Intelligence Experts Question Iran Video: 'U.S. Track Record On Ginning Up Evidence For War Is Not G

[jpak]

Intelligence Experts Question Iran Video: 'U.S. Track Record On Ginning Up Evidence For War Is Not Good'

https://www.newsweek.com/intelligence-experts-question-iran-video-us-track-record-ginning-evidence-war-not-good-1444169

The black and white surveillance video is exceedingly grainy. It shows what U.S. military officials say is an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp patrol boat bobbing alongside the Kokuka Courageous, one of the two tankers damaged by explosions Thursday in the Gulf of Oman that the Trump administration blamed squarely on Iran.

In the 1:39-minute video, released late Thursday by the U.S. Central Command, several crew members aboard the Gashti-class patrol boat appear to be removing an object from the hull of the tanker before the boat then backs up and motors away. The video is far too fuzzy to discern what the object is. But according to the U.S. military officials, the Iranian crew members removed one of their own unexploded limpet mines to hide evidence of their involvement in the explosions. The officials said several Iranian patrol boats had rushed to the Kokuka Courageous to rescue crew members who had abandoned ship in rafts and told the Iranians about the unexploded mine.

<snip>

But independent intelligence experts say the video provides no proof whatsoever of Iran's alleged responsibility for the attacks, a charge Iran denies. That's not to say Iran did not carry out the attacks, these experts hasten to add, noting that as the Trump administration tightens economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic, Tehran has ample reason to carry out such hard-to-trace terrorism against tankers, if only to raise the price of the dwindling amount of oil Iran is selling these days. But amid the rising tensions in the Middle East, these experts say, there are numerous other players in the region with compelling motivations to carry out such attacks.

<snip>

But independent intelligence experts say the video provides no proof whatsoever of Iran's alleged responsibility for the attacks, a charge Iran denies. That's not to say Iran did not carry out the attacks, these experts hasten to add, noting that as the Trump administration tightens economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic, Tehran has ample reason to carry out such hard-to-trace terrorism against tankers, if only to raise the price of the dwindling amount of oil Iran is selling these days. But amid the rising tensions in the Middle East, these experts say, there are numerous other players in the region with compelling motivations to carry out such attacks.

<snip>

[ck4829]

1. K&R

[tiredtoo]

2. K&R

[usaf-vet]

3. Bolton wants yet another war in the middle east.

He helped gin up the Bush Iraq invasion with lies and misinformation. Now he is at it again.

[Larrybanal]

4. americans are dumb

the trump presidency proves that...but hopefully we are not dumb enough to fall for this bullshit again and from some of the same assholes

[Perseus]

11. I wish I was as confident as you are, but I am not

The problem is that we have reached a point where these elected officials don't give a damn about public opinion so they are going to present their false proofs, just like the Bush administration did, and they will decide to go to war while no one says anything, and even if people go out on the streets to protest, they just don't give a damn anymore.

What troubles me the most is the military supporting these efforts, they have to know the administration was lying during Bush, and they have to know the administration is lying now, to go along with it is very sad for us citizens, we should believe the military's conduct is going to be one to protect the country, to not engage in made-up wars, but that has not been the case.

The buffoon needs a war, Bolton always wants war, Pompeo is a puppet, the military seems to going along with it, we have a formula for disaster.

[Larrybanal]

14. I am not confident

I said hopefully...but I do not underestimate the stupidity of our citizens or the crookiness of our leaders

[PatrickforO]

5. This is an obvious ploy by Trump to create another Tonkin incident that

can lead us into war.

Not because we need a war. Not because Iran is provoking one. But because Trump is a fearful, quivering little worm who is scared he'll be defeated in 2020, and worse, indicted for numerous crimes and then have to pay the piper.

He's gonna ride that gravy-train as long as he can.

[Shoonra]

6. I wonder ....

If someone other than Iran is to blame. It doesn't take much to paint a small boat to resemble an Iranian Guard vessel (and would Iran use an identifiable boat to do this attack?). My thoughts turn to Syria. Is Syria to blame and Trump is diverting us to Iran because of Russian favoritism?

[Lonestarblue]

12. I have wondered about Saudi Arabia.

MBS has proved that he is capable of anything, and the Saudis would love to become the major power in the region. MBS and Jared spend lots of time together, so it’s possible that Trump instigated this attack.

[Maxheader]

7. Or keep the innocent from being blamed...

Who's to say? The bomb may have been owned by iranian fundys..looking to make iran look like the perpetrator?

Rebel faction...have them in this country. And in this country most of us don't like being blamed
for the actions of the crazy's..

But according to the U.S. military officials, the Iranian crew members removed one of their own unexploded limpet mines to hide evidence of their involvement in the explosions.

[Timmygoat]

8. Why

Why is it that the draft dodgers are in such a hurry to cause a war with Iran, if they did the US would certainly have casualties, none of them will be sending their own sons to war.
Bolton dodged the draft
Trump dodged the draft
Lindsay Graham spent his military service on a nation guard base in South Carolina, as a clerk in the SJA office.
Mitch McConnell has a very shady past, after a very short time in the service he was kicked out, allegedly for sodomy, but it was said to be for a slight eye problem, his records were sealed due to the fact that he had a connection with a powerful republican.

[pangaia]

9. Bolton should be under 24 hour psychiatric care !!!

hE IS AS INSANE AS TRUMP.
tHEY all ARE...

[yaesu]

10. i don't believe a single thing that comes out of the orange hitlers government

they tried to take down Venezuela, that didn't work, so they're doubling down on Iran. I will believe any country over this one, any!

[First Speaker]

13. Google "Gleiwicz" sometime...

...this "administration" is absolutely capable of doing something similar...

[malaise]

15. Made up shit just like the last time

That is all