'Flying Objects' Struck Tanker Operator Says, Not A Mine

The New York Times
'Flying Object' Struck Tanker in Gulf of Oman, Operator Says, Not a Mine


This Tonkin Gulf was entirely predictable. The footage of the alleged Iranian boat removing a mine is likely a psy op. Possibly involving the US or the Saudis or Israelis. Iran has nothing to gain from this. The neocon argument is that they're 'bad' so their actions don't have to make sense. A real contempt for the intelligence of the US public.

 

Given history, events like this deserve much suspicion.

cui bono?

 

I'm really surprised NYT published this story....

 

Iran has engaged in this type of activity before, during the "Tanker War" of 1987-1988. I see no real reason to doubt that it was an Iranian boat that tried to remove the limpet mine. As to motive, Iran is angry
over the sanctions and is striking back. They expect that as long as their activities are relatively restrained they will be able to get away with it. According to Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran expert at the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace, Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khameni is in a difficult position, "If he didn't respond to Trump's provocations, he would risk looking like a paper tiger and projecting weakness. But
if he responds overly aggressive to Trump he potentially destabilizes his own regime. That's why we've seen Iran calibrate its escalation." It makes perfect sense that Iran is making proxy attacks and
mining the tankers. They are letting the World know thtat they are angry over the sanctions, but are trying not to be definately tied to their attacks. As long as there is any doubt about the attacks, they
are safe from military retaliation - while at the same time everyone knows they are really making the attacks and thus they get international credit for defying the US. Remember the Iranian theocrats are
not popular with their people. In 2018 there were repeated anti-government demonstrations and over 7,000 protestors were arrested, 26 protestors were killed by the government, and at least 9 of those
arrested died in police custody. Iran executes more people per capita than any other nation - 507 'official' executions in 2018, compared to 25 in the USA. The Ayatollahs have to look tough to keep
their own people in line.

 

The whole world is on Iran's side except the US and UK and possibly Canada and Australia. The rest of the world is on Iran's side. The US is the country in the wrong and everyone can see it. Iran is doing its payback by making monthly changes to the JCPA which the US has unilaterally reneged on. So far Iran has not created the situation where they can build nukes but if the EU do make good on their promises Iran will eventually. She has no reason to do this attack and every reason not to.

 

The world is interested in Iran's oil, that is where its loyalty lies. Iran has an evil, deceitful regime hated by many of its own people, and which remains in power through repression. As I have
said before, I hope there won't be war, and expect that there won't be. I explained in the above posting that Iran does indeed have reasons for making these attacks, and may need to make
them to maintain its power and creditability. Hopefully, by being exposed in planting the mines, the Iranians will back off. I don't believe the US wants war with Iran and thus has no reason to
fabricate these claims. Iran has falsely accused the US and Israel often in the past and there is no reason to believe anything they say. I have pointed out that the US is not able to occupy
Iran, so a ground war is out of the question, and an air war alone is not likely to resolve anything. Threats are not fighting and, as everyone knows, Trump speaks first and thinks later.
Karim Sadjadpour, mentioned above, said, "There are few actors in the world that have less credibility than Donald Trump and the Iranian regime, so even U.S. allies at the moment
are confused about what happened." Nothing either Trump or Iran says can be taken at face value.

 

Trump has lost the trust of the world by breaking America's word on the Iran deal... it's gonna be hard for our allies to get behind us or believe anything the Trump admin says as they lie so much and their word means nothing to them

maybe Trump should ask Putin, he believes him over US Intelligence agencies

 

You explained what you think. I do not agree with you. The thing about not liking Iran's ruling power is a) not a reason for attacking them and b) yourselves, the US who is keeping it like that. Since you showed the world your word counted for nothing, you, the US, have made the hard liners stronger and in addition to that I heard that what put the Iranians off going for full revolution a few years ago was noticing how the US took advantage of any who did.

Iran is in the right over this and the whole world knows it. She had no reason to pretend to be a terrorist. She is already dealing with the situation in the most appropriate way she believes she can. Two months to sort things out or another step away from the JCPA.

Looks like the UK Government is intending on joining the US in destroying the people of Iran. For them it is to hide from the hell they intend bringing the people of the UK with their No Deal Brexit.

 

[https://twitter.com/timand2037/status/1139740836302733312?s=09

Including the US.

 

"Trump says 'Iran did do it,' as U.S. seeks support on Gulf oil tanker attacks"

https://news.yahoo.com/iran-says-charge-security-strait-043827185.html

Iran responds to Trump's accusations... says "Fake News"

 

Its looking more like it was a drone attack.

 

Psy ops is a real thing.

 

Iran has many enemies, thus their enemies could be trying to get the US to attack Iran and the Trump admin could be believing what they want to believe

the problem is, Iran is not known for being honest, nor is the Trump admin

 

I really can't see what Iran could get out of this. If they get started they will get started.

 

Big liberal government, international banker supporting, neocon history?

 

The US made up that Iraq had WMD's. The US made up it was attacked by Vietnam.
On both occasions it was the US who made up something, to start a war.

 

Sure. Though I was referring more to history in general. This sort of thing usually turns out to be provacateured in some fashion or another.

 

I'm tired of seeing our boys die defending the SWIFT banking system and dollar

 

WW2 was the last war we had any business fighting, and it only happened because we intervened in WW1, which we also had no business in.

 

US has been pushing and bullying Iran into a corner ever since it unilaterally tore up the JCPOA against the wishes of all it's allies and against inspectors who all said Iran was in compliance. Threats and sanctions and more threats.

Now Iran is like a badger pushed into a corner.

If you know anything about Bolton, Pompeo or Abrams, you know exactly where this is going.

How it ends is anyone's guess but as with all US aggression against weaker nations - WATCH OUT FOR UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

The world is getting tired of US bullying, threats and aggression towards weaker nations.

 

Spanish/American war too. Remember the Maine...? It was a contrived excuse for war too......

 

What the Iranian theocrats get out off this is the chance to stay in power. The sanctions are hurting them. They have had to cut back on subsidies to Hezbollah and Syrian militiamen.
If they fail to react to the sanctions they will look weak to their own people, who they keep in check with repression and lies. By ratcheting up the tension with the US with these attacks,
they can divert their people from their other problems and look tough. The Iranian leadership is not popular with many of their people, but if they can get them to hate the US, that makes
it safer for the theocrats. Its all about the Ayatollahs keeping control of the Iranian people. They are playing a dangerous game, but if it keeps them in power the risks are worth it. As
I said before, the US can't make a ground attack, and even if they make air strikes they are not likely to cause enough damage to loosen the Ayatollah's grip on their people.

 

Both holes in the ships side appear to be well above the water line, so it could not have been floating mines.

 

No one said they were floating mines. Limpet mines are attached to the side of a ship. The video shows the Iranians removing an unexploded limpet mine from the hull of a tanker. It
had been placed ABOVE the waterline so the ship would be damaged, not sunk. The sinking of a tanker would be a much bigger international incident, would likely have resulted in deaths.
Iran is not willing to go that far yet.

 

“You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war.”



Newspaper Depiction Of The USS Maine Exploding In Havana Harbor

Frederic Remington, the famous artist who brought to life American images of the west was hired by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst to illustrate the revolution erupting in Cuba. He wrote back to Hearst one day in January 1897:

“Everything is quiet. There is no trouble. There will be no war. I wish to return.”

Hearst sent back a note: “Please remain. You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war.”

When the USS Maine exploded in a harbor in Cuba on the 25th of January 1898, Hearst’s newspapers soon ran a story entitled: “The War Ship Maine was Split in Two by an Enemy’s Secret Infernal Machine”.