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Japanese tanker hit in Gulf attacks heads to port

32 Comments
By Shatha Yaish and Gregory Walton

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32 Comments
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Act of war against Japan, either Saudi Arabia or Iran did it.

They know Japan is weak, they would not dare attack a British, Indian or American flagged ship.

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

Attacking those little Iranian boats is going to be like using a bazooka to kill flies.

Before Trump wades too far out into the pool of quicksand, he needs to ask himself if this is a fight he really wants and if this is a fight which can be truly won (and at what cost).

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Everyone knows unlike Past US Presidents, Trump has always opposed middle eastern wars, and made quick work of ISIL.

He even parted ways with Mad dog over keeping troops in Syria. Trump is not interested in war. But, he is not interested in fake deals like the Obama deal.

In the end, this was a Japanese tanker, a Japanese problem. Trump doesn’t need to do anything. It was a slap on Abe’s face. He was in Tehran when it happened

-13 ( +3 / -16 )

This has deep state written all over it. Traitors within traitors acting for interests we know not the names of.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Make that Double-Deep State (DDS).

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

Imagine, Japan PM Shinzo Abe has just left Iran & this happens to a Japanese tanker!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I just don't see what Iran would gain by doing this.

On the other hand we've got Netanyahu, Saudi Crown Prince MBS, UAE Crown Prince MBZ, and John Bolton all itching for a reason to attack Iran.

In any case, none of this would have happened if Trump hadn't walked away from the nuclear accord.

8 ( +13 / -5 )

Iran believe the Mufti is on their side. Their total disrespect for Abe and Japan is palatable

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

False flag. Why would Iran choose to attack a Japanese tanker when Japan is a large importer of Iranian oil and why do this when Abe is in Japan?

I know Iran has its issues but this one stinks of Gulf of Tonkin

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Al-Jazeera just did a piece about this on both pro- and anti-Iran sides trolling

"US-Iran debates: Fake writers and state-funded trolling - Tax-funded smears & a fake activist: worrying twists in the US-Iran propaganda war."

As the Trump administration continues with its hawkish talk on Iran, we need to look at how that story is being crafted and by whom: Heshmat Alavi was once cited by the White House as a credible commentator on Iran. Shame he doesn't exist.

It turns out he is a fictional persona reportedly created by the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), a shadowy group opposed to the Iranian government and supported by Washington.

Then there is the Iran Disinformation Project funded entirely by the American taxpayer, ostensibly to counter Iranian propaganda, it trolls and sometimes smears Iranian-American commentators and journalists online.

And the government in Tehran is no innocent player in all this. It also tries to engineer what gets said and read online.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Let's be sure to put Don Jr, Eric and Jared on the first wave to hit the beaches.  

In October 2012 Our Dear Leader Tweeted this:

Don't let Obama play the Iran card in order to start a war in order to get re-elected-be careful Republicans!

Oh the irony of it all.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

@Tokyo-Engr

I know Iran has its issues but this one stinks of Gulf of Tonkin

I don’t think we need to look any farther than money.

Iran has a lot to gain monetarily by staging incidents that make the oil market jittery. It’s got allies like Corbyn doing their best to keep the US out. That won’t require much anyway as a war will only make matters worse. The timing with the Abe visit was perfect: “Do you see how easily we (Iran) could disrupt the flow of oil?”

This is the state use of terror to extort money from the industrial world.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Remember, the United States of America under Trump is now the largest oil producer and one of the larger exporter in the world.

So, this whole drama is great for the United States income.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

There is no indication that the Japanese tanker was actually registered in Japan. Most Japanese international trading vessels (Tankers incliuded) are registered in FOC countries and have "Foreign" crews from countries such as the Philippines.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

What has been Iran's position on what their boat was doing there? Just trying to help out by removing the mine under the cover of darkness and with no need for thanks?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

A Japanese tanker, one of two vessels attacked in sensitive Gulf waters this week, was heading to port Saturday, its owners said.

What about the other vessel? Has the Iranian guard allowed the tugs to begin towing it towards a port? What about the crew that is being held hostage by Iran? When will they be released?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

So, this whole drama is great for the United States income.

