Thursday, June 28, 2007

Not Just Gasoline Crisis, A Leadership Crisis

The consequences of imprudent and sophomoric policymaking by Iranian leaders are tragically displayed at gasoline stations throughout the country. The world’s fourth biggest oil producer does not have enough refineries to bring gasoline to the stations.

It has been apparent to all concerned except to the leadership and the government of the Islamic Republic that a country that is challenging the most powerful forces on earth should have prepared itself for a coming gasoline crisis. Instead they have squandered the Oil Stabilization Fund reserves on importing $10 billion worth of gasoline a year.

Today, a legislation introduced in the US Congress would make the life for the Iranian leaders even more difficult. Effective January 1, 2008, any company selling gasoline to Iran will not be able to sell gasoline in the US market. Considering the US market for gasoline is the largest in the world, not many companies regardless of their nationality would want to break that law.

People’s discontent is not just a demonstration of anger for being unable to fill in their cars, but a frustration with a leadership who can not get their acts together. The new Iran, in this new century, indeed needs a new leadership.

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