The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) certainly looks like a contrarian organisation of authoritarian countries in opposition to NATO and other US allies (Japan, Australia, Israel etc).

As well as being a powerful collection of oil producers SCO is strong in tems of Russian and (to a lesser extent) Chinese nuclear weapons and conventional military forces.

Future SCO backing of Iran would add to SCO's oil power and a nuclear Iran could also act as SCO's regional agent facing down the power of Israel.

For "amateur sigint" data I've collected concerning Iran's nuclear weapon interests see http://gentleseas.blogspot.com.au/2010/08/iranian-googling-and-amateur-sigint.html .

It remains to be seen whether a strengthened SCO might form fertile ground for a neo-Cold War/bipolar world.

Certainly the US Romney Republicans approaching the November Presidential Elections would stand to gain from kicking the Russian/SCO can.

Pete

I must congratulate OLO for publishing such an honest article.Many are now starting to wake up and not believe our corporate media lies.

It seems the Bilderberg Group ie BMIC ( Banking Military Industrial Complex) has endorsed Mitt Romney to be next president.Romney will be more pro war and try and take on both Syria and Iran.The BMIC have started something they cannot finish.They have stirred both Russia and China who will not back down.

It only takes one nut job with a finger on a button, to precipitate a war of nuclear reprisals, with enough bombs to destroy the world 40 times over.
Oil rich Iran may seem to be getting a sympathetic hearing from expansionary Russia and China?
But it may well find itself very much alone and outcast if it tries to join them as a nuclear armed partner?
But particularly, if the west is smart enough to entirely divest itself from any future reliance on Middle East or Russian oil or gas supplies.
Be the alternatives obtained by conventional means or new endlessly sustainable alternatives. I would plump for the latter, given they will never ever run out?
Rhrosty.

Even better there a safer types of nuclear reactor http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf06.html .

These offer electrical energy on those windless, winter nights (no windpower or solar) when the wealthy Greens wonder why normal folk (who have children) are shivering :)

Planta

Juan Cole on his Informed Comment website recently published a map showing US bases surrounding Iran. Couple that with the ever belligerent comments of Hilary Clinton, the passage of pro-war resolutions against Iran in the US Congress last week; cyber attacks originating in Tel Aviv; the assassination of nuclear scientists; US support for terrorist organisations such as MEK and Jundallah; the wholly unwarranted sanctions regime against Iran; the constant threats and war preparation by Israel; to mention just a few, it is hardly surprising that Iran should seek friends and allies from the SCO.

Two NIE reports concluded unanimously that Iran did not have a nuclear weapons program, yet the propaganda war continues unabated. I do not think that the evidence supports the view that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon, but in the light of the above who could be surprised if they did.

It seems impossible to ever get the Australian media or politicians to discuss how it is OK for Israel, a non-signatory to the non-proliferation treaty, to be heavily nuclear armed, and with a long history of attacking its neighbours and occupying their land in defiance of the World Court, the UN General Assembly and the overwhelming weight of world opinion, but not OK for anyone else to take (possible) steps to protect themselves from endless threats of impending attack.

You are spot on James O'Neill.Either our planet wakes up and enters a new Renaissance of human consciousness or we all go to hell in a hand basket of nuclear conflagration.

The elites in the West have ruled with deception and oppression for far too long.They have now painted themselves into a corner with Russia/China smelling their cowardice and weakness.Their psychopathic mentality however,makes them extremely dangerous both to all humanity and themselves.