[Porsche-O-Phile]

Iran can continue to just pipe oil (via pipeline) to China. If memory serves, they signed a HUGE exclusive rights deal with the Chinese about two years ago. Probably more than enough to sustain them for a good while revenue-wise.

Do you honestly think the U.S. or Israelis would be stupid enough to blow up the pipeline to China and risk dragging a billion pissed off Chinese into this? Doubt it.

Point is - Iran is NOT Iraq. Any action in Iran other than an "instant" cruise missile & stealth airstrike would be met with pretty heavy resistance. ANY action will have pretty significant ramificaitons including a polarization of certain aspects of the Muslim world against Israel and the U.S. (nothin' new there I suppose, but certain groups that are "on the edge" could likely fall over into full-blown violent extremists). There will undoubtedly be retaliation against U.S. troops in Iraq (perhaps Iran would use it as an excuse for full-blown invasion?) There will DEFINITELY be an impact on oil prices.

Yes, Iran cannot "cut off its nose to spite its face" by shutting off the tap forever, but it can most certainly redistribute its product to countries like China and India and say "F.U." to the entire west - and probably still do pretty well for itself.