Probe says ‘state actor’ likely behind attack on tankers off UAE, doesn’t mention Iran – report
RT | June 7, 2019
After the US put the blame squarely on Iran for sabotaging four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, a preliminary probe concluded that a ‘state actor’ was likely behind the raid, but made no mention of Iran.
According to reports by Reuters and Bloomberg, preliminary findings from the investigation jointly conducted by the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Norway and presented at an informal UN briefing on Thursday, describe the attack as a complex effort that required significant resources.
The investigators argue that the attackers, who inflicted damage on the tankers, but did not cause casualties or an oil spill, required “high degree sophistication”, precise intelligence and “expert navigation of fast boats” to pick the targets, get in and get out undetected. All of this, they claim, are signs a ‘state actor’ was likely responsible.
This wording allows the countries behind the report, two of which are among the US’ main allies and arms sales clients in the Middle East, to maintain a neutral image without actually contradicting Washington, which accused Iran out of hand.
US President Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser John Bolton said last month that the attacks were “almost certainly” perpetrated by Iran, accusing it of planting “naval mines” under the ships. It’s unclear if Bolton’s assertion relied on any intelligence.
The UAE emirate of Fujairah, off the cost of which the attack took place, lies outside the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that separates the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The strait is immensely important for oil transportation, with tankers carrying crude from the oil-rich Gulf countries must pass through it.
Previously, Iran threatened to block the oil shipments through the waterway in response to the US’ intent to bring Tehran’s oil exports to ‘zero.’
In a series of sharply escalating moves, the US recently declared Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organization, then sent an aircraft carrier group to the Gulf, while signaling a possible massive boost to the number of American troops in the region.
The May 12 attack came at the height of the latest round of tension and targeted four commercial tankers, including two Saudi, one Emirati and one Norwegian ship. Iran has dismissed the accusations against it, calling the Bolton’s statement “ridiculous.”
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Jack Ruby: Israel’s Smoking Gun
BY LAURENT GUYÉNOT • UNZ REVIEW • NOVEMBER 13, 2021
By a strange paradox, most Kennedy researchers who believe that Oswald was “just a patsy” spend an awful lot of time exploring his biography. This is about as useful as investigating Osama bin Laden for solving 9/11. Any serious quest for the real assassins of JFK should start by investigating the man who shot Oswald at pointblank in the stomach at 11:21 a.m. on September 24, 1963 in the Dallas Police station, thereby sealing the possibility that a judicial inquiry would draw attention to the inconsistencies of the charge against him, and perhaps expose the real perpetrators. One would normally expect the Dallas strip-club owner Jack Ruby to be the most investigated character by Kennedy truthers. But that is not the case.
Of course, it is perfectly normal that Chief Justice Earl Warren, when Ruby told him on June 7, 1964, “I have been used for a purpose,” failed to ask him who had used him and for what purpose.[1] But what about independent investigators? Are only readers of the Forward (“News That Matters To American Jews”) worthy of being informed that “Lee Harvey Oswald’s Killer ‘Jack Ruby’ Came From Strong Jewish Background,” and that he told his rabbi Hillel Silverman that he “did it for the Jewish people”? … continue
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Cui bono? Not Iran, for goddam sure.
“It’s unclear if Bolton’s assertion relied on any intelligence.” Hah!–a great (inadvertent?) double-entendre!
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“US President Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser John Bolton said last month that the attacks were “almost certainly” perpetrated by Iran, accusing it of planting “naval mines” under the ships. It’s unclear if Bolton’s assertion relied on any intelligence”.
It is bleedingly obvious(without any “Intelligence” required)that Bolton would automatically blame IRAN. His summation that Iran ‘did it’ is pathetically predictable. He is a disgrace to the American side of his “Dual Citizenship”…and so, SO welcome to his “Israeli Citizenship”……
What are you Bolton? An American, or an Israeli?……..YOU MUST make a CHOICE, you cannot be BOTH…..!!!
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Anytime they use the generic “state sponsor” without naming who it is — it is a safe bet that we are talking about Israel. Could possibly be the Saudis, but I doubt they have that much sophistication in their military capabilities. I mean, they couldn’t even assassinate a reporter on the sly. This is just another example of Israel trying to trick us into fighting one of their enemies. Our President would gladly do it today (he loves kissing Israeli ass so much), but unfortunately he has to be able to sell it to the American people. And since we are still losing the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (by design — not because our military can’t win them — they just want to have an excuse to keep our troops there as move along taking back “greater Israel” for our masters in Tel Aviv), the US isn’t keen on more “nation building” which allegedly Republicans are against — except when AIPAC tells us to be for it. Never thought I’d see the day when the most powerful nation in the world bows down to a nation the size of a postage stamp. RIP America. I hope the Chinese really are smarter than we are because, as the next superpower, they are going to need to stand up the Israelis and limit dual citizens in government if they want to have any independent control of their own government. We didn’t and look what happened.
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Great point, scars — ‘ “state sponsor”…Israel ‘ ! — and terrific comment overall!
“…look what happened”…we’ve been had over and over again, and we had dam’ well better have an orgasm while the gang rape is in progress so as to retain their favor….
Cheers.
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