Can Obama be stopped from locking in Iran deal
Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Bret Stephens reports that despite
German intelligence reports last week that Iran has attempted to purchase nuclear technology in Germany since signing the JCPOA, the Obama administration appears determined to '
lock in' the Iran deal to prevent a future President from unraveling it.
All this was enough to prompt Angela Merkel
to warn the Bundestag last week that Iran “continued to develop its
rocket program in conflict with relevant provisions of the U.N. Security
Council.” Don’t expect German sanctions, but at least the chancellor is
living in the reality zone.
As for the Obama administration, not
so much. For the past year it has developed a narrative—spoon-fed to
the reporters and editorial writers Ben Rhodes publicly mocks as dopes and dupes—that Iran has met all its obligations under the deal, and now deserves extra cookies in the form of access to U.S. dollars, Boeing
jets, U.S. purchases of
Iranian heavy water (thereby subsidizing its nuclear program), and
other concessions the administration last year promised Congress it
would never grant.
“We still have sanctions on Iran for its
violations of human rights, for its support for terrorism, and for its
ballistic-missile program, and we will continue to enforce those
sanctions vigorously,” Mr. Obama said in January. Whatever.
The administration is now weighing whether
to support Iran’s membership in the World Trade Organization. That
would neutralize a future president’s ability to impose sanctions on
Iran, since WTO rules would allow Tehran to sue Washington for
interfering with trade. The administration has also pushed the Financial
Action Task Force, an international body that enforces
anti-money-laundering standards, to ease pressure on Iran, which FATF did last month by suspending some restrictions for the next year.
And then there’s the Boeing deal to sell $17.6 billion worth of jets to Iran, which congressional Republicans led by Illinois’s Pete Roskam are trying to stop. Iran uses its civilian fleet to ferry weapons and fighters to its terrorist clients in Syria and Lebanon.
“The
administration is trying to lock in the Iran deal and prevent a future
president from doing anything, including pushing back on Iran’s malign
behavior,” says the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Mark
Dubowitz, who knows more about Iran sanctions than anyone in Washington.
“Instead of curbing Iran’s worst behavior, the administration
effectively facilitates it.”
Last night, the House of Representatives voted to
ban US aircraft sales (i.e. Boeing's) to Iran.
The first amendment [to the Appropriations Bill] prevents the Office of Foreign Assets Control from using funds to authorize the license necessary for the aircraft to be sold to Iran. The second one blocks loans from U.S. financial institutions for the purchase of planes that can be adapted for military use.
"Iran systemically uses commercial aircraft to spread death, destruction and mayhem, and we can do something about it," [Representative Peter] Roskam [R-Il] said on the House floor.
...
Airbus had reached an agreement in January to sell Tehran 118 planes. Because some of the aircraft components are made in the U.S., the deal was awaiting approval from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control.
The day after the approval of the amendments, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said step was "incompatible" with the country's nuclear deal with the U.S. Under the deal, America lifted the economic sanctions previously levied on Iran in return for Tehran curbing its nuclear ambitions.
“We have nothing to do with U.S. internal affairs,” Bahram Ghasemi was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency. “We consider the government of the United States to be responsible for implementing the country’s commitments” under the accord.
Of course, the bill still has to pass the Senate, which effectively approved the Iran deal last year in a
party-line vote. And then it might have to override an Obama veto. And Obama doesn't need Congressional approval to approve Iran joining the WTO, although Congress can make it difficult for him according to Northwestern University law professor Eugene Kontorovich, whom I asked that question.
My bet is that sometime between November 8 and January 20, Obama will allow those jet sales to go ahead and announce US support for Iran's application to join the WTO. After all, it's part of his legacy.
Labels: Airbus, Angela Merkel, Barack Hussein Obama, Boeing, German-Iranian trade, Iran Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran sanctions regime, Iranian nuclear threat, Peter Roskam
How the US taxpayer may subsidize the purchase of Boeing jets by Iran
If you're an American taxpayer, you may be
subsidizing the purchase of Boeing jets by Iran through the Export-Import Bank.
The Ex-Im bank provides government loan guarantees to a handful of
major corporations — coincidentally, major political donors — that allow
them to sell goods to foreign countries without worrying about whether
or not they’ll actually get paid. If a country should fail in its
obligations, Uncle Sam will make the debts good. The American taxpayer
ends up on the hook for the cost of expanding corporate business in
suspect nations with wobbly economies. Yet the small number of
corporations who benefit from the Ex-Im bank are all quite wealthy, and
capable of obtaining loan guarantees privately through insurance. The
taxpayer is made to do what the market is ready to do just because it
saves these corporations money.
One country where the Ex-Im bank has not operated in recent years is
Iran. This is because of the American sanctions that will be rejected
as a part of approving the Iran Deal. The Congressional Research
Service has recently published a document detailing the ways in which
the Ex-Im bank will be freed to undertake loan guarantees with Iran.
