Ayatollah Khameini, that man whose surname has only 1 vowel difference with the late Theocratic Dictator-Imam issued a warning against the USA, basically threatening oil supplies.
WASHINGTON, June 4 — Iran's supreme religious leader warned Sunday that oil shipments from the Persian Gulf would be disrupted if the United States made a "wrong move" toward his country over its nuclear program. But Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice dismissed the threat, saying the United States was awaiting a more formal response to last week's diplomatic initiatives in the matter.Still looking very ugly over there. Speaking of which, those garbs they wear and those grey beards they grow; it's really not a winning look for the 21st Century, is it? All part of the thing that robs Iran of any credibility when they trot out a guy who looks like an extra from Kingdom of Heaven who threatens oil shocks. Not good.
"We're going to give the diplomacy a little time here," Ms. Rice said on the CBS News program "Face the Nation," one of three Sunday talk shows on which she advocated a new package of incentives, and potential Security Council penalties, devised to resolve a crisis over Iran's nuclear ambitions.
"And we're not going to react to everything the Iranian leadership says," Ms. Rice added. "Over the last couple of days, they have said lots of different things."
Earlier Sunday, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said, "If the Americans make a wrong move toward Iran, the shipment of energy will definitely face danger, and the Americans would not be able to protect energy supply in the region."
In a speech on the 17th anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic revolution, he said that Iran did not intend to pose a threat to any country but that if it came under attack, it would defend its national security. "If anyone threatens the national interests of the people, it will feel the sharpness of their fury," the official news agency IRNA quoted Ayatollah Khamenei as saying.
The package of incentives to induce Iran to halt its nuclear program and possible penalties if it refuses has not yet been formally delivered to the government in Tehran by a European delegation, and Ms. Rice urged patience. She advocated not responding officially until Iranian leaders had assessed the proposal.
"I don't think we're going to react to everything that's said until they have a chance to see the proposal and until they understand the two paths," she said.
Ms. Rice again acknowledged Iran's right to use nuclear power for civilian needs. She noted that the demand for Iran to freeze enrichment and enrichment-related activities to avert Security Council action had not been dictated by the United States alone, but represented conditions set by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency. "No one is questioning that it has a right to civil nuclear power," she said. "But many countries have the right to that that don't enrich and reprocess on their territory. And given Iran's history, it must not have the technologies that could lead to a nuclear weapon." On "Fox News Sunday," she said Iran's own dependence on oil undercut its threat to halt energy supplies to the world. "I think something like 80 percent of Iran's budget comes from oil revenue, and so obviously it would be a very serious problem for Iran if oil were disrupted on the market," she said.
Ms. Rice indicated that Iran had weeks, but not months, to respond to the initiatives, repeating language from negotiations last week in Vienna among Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States that produced the package of inducements and penalties.
"I don't believe in setting timelines and deadlines, but the only point here is that this can't be endless," she said on the CNN program "Late Edition."
The six-nation proposal, just like the Bush administration's offer on Wednesday to shift longstanding United States policy and sit down at negotiations with Iran as part of multilateral talks, requires Iran to freeze its nuclear enrichment and enrichment-related efforts.
Iran has said it will accept no preconditions.
"The claim that there is international consensus against Iran is a lie," the official IRNA news agency quoted Ayatollah Khamenei as saying on Sunday, adding that members of the Nonaligned Movement "have supported Iran's access to nuclear technology."
When You're On To A Good Thing
The Socceroos had a good outing. Coach Guus Hiddink, - pronounced roughly as 'Who's Hittink?' has a name that is more appropriate for a baseball team. Guus's on First? Watt's on Second. Heh heh heh. Enough of that.
The Socceroos came from a goal down and survived close to half an hour with 10-men when Luke Wilkshire was sent off in the 61s minute to announce to the world they won't simply be making up the numbers in Germany when the 2006 tournament kicks off on Saturday (AEST).
The home side, roared on by an intimidating orange-clad crowd of 50,000 at Feyenoord's De Kuip Stadium, went ahead early when Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy capitalised on a Mark Schwarzer error in the 10th minute.
The Middlesbrough keeper parried a shot from Dennis Ooijer straight to the deadly feet of van Nistelrooy inside the box, and the big No.9 calmly side-footed the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal.
