Paying for Iran's Missiles

Paying for Iran's Missiles

Manda Zand Ervin

Appearing at the White House with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, President Obama was asked about Russia's sale of surface-to-air missiles to Iran. His response was; "the sale was slated to happen in 2009, when I first met with then-Prime Minister Putin." He added: "They actually stopped the sale, paused or suspended the sale at our request. And I'm frankly surprised that it held this long, given that they were not prohibited by sanctions from selling these defensive weapons," continued the president.

This response by the President of the United States is not only surprising but scary. While jumping on the opportunity to take credit for Putin's delay of the sale, Mr. Obama has either forgotten or is trying to hoodwink the American people. Putin has been selling military equipment to the Khomeinist regime for decades, however, these missiles were too costly and Iran was under sanctions.

It's worth noting that in 2010 Khamenei was eager to buy the missiles on credit but the Russians are known to do only cash in advance business when it comes to their trusted allies in Tehran, who were under banking and credit sanctions and did not have access to the funds for making big purchases.

Without a doubt, Russia has been in need of money at least for the last two years as a result of the sanctions and the drop in oil prices. But Putin also has a political goal: to kick America out of the Middle East and reconstruct the old Soviet sphere of influence while taking advantage of the present American policy opportunity.

Putin has chosen the Islamic regime in Iran as a partner to regain a foothold in the Middle East, and he is determined to do it before January of 2017. Putin is aware of the opposition of the Iranian people to Russian militarization and the endangerment of their country, but to himself and his Islamic partners, citizens don't count. 

If the president is truly wondering why Putin waited to sell the missiles to Tehran, all he needs to do is to consider the sanctions that depleted Khamenei's cash.

President Obama continued: "When I say I'm not surprised, given some of the deterioration in the relationship between Russia and the United States, and the fact that their economy is under strain and this was a substantial sale. I do think that it sends a message about how important it is for us to look like we are credible in negotiations if in fact a deal fails, and we are needing to maintain sanctions."

I wonder if the Russian negotiators helped shape the demands of the Islamic regime to get President Obama to release the $11.9 billion in cash that Khamenei needed to buy the missiles. So far, that looks to be the case. Under President Obama's "leadership" the deal will not fail because Khamenei and Putin are getting everything they want. But if the interim agreement collapses, Khamenei will not have the money to purchase more arms and missiles from Russia, China, or Korea.

The negotiations and policies of the 5+1 states (which just happen to include Russia) have provided tens of billions of dollars from the frozen assets of the people of Iran to Khamenei and his Revolutionary Guards to pay for more arms, missiles, and materials for the development and delivery of their nuclear bomb.

The president also said: "Since Russian companies made the $900 million equipment sale, why should we take the loss?" Mr. Obama is mistaken -- all this "hurry up and make any deal" will do nothing to make Khamenei do business with America.

Many know that Khamenei will not be a friend of the United States and will not pay back any of the money by purchasing "equipment" from the Great Satan. Khamenei is still chanting "Death to America" from his international pulpit with his paramilitary forces on the loose in the streets of Iran. This is a well-known fact -- the Shia clerics in Iran hate America because the people of Iran like her contagious and enticing culture of human rights and freedom. The mullahs however, have historically enjoyed a mutually beneficial and palsy relationship with the Russians. They even offered Khamenei a college degree, thanks to his full ride scholarship at the KGB-run People's Friendship University.

It is sad that foreign policy of the United States is in the hands of a group of wishful thinkers who are strict ideologues and have no knowledge of the world history and no interest in supporting America's friends.

This is how America loses friends and allies, in droves, across the globe.