The CRS piece was written by one of their research specialists in
foreign policy legislation, Dianne Rennack. The complete report can be
viewed at the end of this post.
...
According to the report, restrictions on the Ex-Im bank working with
Iran are going to be released by the repeal of a number of executive
orders (E.O.). E.O. 13590 prohibits the Ex-Im bank from entering into
relationships with individuals named personally in the sanctions, such
as Qassem Suleimani, the head of Iran’s unconventional warfare program. The Iran deal will repeal this order.
E.O. 13622 authorizes sanctions on foreign financial organizations
associated with Iran’s state sponsorship of terrorism. That will also
be repealed under the deal.
E.O. 13628 freezes money and property owned by named human rights
violators. Under the deal, their property will be returned to them, and
loan guarantees from the Ex-Im bank will also become available to them.
Finally, the repeal of E.O. 13645 will allow loan guarantees related
to Iran’s oil industry. Petroleum companies will be able to fund their
operations in Iran without worrying about whether Iran will pay them,
because the American taxpayer will.
...
Iran has announced that is planning to buy 80 to 90 Boeing and Airbus aircraft every year. Boeing is one of the corporations that benefits from the Ex-Im bank, and it has held the threat of moving its business offshore over the head of the Congress during debates about the bank. Humanitarian safety concerns
about Iran’s aging aircraft have already impelled the United States to
waive restrictions on sales of repair parts for older aircraft. The
Senate might permit Iran being allowed to buy new commercial aircraft on
the same basis. Having those aircraft financed not by Iran but by the
American taxpayer, however, will remain controversial.
And those of you who voted for President Soetro have something else of which you can be ashamed.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Boeing, designated terror organization, Iran Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran sanctions regime, Iranian nuclear threat, Qassem Suleimani
Hmmm....
A Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs" into all-weather "smart" munitions. JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, giving them a published range of up to 15 nautical miles (28 km). JDAM-equipped bombs range from 500 pounds (227 kg) to 2,000 pounds (907 kg). When installed on a bomb, the JDAM kit is given a GBU (Guided Bomb Unit) nomenclature, superseding the Mark 80 or BLU (Bomb, Live Unit) nomenclature of the bomb to which it is attached.
The JDAM is not a stand-alone weapon, rather it is a "bolt-on" guidance package that converts unguided gravity bombs into Precision-Guided Munitions, or PGMs. The key components of the system consist of a tail section with aerodynamic control surfaces, a (body) strake kit, and a combined inertial guidance system and GPS guidance control unit.
The JDAM was meant to improve upon laser-guided bomb and imaging infrared technology, which can be hindered by bad ground and weather conditions. Laser seekers are now being fitted to some JDAMs.
From 1998 to August 20, 2013, Boeing delivered 250,000 JDAM kits, producing over 40 guidance kits per day.
250,000 in 15 years - or about 16,000 per year. That ought to put
this number in perspective (Hat Tip:
Michael Yon).
Nov 24/14: Israel. Israel is buying 3,000 JDAM tail
kits with “the ultra-tightly coupled capability,” using a maximum $82.6
million firm-fixed-price contract modification. This isn’t Israel’s
first buy (q.v. Dec 12/10 request, April 12/13).
Work will be performed at St. Louis, MO, and is expected to be
complete by Nov 30/16. The USAF Life Cycle Management Center at Hill
AFB, UT (FA8213-15-D-0002, DO 0001, MOD 02).
Yon asks whether Hamas is tracking this order. I think it might be of even more interest to Iran. Heh.
Labels: Boeing, Hamas, Iranian nuclear threat, JDAM's
Sanctions that pay: US Treasury allows Boeing to sell spare parts to Iran
The Obama administration promised us that they could reimplement sanctions on Iran whenever they want to reimplement them. The Obama administration lied.
On Friday, the Washington Times reported that the US Department of the Treasury has given Boeing Corp. - the world's largest airplane manufacturer -
permission to sell spare parts to Iran.
The U.S.
Department of the Treasury has granted permission to the world’s
largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft to
start sending its spare parts to
Iran.
Boeing Co. said Friday that it would begin contacting Iranian officials, Reuters
reported.
The impetus for the move comes from the temporary sanctions relief the
Obama administration and its allies offered the Middle Eastern nation as
part of January’s nuclear deal.
The license, which
Boeing applied for in February, does not allow the company to sell new aircraft to
Iran,
Reuters reported.
What could go wrong?
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Boeing, Iran sanctions regime, Iranian nuclear threat
Israel overcomes Obama, upgrades Apache helicopters
A report at the website Before It's News indicates that Israel has upgraded its own Apache AH-64 attack helicopters after the
Obama administration prevented Boeing from doing the job (Hat Tip:
Sunlight).
The sources said the Air Force was equipping the Apaches with two new electronic warfare systems developed in the Jewish state.
