Octopus Overlords

Defiant wrote: ↑Mon May 21, 2018 7:54 pm Dennis Ross: The next Mideast explosion: An all-out war between Iran and Israel is approaching, and Trump has no strategy

Pyperkub wrote: ↑Mon May 21, 2018 8:35 pm However, I still feel strongly that if we want peace in the Middle East, and the cessation of Islamic Terror abroad, the ultimate solution is to wean ourselves off of Middle Eastern fossil fuels, and make it so that everyone doesn't need them. If the reserves were worth less than nothing, they money for all of this war (and terrorism) would dry up, IMHO.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said in Vienna, in its first report since the U.S. withdrawal, that Iran continues to stay below the maximum level to which it can enrich uranium and appears to be fulfilling other obligations.

However, the agency criticizes in the report that Iran is slow when it comes to “complementary access” inspections, which are part of the deal.

Holman wrote: ↑Mon May 21, 2018 9:06 pm

Pyperkub wrote: ↑Mon May 21, 2018 8:35 pm However, I still feel strongly that if we want peace in the Middle East, and the cessation of Islamic Terror abroad, the ultimate solution is to wean ourselves off of Middle Eastern fossil fuels, and make it so that everyone doesn't need them. If the reserves were worth less than nothing, they money for all of this war (and terrorism) would dry up, IMHO.

Why do you hate America?

Alefroth wrote: ↑Tue May 08, 2018 2:54 pm It didn't take long to get the email from the Treasury notifying us that the sanctions were snapping back into place.

The Trump administration on Monday moved to reimpose the first round of Iranian trade sanctions that had been suspended under the 2015 nuclear agreement, distancing itself from every other country that signed the agreement and putting the accord’s future in jeopardy.

U.S. officials said the sanctions that have been waived for the past two and a half years will be snapped back officially on Tuesday morning at one minute past midnight.

From that moment on, Iran will be prohibited from using U.S. dollars, the primary currency for international financial transactions and oil purchases. Trade in metals and sales of Iranian-made cars will be banned. Permits allowing the import of Iranian carpets and food, such as pistachios, will be revoked. So will licenses that have allowed Tehran to buy U.S. and European aircraft and parts — a restriction that comes just days after Iran completed the acquisition of five new commercial planes from Europe.

Those who don’t comply could be subject to “severe consequences,” President Trump said in a statement. That was directed at European governments that expressed regret over the U.S. sanctions, and vowed to protect their own companies from legal reprisals by the U.S. government.

European firms that stop doing business with Iran because of reimposed U.S. sanctions could in turn be sanctioned by the E.U., a special adviser to the 28-country bloc's top diplomat has warned.

“If E.U. companies abide by U.S. secondary sanctions they will, in turn, be sanctioned by the E.U.," Nathalie Tocci, an aide to E.U. foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, told Britain’s BBC Radio 4 on Monday night.

She characterized the measures as an attempt to "protect European companies.”

Tocci said the move was "necessary in order to signal, diplomatically, to the Iranians that Europeans are serious" about trying to salvage the Iran nuclear deal.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Tue Aug 07, 2018 3:48 pm It's sanctions all the way down

European firms that stop doing business with Iran because of reimposed U.S. sanctions could in turn be sanctioned by the E.U., a special adviser to the 28-country bloc's top diplomat has warned.

“If E.U. companies abide by U.S. secondary sanctions they will, in turn, be sanctioned by the E.U.," Nathalie Tocci, an aide to E.U. foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, told Britain’s BBC Radio 4 on Monday night.

She characterized the measures as an attempt to "protect European companies.”

Tocci said the move was "necessary in order to signal, diplomatically, to the Iranians that Europeans are serious" about trying to salvage the Iran nuclear deal.

The remaining members in the Iranian nuclear deal say they will set up a new payment system to maintain business with Iran and bypass US sanctions.

The system would facilitate oil companies and businesses to continue trading, without relying on the US-led global market and dollar.

Exactly how the system would work is still being determined.

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump pulled the US from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of action, as the nuclear deal is officially known, was negotiated during the US presidency of Barack Obama.

It saw Iran limit its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini announced the plan after talks at the UN with the remaining members of the accord - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia.

A statement said they were determined to "protect the freedom of their economic operators to pursue legitimate business with Iran".

Iranian infrastructure and strategic networks have come under attack in the last few days by a computer virus similar to Stuxnet but “more violent, more advanced and more sophisticated,” and Israeli officials are refusing to discuss what role, if any, they may have had in the operation, an Israeli TV report said Wednesday.

The report came hours after Israel said its Mossad intelligence agency had thwarted an Iranian murder plot in Denmark, and two days after Iran acknowledged that President Hassan Rouhani’s mobile phone had been bugged.

Iraqi President Barham Salih on Monday rejected a plan floated by President Trump that calls for keeping U.S. forces in Iraq to “watch” neighboring Iran, saying the United States should not burden Iraq with its own “policy priorities.”
...
Speaking at a forum in Baghdad on Monday, Salih said Washington has never sought permission to use Iraq-based forces to monitor Iran and expressed surprise at the idea.

“We will not allow this,” he said, adding that American forces are in Iraq only to assist in the fight against terrorism. “Iraq does not want to be a party or axis to any conflict between multiple countries.”

A former United States Air Force counterintelligence agent was charged with espionage after she defected to Iran and helped it target her former colleagues, the authorities said.

In an extraordinarily detailed indictment made public on Wednesday, prosecutors disclosed that Monica Elfriede Witt, 39, gave the Iranians the code name and mission of a secret Pentagon program involving American intelligence operations.

According to the indictment, she was working with members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The elite paramilitary group is known to carry out terrorist operations around the globe and has been sanctioned by the American government.

Prosecutors described how Ms. Witt provided a copy of her biography and job history in August 2013 to a person with ties to Iran’s intelligence services. That same month, she moved to Iran and, while living there, officials provided her with housing and computer equipment. Prosecutors said that she searched Facebook accounts for Americans and created “target packages” for Iran against American counterintelligence officials.

Prosecutors said that she worked for the Air Force from 1997 until 2008 and then worked as a contractor. As a counterintelligence officer, she was deployed to locations in the Middle East.

She had access to ongoing counterintelligence operations and the true names of intelligence assets and the identities of American officials involved in their recruitment.

The United States moved Monday to list Iran’s elite military Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization as the Trump administration looks for new ways to increase economic and political pressure on the Islamic regime in Tehran.

The designation marks the first time Washington has branded a foreign government entity a terrorist group and came despite warnings from U.S. military and intelligence officials that other nations could use the designation as a precedent against U.S. action abroad.
...
“This action sends a clear message to Tehran that its support for terrorism has serious consequences,” President Trump said in a statement. “We will continue to increase financial pressure and raise the costs on the Iranian regime for its support of terrorist activity until it abandons its malign and outlaw behavior.”

The terrorist designation, which takes effect April 16, will allow the Trump administration to seek criminal penalties against elements of the military agency and foreign officials deemed to be aiding it.

Designating the IRGC, as the sprawling agency is known, a terrorist organization will also allow Washington to ban travel to the United States for individuals associated with the IRGC.

he United States is playing a "very dangerous game" as it attempts to "drag Iran into an unnecessary war," a senior Iranian official said Tuesday.

Hamid Baeidinejad, Iran’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, told reporters here that the Trump administration's deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group, B-52 bombers and other military personnel and equipment to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged, unspecified Iranian threats risked "serious miscalculation."

Baeidinejad denied that Iran or its "proxies" were behind what Washington has described as the possible Iranian-backed "sabotage" of oil tankers in the Gulf belonging to Saudi Arabia, Norway and the United Arab Emirates. On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia said that drones also attacked one of its oil pipelines and other energy infrastructure, an incident that caused global oil price benchmarks to jump.
...
Since last week the Trump administration has been insisting that is has "specific and credible" intelligence indicating Iran or its regional supporters may be preparing attacks against American forces or targets in the region. "It's going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens," Trump said Monday outside the White House.

However, the details of that intelligence remain murky and potentially wrapped up in what seasoned Iran-watchers and security experts believe may be part of attempts by Trump administration hawks to find a pretext for a military conflict with Iran following the president's decision to withdraw from the 2015 landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. The accord was viewed by former President Barack Obama as one his signature foreign policy accomplishments and Trump campaigned on abolishing it.

US investigators believe Iran or groups it supports used explosives to damage four ships off the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, media reports say.

Military experts were reportedly sent to investigate the incident and found a large hole in each of the tankers.

No evidence has emerged to show that Iran was involved. The affected countries are yet to assign blame.

The incident has increased tensions between Iran, which borders the nearby Strait of Hormuz, and the US.

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:04 am Oh Jared... You've not fixed anything over there, have ya.

Remus West wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:08 am If you mean create an opening for tRump to push his agenda (which means create enough drama to get himself reelected) then yes, he has.

Remus West wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:08 am

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:04 am Oh Jared... You've not fixed anything over there, have ya.

Define "fixed". If you mean made the world a safer place, no. If you mean create an opening for tRump to push his agenda (which means create enough drama to get himself reelected) then yes, he has.

Although I wonder if starting a war with Iran would really work out for him as I suspect (hope? Pray?) it would be a deeply unpopular war and may actually motivate some folks to move away from him (not his xenophobic base but maybe a few who otherwise don't mind the shit show).

Octavious wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 10:05 am

Remus West wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:08 am

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:04 am Oh Jared... You've not fixed anything over there, have ya.

Define "fixed". If you mean made the world a safer place, no. If you mean create an opening for tRump to push his agenda (which means create enough drama to get himself reelected) then yes, he has.

Although I wonder if starting a war with Iran would really work out for him as I suspect (hope? Pray?) it would be a deeply unpopular war and may actually motivate some folks to move away from him (not his xenophobic base but maybe a few who otherwise don't mind the shit show).

He starts a war with Iran you will see his approval rating skyrocket. We love killing people. A LOT.

noxiousdog wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 10:17 am

Octavious wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 10:05 am

Remus West wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:08 am

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:04 am Oh Jared... You've not fixed anything over there, have ya.

Define "fixed". If you mean made the world a safer place, no. If you mean create an opening for tRump to push his agenda (which means create enough drama to get himself reelected) then yes, he has.

Although I wonder if starting a war with Iran would really work out for him as I suspect (hope? Pray?) it would be a deeply unpopular war and may actually motivate some folks to move away from him (not his xenophobic base but maybe a few who otherwise don't mind the shit show).

He starts a war with Iran you will see his approval rating skyrocket. We love killing people. A LOT.

Only if he can make Iran the aggressor. Neither Korea nor Veitnam were popular. Even with the more recent Iraq war, Bush only received a small temporary improvement.

Octavious wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 10:05 am

Remus West wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:08 am

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:04 am Oh Jared... You've not fixed anything over there, have ya.

Define "fixed". If you mean made the world a safer place, no. If you mean create an opening for tRump to push his agenda (which means create enough drama to get himself reelected) then yes, he has.

Although I wonder if starting a war with Iran would really work out for him as I suspect (hope? Pray?) it would be a deeply unpopular war and may actually motivate some folks to move away from him (not his xenophobic base but maybe a few who otherwise don't mind the shit show).

He starts a war with Iran you will see his approval rating skyrocket. We love killing people. A LOT.

Octavious wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 10:05 am

Remus West wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:08 am

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:04 am Oh Jared... You've not fixed anything over there, have ya.

Define "fixed". If you mean made the world a safer place, no. If you mean create an opening for tRump to push his agenda (which means create enough drama to get himself reelected) then yes, he has.

Although I wonder if starting a war with Iran would really work out for him as I suspect (hope? Pray?) it would be a deeply unpopular war and may actually motivate some folks to move away from him (not his xenophobic base but maybe a few who otherwise don't mind the shit show).

He starts a war with Iran you will see his approval rating skyrocket. We love killing people. A LOT.

Kraken wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 10:27 am

Octavious wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 10:05 am

Remus West wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:08 am

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 9:04 am Oh Jared... You've not fixed anything over there, have ya.

Define "fixed". If you mean made the world a safer place, no. If you mean create an opening for tRump to push his agenda (which means create enough drama to get himself reelected) then yes, he has.

Although I wonder if starting a war with Iran would really work out for him as I suspect (hope? Pray?) it would be a deeply unpopular war and may actually motivate some folks to move away from him (not his xenophobic base but maybe a few who otherwise don't mind the shit show).

He starts a war with Iran you will see his approval rating skyrocket. We love killing people. A LOT.

There's certain to be a rally-round-the-flag effect, and it might last until the election. Depends on how many body bags come back, and how badly oil prices spike when Iran closes the strait (I've seen estimates of 30%). We only support optional wars if they don't inconvenience us. Add an oil shock to the trade war, and Trump might finally knock the economy down, losing his #1 asset.

When Cheney invaded Iraq, he could cloak his motive in the shadow of 9/11. IDK if the Trumpsters can fool voters into believing that we aren't the aggressor this time, especially with our allies not playing along -- one hopes that Iran doesn't take the bait and provide a pretext. There is also a chance that Congress won't authorize it, if that still matters.

Remus West wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 10:39 am
I'd be shocked if the House voted for it but not so much the Senate.

Dozens of crew members have been rescued after abandoning two oil tankers hit by explosions in the Gulf of Oman.

Ship operators said 21 crew on board the Kokuka Courageous and 23 on the Front Altair had been evacuated.

Iran rescued the 44 after an "accident", state media said, although the cause is unconfirmed. The US Navy said it received two distress calls.

The incident comes a month after four oil tankers were attacked off the UAE.

Oil prices rose as much as 4.5% from a near five-month low following Thursday's incident, Bloomberg reports.

here have been conflicting reports regarding the whereabouts of the 44 crew members evacuated from two tankers targeted in suspected attacks this morning. Here's what we know:

Front Altair crew members are now en route to Iranian port city Bandar Abbas

All 23 crew members aboard the Front Altair tanker were rescued by the Hyundai Dubai, a South Korean cargo ship operating in the area, after explosions sparked a fire on board. According to the Hyundai Dubai, it picked up all sailors by 7:54 a.m. local time, about 74 minutes after receiving the distress call. The crew, comprising 11 Russians, one Georgian and 11 Filipinos, were transferred to an Iranian naval vessel and disembarked at a local Iranian port. They are now believed to be en route to Bandar Abbas port city, according to Frontline, the tanker's owner.

Kokuka Courageous crew rescued by US vessel

All 21 crew members aboard the Kokuka Courageous abandoned the vessel after it was "attacked" twice with "some sort of shell," per the ship's Japanese owner Kokuka Sangyo. The mariners were rescued by a tug boat before being picked up by guided missile destroyer USS Bainbridge, a US defense official told CNN. One of the crew sustained a light injury.

Iranian state media reports Iran Navy assisted in rescue

State-run news agency IRNA has reported that the 44 sailors and crew members on board the two tankers were rescued by the Iranian Navy.