Here we go. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia claim their oil tankers were attacked in some unspecified way in the Strait of Hormuz. This is reminiscent of the imaginary attack on U.S. Navy ships off the coast of Vietnam that U.S. president Lyndon Baines Johnson used to get Congress to pass a resolution authorizing the U.S. military to "defend" itself, which Johnson used to send an army to Vietnam ultimately totally 550,000 men and wage a massive aerial bombardment campaign against Vietnam carried out by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy carriers, and U.S. Army helicopters.
Whatever happened- if anything- to those tankers this time, it's doubtful that Iran did it. The last thing Iran wants is war with the U.S.
The timing is quite interesting. A year ago Trump trashed the nuclear agreement that had been painstakingly hammered out over years by the Obama regime, Russia, China, France, Germany, and Britain on one side, with Iran on the other, which put Iran's nuclear enrichment program in mothballs for 15 years and required it to dispose of its 20% enriched uranium and heavy water. The Trump regime has been systematically wrecking the Iranian economy with strangling sanctions. Pompeo has repeatedly declared the goal of reducing Iran's oil exports to zero.
Recently the sanctions have been tightened more, with the U.S. declaring that no other nation would be allowed to import Iranian oil, under penalty of U.S. punishment. This applied even to China.
Europe has made empty promises to allow Iran to trade and import normally, but in practice has knuckled under to U.S. sanctions. Because the U.S. controls the world financial system, there is currently no way to conduct international trade that the U.S. bans.
Iran agreed to the deal in return for the lifting of sanctions. Instead the sanctions have gotten worse, while Iran has been fully compliant with the agreement, as verified by 14 inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran finally ran out of patience this month, after a year of this crap, and told the Europeans that they had 60 days to fulfill their promises to find a way for Iran to import good and export oil. The Europeans arrogantly rejected what they called Iran's "ultimatum." Stooges of the U.S. as always. Iran said it would begin by ceasing sale of its enriched uranium and heavy water, and retain them in country.
Saudi Arabia, it's Arabian peninsula lackey oil sheikdoms, and Israel have been trying for years to finagle the U.S. into going to war against Iran and overthrowing the regime. But Iran is not Iraq. It has three times the population, is much larger in land area, and unlike Iraq it has an intact military. It also has allies in the region, especially Hezbollah in Lebanon, which can make problems for Israel.
Just days ago, Israel slipped the U.S. an "intelligence assessment" beating the drum about the Iranian "threat." John Bolton, the fanatical, rabid imperialist whom Trump anointed "National Security Adviser," (who heads the "National Security Council," which brings together the aggressive arms of the U.S. Imperialist state to plot attacks around the world- the Pentagon, CIA, State and Treasury Departments), immediately announced that a carrier battle group and B-52 bombers (giant 8-engine jets that were used to ravage Vietnam) were being sent to counter Iranian "threats." Trump's Secretary of State, the thuggish, vulgar liar Michael Pompeo, also blustered that Iran would pay if it attacked "American interests" (undefined as always) or "our allies." (Guess who? Saudi Arabia and Israel.)
And now we have this "attack" on tankers. Iran immediately issued a statement expressing worry about the alleged incident.
It's such an obvious set-up.
Whatever happened- if anything- to those tankers this time, it's doubtful that Iran did it. The last thing Iran wants is war with the U.S.
The timing is quite interesting. A year ago Trump trashed the nuclear agreement that had been painstakingly hammered out over years by the Obama regime, Russia, China, France, Germany, and Britain on one side, with Iran on the other, which put Iran's nuclear enrichment program in mothballs for 15 years and required it to dispose of its 20% enriched uranium and heavy water. The Trump regime has been systematically wrecking the Iranian economy with strangling sanctions. Pompeo has repeatedly declared the goal of reducing Iran's oil exports to zero.
Recently the sanctions have been tightened more, with the U.S. declaring that no other nation would be allowed to import Iranian oil, under penalty of U.S. punishment. This applied even to China.
Europe has made empty promises to allow Iran to trade and import normally, but in practice has knuckled under to U.S. sanctions. Because the U.S. controls the world financial system, there is currently no way to conduct international trade that the U.S. bans.
Iran agreed to the deal in return for the lifting of sanctions. Instead the sanctions have gotten worse, while Iran has been fully compliant with the agreement, as verified by 14 inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran finally ran out of patience this month, after a year of this crap, and told the Europeans that they had 60 days to fulfill their promises to find a way for Iran to import good and export oil. The Europeans arrogantly rejected what they called Iran's "ultimatum." Stooges of the U.S. as always. Iran said it would begin by ceasing sale of its enriched uranium and heavy water, and retain them in country.
Saudi Arabia, it's Arabian peninsula lackey oil sheikdoms, and Israel have been trying for years to finagle the U.S. into going to war against Iran and overthrowing the regime. But Iran is not Iraq. It has three times the population, is much larger in land area, and unlike Iraq it has an intact military. It also has allies in the region, especially Hezbollah in Lebanon, which can make problems for Israel.
Just days ago, Israel slipped the U.S. an "intelligence assessment" beating the drum about the Iranian "threat." John Bolton, the fanatical, rabid imperialist whom Trump anointed "National Security Adviser," (who heads the "National Security Council," which brings together the aggressive arms of the U.S. Imperialist state to plot attacks around the world- the Pentagon, CIA, State and Treasury Departments), immediately announced that a carrier battle group and B-52 bombers (giant 8-engine jets that were used to ravage Vietnam) were being sent to counter Iranian "threats." Trump's Secretary of State, the thuggish, vulgar liar Michael Pompeo, also blustered that Iran would pay if it attacked "American interests" (undefined as always) or "our allies." (Guess who? Saudi Arabia and Israel.)
And now we have this "attack" on tankers. Iran immediately issued a statement expressing worry about the alleged incident.
It's such an obvious set-up.
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