strength is its currency. when barack obama became president, you could buy 9,700 rials with one dollar. since then the dollar has appreciated 60% against the rial, meaning this week you could buy 15,600 rials with one dollar. iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad told his parliament recently that the latest sanctions were the heaviest economic onslaught on a nation in history. the iranian government s reaction to the prospects of sanctions that could hit hits ol exports shows its desperation. they blocked the strait of horm hormuz, saying it s as easy as drinking a glass of water. but the guards backtracked explaining that iran has no intention of blocking the straits. frankly it would be mad tons do so because iran would suffer more than any other country. blocking the straits would result in a near shutdown of
we have a great show for you today. i was asking myself whom would i like to hear from about the ups and downs this crazy republican race. my answer was alan simpson, the former republican senator from wyoming, legendary for his frankness and wit. of course, we ll also talk it america s fiscal future because he is the simpson of simpson-bowles. next up, i ll talk to a scholar and former pentagon official about the administration s dramatic plan to cut the pentagon budget. is it too much, too little, or is it the goldie locks budget? then, the west and iran are headed toward a serious showdown. what happens next? will oil spike to $150 a barrel? what is the end game here? we have four top experts to guide us through. also, we ll tell you the real reason china is revamping most of its television shows. it s not to get better ratings. my take this week is on iran. you ll hear from others on this later, but i ll go first. there s not much foreign policy talk on the campai
administration s dramatic plan to cut the pentagon budget. is it too much, too little, or is it the goldie locks budget? then, the west and iran are headed toward a serious showdown. what happens next? will oil spike to $150 a barrel? what is the end game here? we have four top experts to guide us through. also, we ll tell you the real reason china is revamping most of its television shows. it s not to get better ratings. my take this week is on iran. you ll hear from others on this later, but i ll go first. there s not much foreign policy talk on the campaign trail, as you probably noticed, except for one issue. everyone is talking about iran s new strength and assertiveness, its missile tests, its progress on the nuclear program, its moves in iraq. mitt romney, the republican front-runner, describes iran as the greatest threat the world faces over the next decade. in fact, the real story on the ground is that iran is weak and getting weaker. sanctions have pushed the
strength is its currency. when barack obama became president, you could buy 9,700 rials with one dollar. since then the dollar has appreciated 60% against the rial, meaning this week you could buy 15,600 rials with one dollar. iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad told his parliament recently that the latest sanctions were the heaviest economic onslaught on a nation in history. the iranian government s reaction to the prospects of sanctions that could hit its oil exports shows its desperation. first one of its admirals threatened to block the strait of hormuz, saying it would be as easy as drinking a glass of water. but a senior commander of the revolutionary guard, iran s power source, quickly backtracked, explaining that iran has no intention of blocking the straits.