“They are based on the huge operational experience of the force in
using the Apache Longbow in a variety of combat scenarios,” an officer,
identified only as Maj. Yonatan, said.
The upgrade has been developed amid the U.S. refusal to modernize
Israel’s Apache fleet, employed in attacks on the Hamas-ruled Gaza
Strip.
The sources said the administration of President Barack Obama blocked
Israeli efforts to modernize the Apaches or purchase new helicopters
from Boeing.
The new Israeli systems were cited by the official magazine of the
Air Force. The sources said the sensors underwent trials in early 2014
and would be integrated on the Apaches later this year.
The sources said the Air Force would enhance the AH-64A helicopter to
D configuration. They cited such capabilities as avionics, EW and
advanced munitions, including the AGM-114 Hellfire, produced by the U.S.
firm Lockheed Martin.
“The upgraded Apaches now also carry several new Israeli missiles,” a source said.
The sources said the modernization, conducted in the air force base
of Ramon, was also meant to ensure interoperability between the Apaches
as well
as fixed-wing aircraft and ground assets.
They cited communications and
common digital maps of the helicopters and the Merkava Mk-4 main battle
tank.
Smart Jews.
Labels: Apache helicopter, Barack Hussein Obama, Boeing, defense spending, Hamas, IAF
Turkish dollars trump Israeli sense again
Apparently under pressure from Boeing Corp. (which announced
massive layoffs from its defense division right after last week's US election), Israel Aircraft Industries has agreed to
resume manufacture of spy systems for the Turkish Air Force's Boeing 737's (Hat Tip:
Asher G).
Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) (TASE: ARSP.B1)
unit ELTA Systems has decided to restart the manufacture of electronic
measures systems the Turkish Air Force's Boeing’s 737 early warning and
control Systems spy aircraft, "informed sources" have told Turkey's
"Hurriyet Daily News."
The newspaper added that the decision paves
the way for the release of Boeing’s long-delayed four 737 planes, which
were built for a total of $1.6 billion. The Turkish daily also
speculated that the decision to supply the critical devices may also
mean an end to Israel's two-year defense exports ban for Turkey. The
sources said that with the decision to continue production recently, the
manufacture of a third plane approached completion. ELTA had finished
the production of the EMS systems for the first two aircraft years ago.
"Hurriyet
Daily News" recounted that in 2002, Turkey’s defense procurement
agency, ordered four 737-700 AEW&C aircraft from Boeing, ground
radar and control systems, plus ground control segments for mission crew
training, mission support and maintenance support. Under the agreement
the four aircraft were supposed to be released in 2006. But the
integration of the planes took much longer. ELTA is building the EMS
systems for four aircraft and its Turkish systems are expected to cost
more than $100 million.
The ELTA decision follows Boeing’s
efforts to urge the Israeli company to restart this Turkish
manufacturing. Elta is the single producer of the EMS systems for
Boeing’s 737 aircraft. The 737 Boeing AEW&C aircraft are to be used
as part of Turkey’s NATO capabilities.
What could go wrong?
Labels: Boeing, Israel Aircraft Industries, Turkish obsession with Israel, US economy
It starts: Boeing announces huge layoffs in defense division
That sure didn't take long. In a 'cost-cutting' measure, Boeing announced that it will lay off 30% of its management employees and close facilities in California. What's unstated is that the move is undoubtedly motivated by anticipation that the Obama administration will further cut defense spending. According to Wikipedia, Boeing has
65,014 employees in its defense divisions and 22,650 employees in California.
So
22,000 layoffs (Hat Tip:
Memeorandum)?
Boeing, the Pentagon's second-largest supplier,
said the changes were the latest step in an affordability drive that
has already reduced the company's costs by $2.2 billion since 2010,
according to the memo.
The
measures come as U.S. weapons makers are under pressure to cut costs
and preserve profit margins amid dwindling defense spending in the U.S.
In
a message to employees, Dennis Muilenburg, chief executive of Boeing
Defense, Space & Security, said the company aimed to cut costs by an
additional $1.6 billion from 2013 through 2015.
"We
are raising the bar higher because our market challenges and
opportunities require it, and our customers' needs demand it,"
Muilenburg said.
He said the total savings would reach $4
billion, making the company healthier and better able to deal with a
tougher marketplace.
He
said Boeing would cut the number of executive jobs an additional 10
percent by the end of 2012, bringing overall cuts in its executive team
to 30 percent for the past two years, a move that would result in a 10
percent cut in management costs.
Oh, and get this....
Boeing said the changes were not a response to the threat of additional,
across-the-board U.S. budget cuts due to take effect on Jan. 2, or the
outcome of U.S. elections, but represented another step in its
continuing drive to "be more competitive while investing in technologies
and people."
Right....
Anyone want to make aliya?
Labels: Boeing, defense spending
