Iranians torch gas stations after surprise rationing announcement; Update: Iran blames U.S. for torchings
posted at 8:38 am on June 27, 2007 by Allahpundit
Hope springs eternal for the revolution that never comes but without which peace in the Middle East is impossible. Especially among righty bloggers: I’ve been reading and writing blogs for five years and every time there’s a convulsion of violence in Iran there’s an equal and opposite, and understandable, convulsion of is-this-it optimism within the ‘sphere.
This probably isn’t it but anything that involves Iranians calling for Ahmadinejad to be killed is all to the good. The lesson of the day — if you’re going to start rationing gas, you’d better give people more than two hours’ notice.
Windows were smashed and stones thrown at the stations, and there was traffic chaos as motorists queued to buy fuel…
The BBC Tehran correspondent Frances Harrison says Iran is trying to rein in fuel consumption over fears of possible UN sanctions over its nuclear programme.
Iran fears the West could impose sanctions on its petrol imports and cripple its economy…
There is anger and frustration the government did not give people more notice. Some MPs have called for an end to the rationing and parliament may postpone its summer recess to deal with the crisis.
“Guns, fireworks, tanks, [President] Ahmadinejad should be killed,” chanted angry youths, throwing stones at police.
More from the Guardian:
“This man, Ahmadinejad, has damaged all things. The timing of the rationing is just one case,” said Reza Khorrami, a 27-year-old teacher who was queuing at one Tehran petrol station last night.
Pajamas has cell phone video of one gas station burning. It’s worth revisiting these two posts, one about estimates that Iran’s oil industry will collapse within 10 years and the other (by See-Dub) about what sorts of strategic advantages that gives us now. Prescient money quote: “As for the consequences in Iraq, Iran might have better things to worry about when the gasoline riots are right on top of their bunkers.”
Update: The rioters are American spies, naturally, says an Iranian spokesman. He promises the rationing will go on — sort of:
Deputy parliament speaker Javad Bahonar told MPs that oil minister Kazem Vaziri-Hamaneh will shortly unveil a plan to sell petrol at market prices to private citizens who need to buy more than the 100 litres per month they are allowed under the government’s newly introduced rationing. Bahonar however declined to state what the commercial price of fuel would be.
According to the Beeb, the actual cost of a gallon is about five times the subsidized price. That price? 40 cents.
Update: Hope springs eternal at the Times of London, too.
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‘Our alliance is eternal’
Or until O’s next apology tour. Your nation’s mileage my vary.
locomotivebreath1901 on March 20, 2013 at 9:08 PM
Words, words, words, meaning nothing. Actions matter here, not just words….
ScottG on March 20, 2013 at 9:08 PM
YOU LIE, Mr. President
Eviva on March 20, 2013 at 9:13 PM
Time will tell…
Scrumpy on March 20, 2013 at 9:14 PM
Or until King Obama finds a convenient excuse to drop it. ALL of this King’s proclamations have expiration dates.
TKindred on March 20, 2013 at 9:14 PM
Israel should not be taken in by this glib piece of puffery. Every statement obama makes comes with an expiration date, known only to obama. After all, he has carney to lie for him.
Old Country Boy on March 20, 2013 at 9:14 PM
Sure it is-and I’m a 22 year old Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.
annoyinglittletwerp on March 20, 2013 at 9:16 PM
Haven’t we been through this before? Obama goes abroad, talks big, makes a lot of promises and doesn’t follow up with anything substantive.
Then all the foreign leaders make fun of him in private while the MSM praises him to no end.
Curtiss on March 20, 2013 at 9:22 PM
Ogabe meant to promise a “thousand year Reich” but the teleprompter malfunctioned.
viking01 on March 20, 2013 at 9:23 PM
Oh come on Erika! Is that what you really saw?
