Gulf attack

Does appear that way, they are all slowly finding convenient excuses to send forces into the region.

The two latest explosions, unclear at the moment what caused them everything from mines to torpedoes have been mentioned. More likely a time delayed explosive than an actual torpedo I would have thought as that infers an attack vessel of some kind being in range to release one and a sea mine would be too indiscriminate.

But yes this ramping up of tensions plays very nicely into their hands to liberate the molecules of freedom they have.

Oh well, more cheap Gulf Sardines (in oil).

Can’t we put the American and Iranian hawks on a field with medieval weapons to send each other to their perceived heaven?

A vain and dysfunctional President opposing mullahs who think they’re going to paradise in a holy war. Not a good combination.

Less widely published were the explosions on Iranian tankers in an Iranian port. Independent analysts believe both sides are doing this possibly Israelis attacking Iranian vessels or likely the Saudis. It's two sided anyway.

There's a us video purporting to show the Iranian republican guard vessel with personnel removing an unexploded limpet mine from the Japanese vessel.

Targeting a japanese vessel 3 hours after a diplomatic visit by the Japanese pm (to deliver a message from us I heard the rumours were) to the supreme leader is classic case of giving them their answer publicly.

There's a view that the Iranian government don't know the details of this operation. It could be the supreme leader ordering his own troops to do the attacks. The Iranian government apparently has been kept out of decisions before. Their fm for example wasn't allowed into one meeting but a rep guard general was. Supreme leader and his cohorts could be the ones behind it.

Of course this is all speculation by people who claim expertise and insight into these matters. So probably all wrong. Let's just say both sides are not innocent and we're potentially going to be dragged into the conflict that is possibly on its way.

No doubt this f@ckwit is in on it https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qasem_Soleimani

He’s a nasty bit of work.

Lagrange wrote:

sungod wrote:

but imo if the usa hadn't gone into a spiteful sulk after the iranian revolution ousted it's puppet, and had spent less time propping up oppressive regimes, iran and the gulf as a whole would be a better place today

... improbable - the Gulf has sectarianism - Sunni vs Shia irrespective of the US or other external involvement. This is why the US should allow the Saudi (Sunni) to deal with Iran (Shia), sell them the weapons to achieve this and appease Israel by not supplying WMD. Whilst the Saudis are so motivated, America are uninterested - the Middle East is Europe's backyard not theirs. On the other hand Iran exercises influence over Hezbolah thus Hamas and the rest of the basket and these are a threat to the USA. In the various Palestinian conflicts Iran have got Hezbolah to tone it down ( a bit) knowing that wazzing off Israel is not good for them - by extension.

The US (and Israel) have got it right on Iran's nuclear intentions and we need to get involved in that too.

Oh yes, we need to blow up all of China too.

And the other elephants in your room..?

Pinno wrote:

Tangled Metal wrote:

Let's just say both sides are not innocent and we're potentially going to be dragged into the conflict that is possibly on its way.

Won't Trump see it as a perfect opportunity to swoop in and solve the situation and look like a hero?
He hasn't the wherewithal for any other route.

He needs Japan on side, surely?

It's his big chance to win his spurs, certainly.

He hasn't fixed Yemen, though:

Yemen's Houthi rebels hit Saudi facility with 'cruise missile'
Attack by rebel group on facility in southern province of Jizan the latest in string of attacks on Saudi targets.

The Houthis have been at war with a Saudi-UAE led military coalition in Yemen since 2015, when the latter launched a massive air campaign aimed at reinstalling the internationally-recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was earlier toppled by the Houthis.

It was good to see that UK courts are not helping Trump's friends: 'Historic' UK decision outlaws arms sales for Saudi war on Yemen
British weapons, particularly aircraft and missiles, are crucial to Saudi Arabia's war effort in Yemen.

How long that will last once Trump's toady gets into number 10 we shall see..

john80 wrote:

Trump needs a war to get reelected. He is merely following the standard playbook likely with disastrous consequences.

Let's hope he doesn't go for the Falklands.

Not sure I believe in the cyber attack story. That kind of activity must be constant, they don't just wake up one morning and think "Why don't I hack the Iranians for a change with my new raspberry-pi".

Step83 wrote:

Robert88 wrote:

john80 wrote:

Trump needs a war to get reelected. He is merely following the standard playbook likely with disastrous consequences.

Let's hope he doesn't go for the Falklands.

Not sure I believe in the cyber attack story. That kind of activity must be constant, they don't just wake up one morning and think "Why don't I hack the Iranians for a change with my new raspberry-pi".

No thats someone else leaving one in JPL.

The cyber attacks are interesting as they only seem to pop up when needed, like when they want to make a country out to be a bad guy, they suddenly reveal they are under constant cyber attack from country X so its all posturing and puff to make things appear more intense. They may or may not have hacked the missile systems, they are likely to have just been actively jamming them.

An if hes not going to get involved in foreign wars, maybe we can hope for a second Civil War?

Yes We Can. Check out what's happening in Oregon:

https://twitter.com/PatDooris/status/11 ... 7574684673

Pinno wrote:

Slowmart wrote:

Can’t we put the American and Iranian hawks on a field with medieval weapons to send each other to their perceived heaven?

A vain and dysfunctional President opposing mullahs who think they’re going to paradise in a holy war. Not a good combination.

Just wait until Boris is PM.

I mean he was brilliant at playing foreign seketary wasn't he?

Now is his chance to shine:

Iran tanker row: US requests detention of Grace 1 in Gibraltar

The last-minute effort by the US Justice Department has certainly muddied the waters, raising more questions.

What grounds do they have for seeking to seize the vessel? And crucially how much co-ordination if any was there between the US, Britain and Gibraltar.

Or did Washington's request come out of the blue?

Clearly Johnson can now demonstrate he is no Washington Poodle.

It isn't over until..?

US issues warrant to seize Iranian oil tanker Grace 1

"The big question is will the British government help the US by seizing this ship, will Interpol be involved or will the US government try to seize that ship,"

The skipper:

"He doesn't want to stay in command of the ship, he wants to go home"

Iran:

"Iranian officials said the tanker was preparing to set sail under an Iranian flag after its registration was switched from Panama and would be renamed the Adrian Darya for the voyage."