Topic: Embargo

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi calls for an oil embargo against Israel and warns that the situation in Gaza is spiraling out of control. Al Jazeera reports on nationwide protests in Iran where the "black flag" was raised, symbolizing a call for mobilization or revenge. The hosts suggest that the lack of humanitarian aid for Gaza is being used to intentionally agitate the Iranian government and population toward war.

EU leadership claims Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine is a strategic failure that has unified NATO and the European Union. While a full oil embargo is being phased in strategically to prevent Russia from selling at higher prices on the world market, the long-term goal is a permanent severance of the energy relationship.

Dutch MEP Marietje Schaake and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have called for an EU-wide arms embargo against Saudi Arabia. The proposal includes potential sanctions under a Magnitsky-style framework, targeting the assets and travel privileges of Saudi officials involved in human rights violations.

The process of rolling out high-tech products involves orchestrating positive publicity through embargoed press releases and pre-briefed analysts. This system ensures that journalists have a list of approved quotes to create a "perfect storm" of favorable coverage.

The Pentagon has secretly expanded its drone network to include a base in Tunisia for missions over Libya, adding to existing hubs in Niger and Djibouti. In diplomatic news, the United States abstained for the first time from a United Nations vote calling for an end to the Cuban economic embargo. The resolution passed 191-0, signaling a shift in U.S. policy under the Obama administration despite the embargo remaining legally in place.

A Newsweek investigation alleged that a Donald Trump-owned company violated the U.S. embargo against Cuba in 1998 by spending $68,000 on a secret business trip. Hillary Clinton used the report to attack Trump's credibility, while critics argue the story was timed to distract from Clinton's own controversies. The report claims Trump executives attempted to disguise the expenditures as charitable.

Foreign policy veteran Zbigniew Brzezinski dismissed Prime Minister Netanyahu's criticisms of the Iran deal, characterizing the Israeli leader as "not a very serious person" who exaggerates for political effect. Conversely, Senator Lindsey Graham criticized the deal for lifting the UN arms embargo, arguing that it would lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. The segment highlights the deep ideological divide in Washington regarding the agreement's long-term consequences.

Barbara Walters' historical interviews with Fidel Castro are revisited, including her story of sitting with a gun in her lap while traveling through the Sierra Maestra mountains. A clip features Castro's past claim that he would shave his beard if the U.S. lifted the embargo. The hosts call for the aging dictator to finally follow through on the promise.

President Obama announces steps to increase travel and commerce with Cuba, including the use of American credit cards on the island. The hosts note that the U.S. is playing catch-up to Canada, as Canadians have been buying up prime Cuban beach real estate and hotels for years.

New York Times columnist Tom Friedman expressed hope that Vladimir Putin would cut off gas to Europe to trigger a clean-tech revolution similar to the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo. One host counters this by recounting the negative economic impacts of the 1970s energy crisis, arguing it hurt the U.S. auto industry rather than launching a sustainable solar industry.

The hosts criticize alternative media outlets, specifically naming The Verge, for adhering to a White House embargo on the Cybersecurity Executive Order. They argue that holding the document until after the State of the Union address allowed the administration to bury significant policy changes under the cover of the speech.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner joins the push for increased economic sanctions against Syria, targeting the country's oil revenues and central bank transactions. Hillary Clinton asserts that the Syrian currency has collapsed and that only Iranian and Russian support keeps the regime afloat. The hosts highlight the "money grab" aspect of freezing Syrian assets and the role of the "Friends of Syria" working group in Washington D.C.

The 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment, originally passed to pressure the Soviet Union over Jewish emigration, remains a hurdle for US-Russia trade. With Russia set to join the WTO, there is a push to repeal the legislation to allow American companies to compete in the Russian energy market.

The 50th anniversary of the United States embargo against Cuba is noted, highlighting its status as the longest-running embargo in history. The summary cites a United Nations General Assembly vote where 186 nations called for the repeal of the sanctions, with only the United States and Israel voting in opposition. The segment traces the embargo's history from the Kennedy administration through the 1996 Helms-Burton Act.

Analysts on Charlie Rose discussed the "unprecedented" financial war being waged against Iran, including an embargo on oil sales and sanctions on its central bank. A comparison is made to the US oil embargo on Japan prior to Pearl Harbor, suggesting that extreme economic pressure could lead to a violent military response.

UN Ambassador Susan Rice discussed the possibility of a UN "presence on the ground" in Libya following the no-fly zone. The hosts also highlight reports that China may have attempted to sell arms to the Gaddafi regime as late as July, suggesting a deeper conflict between NATO and Chinese interests in the region.

Hillary Clinton suggested that UN Resolution 1973 might "override" previous prohibitions on arms transfers to Libya. The hosts point out that the resolution explicitly forbids the transport of arms into the country. Clinton defended the lack of transparency regarding rebel leaders by citing security concerns in central and western Libya.

During the journalism forum, a question is raised regarding whether any publications paid WikiLeaks for early access to documents. While the New York Times denies a monetary agreement, it is noted that the Wall Street Journal refused a deal that would have required a $100,000 payment for breaking an embargo. The hosts conclude that the entire WikiLeaks operation is a managed mainstream media event.

The timing of the Iraq withdrawal is described as a tactical maneuver to avoid attacks, with mainstream media outlets like MSNBC agreeing to an embargo on the story until the troops were safe. A 2008 campaign clip of Barack Obama is played to contrast his promise of a total troop withdrawal with the reality of 50,000 personnel remaining. The hosts question the definition of "counter-terrorism" as a loophole for continued combat operations.

A prediction is made that the Obama administration will move to lift the trade embargo on Cuba within the next 18 months to open the country for American real estate developers. Media segments highlighting "fond feelings" for Americans among Cubans are interpreted as a propaganda campaign to prepare the public for this shift. The instability in Mexico is cited as a reason to establish Cuba as a safer alternative for American tourists.