This was the pro-forma welcoming comments of any state visit. Our rat-eared devil talks about how much he is thrilled to be among the Jews. Netanyahu talks about our strong alliance and how America is Israel’s closest ally. Were the heads of half a dozen other nations show up, they’d get the same treatment though perhaps without the anti-Semite attitude or our rat-eared devil.
This wasn’t anything more than an obligatory event on the schedule. Obama is more interested in talking up 1967 borders with those of his own faith in the terrorist-supporting events later on in the trip.
And for those prigs who think I am being unfair to our rat-eared devil I will close with this thought. Obama went on in great detail why the Palestinian youth “displaced” by war deserved a better place to live. Not once did he even allude to the Israeli youth killed by Palestinians because they went out for pizza.
Happy Nomad on March 20, 2013 at 9:27 PM
Where’s the Satan in a hoodie pic? We could use that right now. It’s apt.
Philly on March 20, 2013 at 9:36 PM
…yes sure!…and if you want to keep your doctor…you can!
KOOLAID2 on March 20, 2013 at 9:39 PM
Obama’s word is like outer space, pretty much empty.
VorDaj on March 20, 2013 at 9:43 PM
When POSobama speaks, the world laughs at America.
Pork-Chop on March 20, 2013 at 9:43 PM
And by eternal I mean until I leave the room after reading scam words a PR minded speechwriter stuck on my teleprompter.
Dr. Carlo Lombardi on March 20, 2013 at 9:45 PM
Last week Obungler praised his good friend Mexican leader Maximilian but he said it in Austrian so nobody caught it.
viking01 on March 20, 2013 at 9:54 PM
Israel never should have let Barky come. America shouldn’t let him come back.
ThePrimordialOrderedPair on March 20, 2013 at 10:04 PM
Via Newsbusters:
Translation: You don’t think I’d tackle something this hard in my first term that might “optically” cost me a second term, do you Chuck?
Rovin on March 20, 2013 at 10:08 PM
LOL Netanyahu is not an ignorant man. He knows who his enemies are.
bluefox on March 20, 2013 at 10:08 PM
Oh, when I read that transcript, I thot it said “daft”.
bluefox on March 20, 2013 at 10:11 PM
Bibi should let Barky out past the garbage cans like Barky did the Dalai Lama.
viking01 on March 20, 2013 at 10:12 PM
“Two state solution” – Ha. Barack, you are scum. Oh, and I’ll say it again: There is no such thing as a “Palestinian.” The mere fact that Oscuma is using that term shows what side he’s on.
This speech of Obama’s is a complete manipulation from start to finish.
I am so embarrassed that this maggot is my country’s President.
WhatSlushfund on March 20, 2013 at 10:15 PM
lol Daft indeed bluefox, and a few other adjectives.
Rovin on March 20, 2013 at 10:27 PM
I almost LOL myself when I realized how I misread that word. Then I thot, well since I thot it, might as well post it. Oh, yeah more adjectives for sure. We may run out:-)
Thanks for posting that transcript by the way. Mark Levin was commenting on it, but I didn’t get it all.
bluefox on March 20, 2013 at 10:40 PM
All for show. I think our friends in the World understand how Americans feel and I would also say our enemies do also:-)
I remember what Newt said about this issue surrounding the Palestinians. Changing history has a purpose.
bluefox on March 20, 2013 at 10:47 PM
.
If that’s not a thread winner, what is ? … : )
listens2glenn on March 20, 2013 at 11:05 PM
.
Where’s a link to photos of you, in uniform ?
listens2glenn on March 20, 2013 at 11:07 PM
.
That speaks for almost everyone here.
listens2glenn on March 20, 2013 at 11:08 PM
Yeah..thats why it took him 4+ years to visit.
He likes Israel sooo much. Just like he loves America so much that the first thing he wanted to do is fundamentally transform it.
Mimzey on March 20, 2013 at 11:09 PM
You know, reassuring words don’t reassure much when you don’t believe a word of them…..
