GERMANY PAYS THE PRICE – AT 2:15 P.M. ET:  No European country has moved closer to Iran than Germany.  Berlin has been making a mint in trade with the world's largest sponsor of terrorism.  Now it is starting to pay the price.  It's once-flourishing trade with Saudi Arabia, an enemy of Iran, is falling apart.  From Don Surber: 

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is deeply offended by Chancellor Merkel's support of the terrorist-exporting state of Iran, Der Spiegel reported. The Saudis are not doing business with Germany.

That is not all.

"Riyadh withdrew its ambassador from Germany and he still hasn't returned," Der Spiegel reported.

Germany's Saudi exports topped $7 billion last year.

"Some 800 German companies are active in the country, and 200 have offices in Saudi Arabia with a total of 40,000 employees," Der Spiegel reported.

Old Europe's embrace of Iran has consequences. I believe the anti-Semitism inherent in socialism has much to do with this enabling of Iranist terrorism through Hamas and the like.

At any rate, the new leadership in Saudi Arabia, which supports Israel, will have none of this.

Which side are we on?

U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grennell tweeted on May 8, "As @realDonaldTrump said, US sanctions will target critical sectors of Iran’s economy. German companies doing business in Iran should wind down operations immediately."

Germans can trade with Iran or Saudi Arabia, but they no longer can do both.

COMMENT:   Germany has acted very badly in the last few years, and has treated President Trump with contempt.  Germany led European nations in whining over Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, fearing that their commercial transactions might be disrupted.  It's always about the money.

Now Germany, which has also accepted an enormous stream of refugees from the Mideast, must decide whether to go with the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel on Iran policy, or with Iran itself, where many German companies have set up shop.  Don't be so sure of the outcome.  If the trade with Iran is larger than the trade with Saudi Arabia, which is likely, Germany might well have its second capital in Tehran. 

May 27, 2018