NEW: Follow the Editorial Staff on
StrategyPage Twitter Link



The Perfect Soldier: Special Operations, Commandos, and the Future of Us Warfare by James F. Dunnigan

More Books by James Dunnigan
Dirty Little Secrets

DLS for 2001 | DLS for 2002 | DLS for 2003
DLS for 2004 | DLS for 2005 | DLS for 2006
DLS for 2007 | DLS for 2008


Cut Them Off At The Bank
by James Dunnigan
November 26, 2008

Discussion Board on this DLS topic Economic problems are getting worse. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where much of Iran's foreign trade is handled, local banks are refusing to do business with the 10,000 Iranian trading firms based there. This has caused delays and cancellations of Iranian imports (over $9 billion worth from the UAE last year) and exports. This is being felt by the rule elite in Iran. There, the large extended families of the clerical leadership live the good life, and the goodies come in via the UAE. The sudden shortages of iPods, flat screen TVs, automobiles and bling in general, has been noticed in Iran, and is not appreciated.

The falling price of oil is producing another problem, national bankruptcy. The government admits that if the price of oil falls below $60 a barrel (which it has) and stays there (which it may, at least until the current recession is over), the nation will not be able to finance foreign trade (which is already having problems with increasingly effective U.S. moves to deny Iran access to the international banking system), or even the Iranian economy itself. The latter problem is largely self-inflicted, as president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad desperately borrows money to placate his few (heavily armed and fanatical) followers (about 20 percent of the population). The rest of the population has been in recession for years, and is getting increasingly angry over Ahmadinejad's mismanagement. Some 80 percent of Iran's exports are oil.

Norwich University


Advertisement

US Cavalry
Visit StrategyPage's US Cavalry Store


Advertisement



New Strategy - Wargames at Discount Prices
1.Modern Air Power: War Over the Middle East
2.Commander: Napoleon at War
3.Close Combat: Watch am Rhein
4.Gallic Wars
5.Fast Action Battle: The Bulge

100+ Computer and Board games all with free shipping.
 
 

Online Giving

Utah SEO Firm

Xango

Smiley Gifts for Babies

© 1998 - 2009 StrategyWorld.com. All rights Reserved.
StrategyWorld.com, StrategyPage.com, FYEO, For Your Eyes Only and Al Nofi's CIC are all trademarks of StrategyWorld.com
Privacy Policy

LOGINCLOSE
THE ARIAL ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Arial (see above) is the official mascot of StrategyPage.com (it’s illegal to own an eagle so we had to settle for the publisher’s cockatiel.) She just reminded us that it’s our tenth anniversary. She has asked us to run an anniversary special during the month of July. Until the end of July when you subscribe to our newsletter you’ll get an additional 6 months for free. Pay for 12 months but get 18.

On top of that you’ll get the following:

  • Austin Bay’s “Embrace the Suck!” a printed pamphlet
  • An electronic copy of the Marines Warfighting
  • An electronic copy of the Army’s Counterinsurgency Manual

All of the above and 18 months of StrategyPage.com for just $27. Subscribe Today and help Arial celebrate our tenth anniversary.

As a subscriber you get:

  • Our daily news in your inbox each morning
  • Access to our exclusive discussion forum
  • Access to the site AD FREE with no annoying ads or pop-ups
Subscribe Now!