Pompeo Says Intelligence Points to Iran in Tanker Attack in Gulf of Oman

[DonViejo]

Source: The New York Times



By Edward Wong
June 13, 2019

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that intelligence reviewed by American officials showed that Iran was responsible for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, a critical waterway for the transit of much of the world’s petroleum.

Mr. Pompeo did not present any evidence of Iran’s involvement when announcing the findings at a news conference in Washington. The assertion is certain to fuel tensions between the Trump administration and Iranian leaders that have increased since early May, when the White House announced military movements in response to what American officials have said is a heightened threat from Iran.

Mr. Pompeo said the sabotage against the two tankers was only the latest in a series of recent violent acts by Iran.

“Taken as a whole, these unprovoked attacks present a clear threat to international peace and security,” he said.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/13/us/politics/oil-tanker-attack-pompeo.html

[zipplewrath]

1. Gulf of Tonkin

Something familiar about this whole affair.

Mr. Pompeo did not present any evidence of Iran’s involvement

[SCVDem]

13. That was my first thought!

These warmongers aren't even original!

[Midnight Writer]

14. Remember the Maine!

The classics never die.

[Lonestarblue]

17. Because there is no evidence.

Such an attack is not in Iran’s best interests, but it sure does further the Trump/Bolton plan to declare war on Iran. I doubt the US military was behind the attack, but I would not be surprised to learn that the Trump administration instigated the attack through a third party.

[Ghost Dog]

20. Pompeo and Bolton support (and are paid by) Saudi-supported MEK terrorists:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=12186323

[Zambero]

23. Yellowcake Uranium!

No wait, that lie has already been cashed in.

[Novice Patriot]

41. The ole yellow cake line.

Yea but Doesn’t Pompeo have the artist license to create a new twist in a fictional story? Perhaps something like Yellow Cake inside Aluminum Tubes?

[samnsara]

2. can we believe him?

[Cartaphelius]

4. LOL? Can we believe him?

No insult intended but did you just fall from a turnip truck?

Or were you pushed?

[rurallib]

9. Every bit as much as anything that comes from this administration

on a scale of credibility of 1 to 100 this rates a 0

[Haggis for Breakfast]

39. Credibility ? From THIS administration ?

Intelligence pointed to it, Mike ?

Intelligence also pointed to the Russians for interfering with out elections.

Intelligence revealed trumpie to be a lying scumbug.

But THIS intelligence, you'll listen to . . . .

This administration has NO credibility. On ANY topic.

[NoMoreRepugs]

3. Fastening my tinfoil hat and calling "BULLSHIT" - tRumpy administration and false flag operations

seems like such a natural fit.

[Cattledog]

5. Fake news.

[Midnight Writer]

6. But Mr. President. You told us our Intelligence agencies were lying warmongering traitors.

[rurallib]

7. What a surprise!

Did anyone see Bolton's hand up this puppet's ass?

[Ford_Prefect]

24. Pompeo is just as bat-shit crazy over invading Iran as Bolton.

He's one of the Xian true believers on this along with Bolton and the Neo-cons.

They will do anything the Saudis and Qataris ask (along with Bibi).

[C_U_L8R]

8. Why would they? Really.

This just serves Trump’s mad need for a war.

[Lint Head]

10. Wait! Look at this shiney object over here.

I imagine all of us patriotic Americans need to join together behind our Orange Lord and Savior to protect us from our evil enemies and forget about the king's ass kissing of our other evil enemies.

[htuttle]

11. Why don't we ask Putin, and see what he thinks?

After all, we don't trust our own intelligence community anymore. according to Trump.

[Maine-i-acs]

12. Can solve a tanker bombing in hours but no definite outcome on Kashoggi's murder.

bloody fingerprints all over the Gulf (again)

[Ligyron]

15. So when do we attack?

Make sure you video it good! That's the best thing about our attacks, right? Well, that and putting Impeachment on page 2.

Jesus H. Christy on a Popsicle stick.

[BeyondGeography]

16. Wag that doggie!

While we take our sweet time on impeachment. That way, we can be accused of all sorts of horrible things that you couldn’t have accused us of otherwise had we pulled the trigger already.

[Solly Mack]

18. So, the corrupt intelligence - per Trump - agencies told them it was Iran?

Because Trump claims they're corrupt all the time.

[padah513]

19. The Japanese Prime Minister was there.

Why would Iran attack Japanese tankers while Shinzo Abe was there visiting? Answer: They wouldn't.

[customerserviceguy]

38. They want to intimidate Japan

That's what I think is the reason. It's in the same vein as "We don't intend to have nuclear weapons, but America can do nothing to stop us from doing so." Combine that with the tanker incidents, and you have some serious shit to scare Japan with.

