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Update: Iraqi court issues arrest warrant for Insurrectionist-in-Chief over killing of paramilitary leader last January


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https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/12/uae-four-merchant-ships-reported-sabotaged

 

One of the two vessels was on its way to be loaded with Saudi crude oil bound for customers in the US, state news agency SPA reported. The attack did not lead to any casualties or an oil spill but caused significant damage to the structures of the two vessels, said Saudi energy minister Khalid al-Falih on Monday.

 

On Sunday, the UAE foreign ministry said four commercial vessels were targeted by “sabotage operations” near its territorial waters but gave no details of the nature of the sabotage. Hours later, Iranian and Lebanese media outlets aired false reports of explosions at a nearby Emirati port.

 

Tensions have risen in the year since Donald Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, restoring American sanctions that have pushed Iran’s economy into crisis. Last week, Iran warned it would begin enriching uranium at higher levels in 60 days if world powers failed to negotiate new terms for the deal.

 

 

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The reported sabotage incident came after the US Maritime Administration warned on Thursday that Iran could target commercial sea traffic.

 

“Since early May, there is an increased possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take action against US and partner interests, including oil production infrastructure, after recently threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz,” the warning read. “Iran or its proxies could respond by targeting commercial vessels, including oil tankers, or US military vessels in the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, or the Persian Gulf.”

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I'm saying it's more likely that the Saudis did this than it is that Iran did this. I can't think of a reason Iran would do this at all, let alone in this climate. The Saudis, on the other hand... 

 

Am I saying that's what I believe this is? No. I think Iranian proxies acting alone are probably the most reasonable explanation. But I honestly trust the Saudis the least in this situation. 

 

 

And our powerbrokers are going all 2003 again. 

 

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11 hours ago, CayceG said:

I'm saying it's more likely that the Saudis did this than it is that Iran did this. I can't think of a reason Iran would do this at all, let alone in this climate. The Saudis, on the other hand... 

 

Am I saying that's what I believe this is? No. I think Iranian proxies acting alone are probably the most reasonable explanation. But I honestly trust the Saudis the least in this situation. 

 

 

And our powerbrokers are going all 2003 again. 

 

 

They will greet us with open arms!

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https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/05/16/politics/donald-trump-iran-john-bolton-mike-pompeo/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F

 

Washington (CNN) — President Donald Trump has become irritated at an emerging impression his hawkish national security advisers are marching him closer to war with Iran despite his isolationist tendencies, according to people familiar with the matter.


Instead, Trump is signaling his intent to speak with the Iranians as tensions rise in the Persian Gulf, and his national security team has taken steps they hope could facilitate a new diplomatic opening.


The likelihood of such an opening appears slim. But Trump has raised concern with the heightened rhetoric, believing a large-scale military intervention with Iran would be devastating to him politically, people familiar with the situation said. The President has told members of his team that starting a new conflict would amount to breaking his campaign promise to wind down foreign entanglements. And he's chafed at suggestions his aides, led by national security adviser John Bolton, are somehow leading him to war.

 

As recently as last week, Trump was calling outside advisers to complain about Bolton, people familiar with the conversations said. Trump is frustrated that Bolton has allowed the Iran situation to reach a point where it seems like armed conflict is a real possibility, but his frustrations with his national security adviser actually began earlier this spring over Venezuela, when a similar dynamic -- Bolton and other aides openly hinting at military options -- caused Trump to warn his team to tamp down the rhetoric.

 

-+

 

"The President is the ultimate decision maker and he's going to take all of the information and intelligence that is given to him and he will make the decision that he thinks is best to keep Americans safe. It's that simple," she told reporters. "There's only one person that was elected to make those decisions and that was the President. He'll be the one that decides."


Even as Trump indicates he wants to cool tensions with Iran, it was his desire to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and ramp up sanctions on Iran -- against the advice of his earlier national security advisers -- that has brought Trump closer to the precipice of conflict with Iran.


Trump has directed aides in recent months to tighten the vises on Iran's economy, believing that he could pressure Iran's leaders to negotiate a better nuclear deal with him. But while that pressure strategy has done damage to Iran's economy, it has done more to back Iran into a corner -- and caused it to lash out -- rather than draw it back to the negotiating table.


Now, Trump is taking more active steps to open diplomatic channels. On Thursday, Trump will meet with the president of the Swiss government in order to try to establish a channel with which he can speak to Iranians as tensions between the country and the US heighten, according to a person familiar with ongoing discussions inside the White House.


Trump will meet with Ueli Maurer, the Swiss government president, at the White House to discuss the nations' relationship and "matters such as Switzerland's role in facilitating diplomatic relations and other international issues," the White House said in a statement

 

---x

 

 

a lot more at the link

 

Trump created this situation and is now trying to find a way out.

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43 minutes ago, 2user1cup said:

The likelihood of such an opening appears slim. But Trump has raised concern with the heightened rhetoric, believing a large-scale military intervention with Iran would be devastating to him politically, people familiar with the situation said. The President has told members of his team that starting a new conflict would amount to breaking his campaign promise to wind down foreign entanglements. 

Trump continues to be smarter than the people around him.

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  • 2 weeks later...
4 minutes ago, RedSoxFan9 said:

https://thegrayzone.com/2018/12/04/pistachio-wars-how-the-resnicks-snack-food-fortune-is-fueling-the-assault-on-iran/

 

the US pistachio industry has been lobbying for war against Iran because Iranian pistachios are their main rival 

lol that's like going to war against Mexico because their tortillas are our main Tortilla rival.

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13 hours ago, CayceG said:

The Resniks are one of the worst families in the United States. 

 

I used to buy alcohol for one of their granddaughters in college, which is how this picture came to pass (Lynda Resnick is back middle):

 

6ZM0TkW.jpg

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