Clinton Tries to Coerce India to Stop Buying Crude Oil From Iran

Susanne Posel, Contributor
Activist Post

Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State is pressuring India to stop purchasing oil from Iran. Clinton is heading a US campaign to place international pressure on countries continuing to conduct business with Iran.

Clinton believes that she can affect India through coercion to “work toward lowering their purchase of Iranian oil.” She spoke to students and civil leaders in Kolkata, India. She stresses that by India doing this, they will save civilians from the tactics Iran is supposedly using to continue their nuclear program.

The US wants India to stop patronizing Iran because their financial support of the Middle Eastern nation is a direct affront to the sanctions the US has placed on Iran.

Clinton is convinced that crude oil is in such abundance in the international marketplace that India can get their needs met there, rather than with Iran. Of course, on the international market, the US would benefit through trade as well as the use of the US dollar as the global reserve currency.

Currently, India is using gold to pay for Iranian oil. The US is financially affected by India’s use of gold as currency, as well as their purchase of Iranian oil despite US sanctions.

India imports an estimated 70% of their crude oil consumption. Prime Minister Mannohan Singh believes that energy security is an imperative for India.

The US is the only country who is being critical of India over their purchase of Iranian oil. Through force in the Persian Gulf, the US, along with the European Union, are making international demands of Iran over their supposed nuclear program. The US, EU and Israel are forging an alliance to force Iran to do their bidding.

“We do not believe Iran would’ve come to the table if there were not sanctions and pressure,” Clinton said today. That’s the “reason why India, China, Japan, European countries who are the primary purchasers of Iranian oil are being asked to lower their supply to pressure Iran.”

Clinton’s presence in New Delihi, India is simply to force India to trade for crude oil on the international market, which is not a request that the US has the right to demand of a sovereign nation. Clinton met with National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon, Manmohan Singh and Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi to use the leverage of financial aid in India by the US if they comply with ceasing financial support of Iran.

“There is more work to be done,” said Clinton about her talks with India’s representatives. It appears her coercion may not be having the desired effect.

This type of coercion is typical of the US in foreign nations. And in the past, has been a very effective negotiation tool.

Clinton brings up Pakistan, al-Qaeda operatives, and threatens terrorist attacks through supposition when speaking with India.

“Saudi Arabia and others are putting more oil into the market,” she said. “India understands the use of diplomacy to resolve this threat and is working towards lowering purchases of Iranian oil… We hope they will do even more. We believe this is part of India’s role in the international community.”

Saudi Arabia is a long-time friend of the US government. They have contractual agreements with the US to provide crude oil to America. Clinton’s suggestion simply unveils the underlying truth that the US wants nations like India to purchase from only US approved countries.

Clinton is travelling to China and Banladesh to speak to leaders about their financial involvement with Iran. On what is billed as peace talks with nations, Clinton’s trip is really about telling other nations to cease financial ties to Iran or else. Clinton suggests (with regard to coercing leaders to support the international markets and not Iran exclusively) that “so I will raise [the] US desire to open markets to multi-brand retail. Enormous experience can be brought to India on supply chain management, on developing relationships with small producers. The benefits may not be immediately perceived.”

Susanne Posel is the Chief Editor of Occupy Corporatism. Our alternative news site is dedicated to reporting the news as it actually happens; not as it is spun by the corporately funded mainstream media. You can find us on our Facebook page .