With Khameini the Iranians (and we) have a relatively moderate (or temperate?) leader, one can only guess what happens if the Mujahedin come to power.
Too late to change political attitude towards Iran now anyway. Any foreign threat and sanction is being blamed on Khameini because he's regarded and portrayed as "too weak".

I guess Trump remembered what happened to Bush Jr's ratings after 911. He would love to be a "war president".

Earlier today I saw on the News an interview with some Japanese owner who said

(from my memory)

My crew don't know what hit them, they saw something flying towards them….

When he said those words ASM came into my mind.

Markus

I wonder how many Japanese tankers go in and out of there? Could the JDMF escort them through there? This whole thing is fishy. I have a hard time believing anything at this point.
[LIST=1] Not close enough to the election for a wag the dog scenario. I mean, why do it now?

I thought of a crazy scenario, deep state, rouge military up to no good.

In all seriousness, what would you do if you were Trump?

Nothing, not our ships.
Let the Navy b@tch slap them once or twice. (See Reagan and Libya mid 80s). Would that make it worse? Iran is way more cray cray.

The UK have stated they are firmly with the US on this issue but not surprisingly this terrorist sympathiser who would like the keys to No10 is not convinced https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48645280

well, we're only going to know what we're told they think we should know.



my guess Saudi problems are our problem. Having now a pretty good relationship with iraq next stop, a friendly regime in iran. should somewhat quell the yemen and syrian problems.

Our good friends the Saudis, hmm. Has there been any answer to the Kashoggi murder by bin Salman?

Good article imho:
https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Ha...rrative-592552

OK USA is accusing Iran

Lets look at it in a geopolitical point-of-view

Which countries in the area would gain most in a war between USA and Iran ?

Markus

CNN should send Jim Acosta, and MSNBC should send Rachel Maddow to investigate. :D

Would remove some problems for the two i guess :D

https://i.imgur.com/Hx70fhIl.jpg

For his usual bigmouthed standards, the Donald acts and talks remarkably reluctant.



Could be a sign that they know it was not Iran. Second most likely candidate then would be Saudi Arabia. A rise in oil price would be in the Saudi interest, as well as trying to lure the US back into the region in strength.

In the analytical world we have a Latin Phrase Cui Bono


Which means "who benefits". When evaluating these types of issues, this is one of the first questions we ask ourselves.



1. Who benefits by linking the Iranian government to these incidents?


2. Who is pushing the narrative that the Iranian government is behind these incidents?


Is there a connection between 1 and 2?

Don't forget how long it took to find out what happen to the missing reporter that entered the SA embassy in Turkey that fatefull day. I'm not saying SA did it, but that's how truth works in that part of the world.

Spy agencies that listen to private conversations already know who did it, SOS has pointed his finger at Iran ... Iran is suspected and those that doubt have already been leaning on Iran's siide. :yep:

Who doesn't want Japan involved or mending ties with the U.S. and Iran? A few years ago the New York times ran a headline "For China's Global Ambitions, Iran Is at the Center of Everything.'


targeting oil flow, a jap tanker during a japanese diplomatic visit. China may have orhestrated and sent a message to Russia, Japan and U.S. Stay away from Iran

There is another candidate who haven't been mentioned.

I myself don't believe they are behind, even though they would have the biggest benefit.

They can take on Iran them self if they wanted to, but if they can get a big friend to do the job for them, even better.

The Candidate is Israel.

Markus

Edit:
Forgot something. I'm with Skybird. The best candidate beside Iran is Saudi-Arabia. If it's due to oil-prices I don't know.
I think it has to do with the civil war in Yemen

End of Edit

Totally expected under the present circumstances I suppose.

I doubt Israel would consider such acing. The risk is too high. If it gets unveilled to globla public that Israel is behind it, then the brown stuff hits the fan and its not as if Israel already has so many friends. It would be diplomatic armageddon.

Gulf of Oman tanker attacks: What could be Iran's motive?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-48642401

A plausible scenario
(based on what I have read and heard about the civil war in Yemen)

Iran supporting the(keep on forgetting what they are called-something with hut….) with weapon and if I remember correctly logistic.

Some month ago or so I read Saudi-Arabian navy had been shelling some Harbour in Yemen, who was under (Can't remember what they are called)control.

Could it be that the Iranian Navy have placed some sea mine in the area, to take out the Saudi-Arabian navy or some of their warship, but due to some mistake/failure these mines have drifted away out into the open see where these tankers hit some of them.

Afterward Iran have removed the rest of these mines, as seen on these surveillance videos

Nothing but a plausible scenario

Markus

IIRC the holes (or some) in the ships were above the waterline. :hmmm: