Iran Has Resisted Might of US Economic Terrorism: American Analyst

“The West, specifically the US and Britain are not used to resistance to their hegemonic objectives. For years, the USSR was the sole check and balance on the West, with the fall of the USSR, there was a period of 12 years where the West ran rampant, like a school yard bully, while it still does, a resurgent Russia combined with alliances with Iran, China and India has left the West shaken. The rest of the world has taken note by Iran's resistance as well, like Cuba. Iran has denied the US attempts to starve them out and has resisted the full force and might of American economic terrorism. Britain is a ‘has-been’ empire and the United States is an empire in decline that the world no longer fears,” Rodney Martin told Tasnim.

Rodney Martin is a retired Judge and a former Congressional Staffer. He was a Harry S. Trauma Scholar and Lyndon B. Johnson Congressional Fellow. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, Martin has held several US Federal, State and Local positions.

Following is the full text of the interview.

Tasnim: On Thursday, Gibraltar’s government announced it was releasing the supertanker seized by British Marines in the Strait of Gibraltar despite pressure from the US for the vessel’s continued detainment. What is your take on this?

Martin: It is important to understand Gibraltar has no government; it represents one of the last examples of British colonialism. There was no legal right under International Maritime Law for the British to seize the supertanker, to begin with. As with Donald Trump's recent use of Israel to deny two Muslim US Congress members travel into Occupied Palestine, the Trump Administration attempted to use the British Foreign Office to engage in international piracy by holding the supertanker indefinitely. It is important to understand that the United States has absolutely no regard for International Law unless it seeks to exploit it and use it as a pretext and artificial basis for one of its military adventures.  What we see now is the United States expanding its economic terrorism into international piracy.

Tasnim: Following the move by Gibraltar, the US Justice Department issued a warrant for the seizure of the supertanker. What has prompted Washington to move to block the tanker?

Martin: The US Justice Departments’ “warrant” was as laughable in terms of legality, especially Standing & Jurisdiction. It reminds me of the US invasion of Panama, i.e. the extension of US jurisdiction over foreign States, foreign Heads of State, foreign assets, and now an attempt over foreign-flagged maritime shipping. The Trump Administration has rendered the US “Justice” System a mere joke.

Tasnim: Back in June, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) shot down an intruding American spy drone in the country’s southern coastal province of Hormozgan. On July 4, Britain’s naval forces unlawfully seized the Grace 1. On July 21, Iran captured a British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz for violating international maritime regulations. Do you believe that Iran’s active resistance has left arrogant powers desperate and confused?

Martin: The West, specifically the US and Britain are not used to resistance to their hegemonic objectives. For years, the USSR was the sole check and balance on the West, with the fall of the USSR, there was a period of 12 years where the West ran rampant, like a school yard bully, while it still does, a resurgent Russia combined with alliances with Iran, China and India has left the West shaken. The rest of the world has taken note by Iran's resistance as well, like Cuba. Iran has denied the US attempts to starve them out and has resisted the full force and might of American economic terrorism. Britain is a "has-been" Empire and the United States is an Empire in decline that the world no longer fears.

Tasnim: There was no immediate word from Britain or Gibraltar over whether they would act on the warrant. Would they give in to the US pressure?

Martin: Britain has a new Prime Minister who, despite his verbose public presentation, is not strong politically. The British public is very angry over being led into a conflict at the behest of the United States. Britain is not about to go down that path again because Zionist-Neocons like John Bolton and Mike Pompeo want to resurrect the PNAC – Project for a New American Century.  I suspect the British Foreign Office will let this situation go.