There Goes The Neighborhood on March 20, 2013 at 11:21 PM
Red line crossed..time for action Bibi
http://www.wnd.com/2013/03/revealed-evidence-iran-crossed-nuclear-red-line/
sadsushi on March 21, 2013 at 12:10 AM
Obama coming to Israel and “speaking directly to the Israeli people”, as some news people have described it, is EXACTLY what Israelis have been wanting him to do ever since his Cairo speech to the Muslim world.
Israelis thought “well, you talked directly to the Muslim world… but with us all you’ve been doing is dictating… why don’t you come to Israel and address *us*, directly?”, and it seems like this is exactly what he’s done.
And by the way, he is not dictating on this trip. He is not pushing any “peace” plans down anyone’s throats, no arm twisting… he came to reassure Israelis that he isn’t anti-Israel. The mere fact that he came to Israel is already huge. No sitting American president has done that since… I can’t even remember (Clinton doesn’t count because it was an extraordinary event which made him visit)… Carter? I don’t even know.
Israelis really appreciate the gesture.
Drudge quoted a “Jerusalem Post editor” who talked some smack about Obama… she is a contributor to Jerusalem Post, and is one of the most rightwing and outspoken and bitter English-language commentators in Israel, so don’t take her words too seriously.
AlexB on March 21, 2013 at 1:43 AM
We in the US better hope so, for He Who keeps Israel does not slumber or sleep. No matter what President Obama wants to think, he can’t change what has already been put in place in the Middle East.
Israel will win over Iran, without question. They will end up doing the heavy lifting either doing a bombing run or sending in groud forces, we will look the other way. No matter what the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia says they do not want Iran with nuclear capasity os any kind, “peaceful” or not. They wil back Israel stopping Iran in in private, while condeming them publically. But it will be nothing more than word, while actions will support Israel because they stopped Iran.
talking_mouse on March 21, 2013 at 3:55 AM
This.
Can my contempt for this jackweasel masquerading as a statesman, or the electorate who enables him, get any deeper? I don’t think so.
Cleombrotus on March 21, 2013 at 8:27 AM
Seriously. You can’t see through this guy?
Cleombrotus on March 21, 2013 at 8:29 AM
What? You simply cannot be serious. Everyone, EVERYONE, except apparently you, knows full well that obama is a sworn enemy of Israel – he would like nothing more than to see Israel destroyed. Where have you been over the past four years – have you not heard obama’s words and seen his actions?
Pork-Chop on March 21, 2013 at 8:56 AM
Taquiya Lie to your enemies to gain advantage.
Obama – master of lies, lord of flies, prince of darkness…
Kuffar on March 21, 2013 at 10:00 AM
There was some arm-twisting done by other former US presidents, some more severe. Clinton was difficult, and Bush Sr. bullied Yitzhak Shamir around. Obama is by far not the worst.
Everyone says that the military and intelligence cooperation between the 2 countries is unprecedented (and for good reason…), and honestly, the Iron Dome system (developed by Israel but funded by the US under Obama) has been a much more effective system than the US patriot missile batteries that were deployed in the 1991 Gulf war to protect Israeli cities (that was Bush Sr.’s initiative – Israel wanted to openly attack Iraq in response to him bombing Tel Aviv with scuds, but Bush said no and gave these ineffective batteries instead, which frankly actually injured and even killed some Israelis as they fell from the sky).
There are some things that Israelis really preferred he hadn’t done (arm twisting, bullying), and did do (embrace some of Israel’s views in public rather than just secretly giving Israel weapons). But he did come to Israel as president, and on his first trip of his new term. GWB never did that even though he was pretty pro-Israel. Gestures like this count. They not only count to reassure the Israeli public, but they send messages to all of Israel’s enemies. These symbolic messages carry a lot of weight and meaning and influence Israel’s enemies’ behaviour.
And remember guys, in Israel and any other foreign country, Obama is seen as the president and representative of your entire country, not just as the Democrat / left part of it.
AlexB on March 21, 2013 at 11:09 AM