally in this fight on terror. Stop trying to change the subject and somehow blame the US for doing everything for oil. We are trying to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists. Its aimed at stopping nuclear weapon proliferation, not oil. Not everything is about oil.

Answer 7

No, it's about Iran having a nuclear bomb.
Any country that's President tells the Press that "Israel should be wiped off the map" should not in turn be allowed to make weapons capable of doing just that.
Israel, Pakistan, and India already have nucleur weapons.

Answer 8

no, iran is an unstable country and doesn't use common sense when it comes to atmic bombs. they can't see they would be victims of the fallouts. they want a big gun to play with, without realizing the danger. we do have a very good resource to do away with the dependency on foreign oil and doesn't hurt food production, but our country feels sorry for the oil producers (local and foreign) so it will be a while before they decide to use it.

Answer 9

Iran has an often stated national policy of "DEATH TO AMERICA"
The current Iranian president has made very clear comments regarding his desire for genocide.

Combine that with nuclear weapons.. the problem shouldn't be that hard to figure out.

Answer 10

Check your facts, there is no conflict with Iran, mabye some dialouge going on but no fighting