It would prove the only blot on Schwarzer's report card, though, as he went on to make a string of superb saves to keep Australia in the hunt.
When substitute Tim Cahill equalised early in the second half, pouncing on a rebound from another Mark Viduka missed penalty, it was Schwarzer the Socceroos could thank for being in a position to be on level terms.
Cahill, who has struggled with a knee injury in the lead-up to the World Cup, showed his rehabilitation is as good as complete when he was first to react as the ball bounced back of Edwin van der Saar's crossbar.
Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink, who took the Dutch to the semi-finals of the 1998 World Cup in France, was delighted with the result for his current team.
"What a great match, with a great physical level that proves our players are ready even if they were tiring at the end," he said.
"Tactically we have come up against one of the best teams in the world and we matched them.
"The progress we have made is amazing in several short months compared to the Australia of six months ago."
In the previous match, the socceroos got their favorite son Harry Kewell back and that was good. meanwhile, Japan seems to be scuffling in their leadup games. Team Captian Hidetoshi Nakata is really pissed off with his team and ragged them after a 1-0 win over low-ranked Malta.
≪中田と一問一答≫ Q&A with NakataNot sure I approve. My measuring yardstick on this is "what would Jeter do?" I can't see him ripping his teammates in the papers like that.
——収穫はあったか？ What did the team gain from the expeerience?
「収穫はないですね。課題はどういうプレーをするか以前に、走らないことにはプレーはできない」"Nothing was gained. Before you think about different approaches, if you don't run it's not soccer."
——この試合でやりたいと思ったことは？"What did you wwant to accomplish in this game?"
「高い位置から早めにプレスをかけて、速いボールを回しでゴールすることを狙っていたが、できなかった」"To apply pressure from a higher position wih swift passes and getting goals but we coulddn't do that."
——こうしておけば良かったということは？"Is there anything you wanted to do better?"
「先ほども言った通り、走れない。ほかのことをやろうという段階ではない」"Like I said before, it's not at the point where we can approach things in any particular way."
——前線に速いパスを出しても追いつけていない選手がいたが、それは走っていないからか？ "There were some passes made to the front line where players couldn't keep up. was that because they weren't running well?"
「別にそういうことじゃないと思いますけど」 "Not specifically so."
——ロッカールームの中でチームで反省はしたか？ "Was there a debrief afterwards."
「いや別に」"Not as such, no."
——これから皆さんで話し合う予定は？"Will you be discussing this?'
「そういう機会があれば」"If there's such an opportunity."
East Timor Is Still A Mess
Well, it still is.
Part of the East Timorese capital of Dili again was terrorised by the gangs yesterday, with houses torched while Australian and Malaysian troops patrolled nearby.It's just not looking good there.
Mr Downer, who visited East Timor on the weekend, said he believed the Australia-led troops were making a difference.
"On the whole, I think the army have got the situation under control, but there are outbreaks of violence still and these things are being driven by gangs," he told ABC radio.
"These gangs ... are in some instances, not in all instances, reasonably well coordinated. Just nailing all that down is proving quite difficult at this stage, so there's still a way to go."
Mr Downer rejected suggestions the violence appeared to be getting worse, not better, saying it had declined substantially since the Australian-led force arrived.
Wrong Code Redux
Many thanks to all the people who popped into listen to my song last week.
Here's an article that may amuse you all in the wake of that song...
England coach Andy Robinson says it's not only the Wallabies' rugby skills his side will need to watch out for, apparently it's their AFL skills as well.A lot fo football confusion going on there.
Robinson said players like Lote Tuqiri improved their ability under the high-ball through exposure to the home-grown game.
But an Australian team spokesman confirmed that ex-rugby league player Tuqiri had never played Australian Rules.
"One thing that concerns me is their kicking game," Robinson told the England Rugby Football Union website.
"They used it once in the World Cup final and scored and I expect them to kick for the corners and to kick for the wings.
"A lot of their players like Lote Tuqiri are very good in the air because of their roots in AFL."
My Fantasy Team Report
My AFL side took a 2 point loss to the Syddney Scorpions. All I can say it hurt and it hurts to be at 3-3 at this point of the season.
My baseball Combat Wombats chargeed up to second place briefly. That was a highlight, but it's hard to say if this is going to contiue.
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