[Skittles]

42. are you in the shape of a pretzel yet?

[customerserviceguy]

43. Nope

I just understand that Japan can be intimidated, and that the religious leaders of Iran know that.

[Skittles]

44. LOLOL

..............alrighty then

[customerserviceguy]

45. What's the most aggressive action

that Japan has taken since the end of WWII? Maybe a bit of hand-wringing over North Korean missiles, but I can't think of anything else, can you?

[Demon Dem]

21. Pompous Pompeo's Perfidious Put-Ons

Next up: Iran has Weapons of Mass Destruction!!!

[McKim]

22. Pompeo has No Crdibility!

Pompeo and his Neocon Fanatic friends have no credibility! The NY Times is having us on again. Quick, send in Judith Miller and MIchael Gordon to get a war going! This is really frightening.
Time to hit the streets. I for one will not stand by!

[GulfCoast66]

25. But it's not gonna work this time.

I held my breath and went over to Freeperville to see what they were saying.

Most are convinced it’s a false flag operation. The main suspects are:

The Saudis(which is actually reasonable)
George Soros
John Kerry

No one outside of the bat shit crazy Christians want war with Iran.

I’ve been pretty vociferous in my opposition to impeachment because he will never be convicted. If he attacks Iran, that paradigm may change.

[Sapient Donkey]

35. George Soros and John Kerry? WTF is the "logic" behind those theories?

Now I have to go read this out of morbid curiosity.

[GulfCoast66]

36. Don't blame me!!

I tried to take the pain for you.

The hatred over there is astounding. And they are pretty much 100% are proud Christians.

[area51]

26. This administration lies all the time.

Trump must be really scared of his reelection chances.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

27. How conveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeenient.

[Hekate]

28. How do you spell that? T-O-N-K-I-N?

[Crazyleftie]

29. Remember the USS Liberty that was attacked by Israel

in an attempt to get the US involved in their war......

Any number of mideast actors would love to start a war with Iran....Israel and Saudi Arabia are 1 and 2 on this list

[duforsure]

30. I don't believe him

And it looks like another set up by trump and Putin to go after Irans oil.

[walkingman]

31. You cannot believe a thing coming out of this administrations mouth.

[dalton99a]

32. Well, we need higher gas prices

for Putin and the Saudis

Just watch

[Sapient Donkey]

33. I have a hard time just taking their word for it.

I won't say it's all BS and Iran had nothing to do with it (I don't trust them either), but let's see some evidence of Iran's involvement.

I also worry about the possibility that even if there are things that point toward Iran being responsible, that some other country/group set it up to look as such hoping to get this bunch of idiots to attack Iran. And since they are so hell bent on wanting an excuse to do it, they will ignore all signs and intelligence that points to it not being what it may appear to be.

I really wish we had some rational people in charge right now.

[Achilleaze]

34. Remember the KGOPee republican Oil Tanker Fake Fiasco, Inc. !!!!

Will be the battle cry of the republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief as he divertingly leads his loyal worshipers in the Next Phase of the KristoFascist PRELUDE TO ARMAGEDDON (and massive short term profiiteering), Inc. (R)

[kwassa]

37. Would Pompeo recognize intelligence if he saw it?

[ripcord]

40. I heard an intersting theory that it could have been people supportive of Palestine

They are worried about Iran, and by connection Syria, becoming too close to the West and possibly making concessions that could concern them.

[Skittles]

46. more like his war hard-on is pointing that way

[DeltaLitProf]

47. This alone won't do it for Trump

I think this was a trial balloon to see how his base reacts to this kind of evidence against Iran.

The NYTimes does establish that the boat in the video does match Iranian patrol boats, down to the model, the placement of anti-aircraft guns, the chevron on the front. https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/middleeast/100000006558872/iran-tanker-video.html?searchResultPosition=12

But because those of us who aren't Trumpies know of such things as "Deep Fakes," in which peoples' faces in videos can be made to appear to be someone else and because of Trump's 10,000 lies and because of Saudi Arabia's own interest in the US joining the conflict against Iran, we can't believe these kinds of clips. Besides all that, can you just remove a mine attached to a tanker like that by hand without danger?

In addition, the Japanese owner of the vessel in the video said his crew doesn't believe the attack occurred from a mine but from a flying object. Strange that he didn't say missile or weapons fire.

Any attack from the US on Iran now would be viewed by most rational people as a reach toward the war Trump needs to turn his approval ratings around. But what does his base say? That's what's going to tell the tale of what he does next.

[Blue_Tires]

48. I thought Donnie said his intelligence services were all bad

and were not to be trusted, ever??