And Russian.

And the other oil and gas producers who have the world by the throat.

And whose pollution is causing throats around the globe to choke.

As long as those running things continue to keep the fossil fuel producers in power,

as long as alternatives to burning so much oil, gas and coal are limited - the globe is screwed.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Burning BushToday  07:18 am JST

In the Zapruder film had better quality resolution than this grainy b&w video.

They used to put effort into propaganda, these days it's comically inept.

3( +8 / -5 )

You do not understand, the video is not shot with 4 K movie Camera, its shot using highly sophisticated phased aperture arrays, that construct images from microwaves using sophisticated super computers. They can see through storms, and from satellite or an aegis system miles away. There is not an inch of Iran not being watched...

6 ( +6 / -0 )

What's to be gained from a War with Iran ? And would there be any clear winners ?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

mmwkdwToday  01:45 pm JST

What's to be gained from a War with Iran ? And would there be any clear winners ?

Iran signed its death warrant back in 1979 when they held Americans hostage in their own embassy, (sovereign US territory) and consequently all the Americans they have killed. Its only a matter of time before it all comes to an end. They have had their run.

Meanwhile, what is the Norwegian and Japanese Navies going to do?

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

 its shot using highly sophisticated phased aperture arrays, that construct images from microwaves using sophisticated super computers

I am guessing it's a SWIR system, because of low light, long range large aperture, through cloud & fog etc. You can actually see that image exposure never changes, but occasionally, the array dropped out.

Still, IMHO, rather good vid, if you consider that tge one camera is probably covering the entire Gulf.

BTW, there's a lot conspuracy theorists here, no point arguing with stuff people make up.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

@ndwariga

Meanwhile, what is the Norwegian and Japanese Navies going to do?

Nothing. These tankers were not Norwegian- or Japanese-flagged.

Interesting to note this: "Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said an "international consensus" was needed to resolve the situation". What does it mean? In means the U.S. failed to hoard its satellites into any support of its planned military action against Iran. Colin Powell's vial was a mediocre success in 2003, this video was a complete failure.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

What the administration is saying is, higher oil prices are good for THE United States, we will not come to your defense, it’s time to start buying more of our oil, while we squeeze the Mullahs.

But if the Mullah are stupid enough to attack a US or English asset, it’s over for them.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I really have no idea what to think of this. Iran's no angel, but I don't trust Bolton.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Japanese owned ships fly the Japanese flag but the crews are Filipino

The Kokuka Courageous flies the Panamian flag, its port of registry Panama.

I watched this video several times and I have only one question: what I am looking at? This video can be described in this way - somebody somewhere doing something some time ago. Could it be Iranians? Sure. But also it can be Colombian drug traffickers. Or Chinese poachers. No wonder the Japanese government asks for normal evidence.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I am guessing it's a SWIR system ...

BTW, there's a lot conspuracy theorists here, no point arguing with stuff people make up.

Sorry but I disagree. There is a point in "arguing with stuff people make up" if their questions or theories are plausible. Most are. It's been shown time and again that governments and their partners in crime, the media, with their weapons of mass deception (TeeVee, newspapers etc), lie and deceive to manipulate the public into supporting manufactured wars. I'm sure the Iranian leadership is just as untrustworthy as any other government in that region or in the West. But claiming the high ground by dismissing people as 'conspiracy theorists' is simply a way to shut down debate and not the best way to go if you want to learn the truth or stop a lie in its tracks. The video proves nothing and the public still doesn't know what happened. So let the theorists theorize.

**US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo**: "I was the CIA director. We lied, we cheated, we stole. We had entire training courses. It reminds you of the glory of the American experiment."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPt-zXn05ac

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Sorry but I disagree

Sure, don't let facts get in the way of a good theory. I was referring to the comment about 4k camera.

Surveillance cameras are never optical because they are unreliable (can't see through cloud, fog etc, and relies on good lighting). The vid is obviously a surveillance footage, NOT a weapon system targeting clip/footage. 4k cameras in this discussion is fiction.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Fair enough.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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