More BS from the lying U.S. administration.
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."
US National Security Advisor John Bolton defending the use of deception in advancing military agendas:
Japanese tanker owner contradicts U.S. officials over explosives used in Gulf of Oman attack
The owner of the Kokuka Courageous says something had flown at the ship despite U.S. officials' claims.
Ship's operator casts doubt on reports that mine damaged tanker in Gulf of Oman
JUNE 14, 201901:05
June 14, 2019, 6:00 PM GMT+4:30
By Linda Givetash and Arata Yamamoto
The Japanese owner of a tanker
attacked in the Gulf of Omanclaimed Friday that it was struck by a flying projectile, contradicting reports by U.S. officials and the military on the source of the blast.
U.S. Central Command
said the two vessels were hit Thursday by a limpet mine, which is attached to boats below the waterline using magnets. U.S. Central Command released video it claimed showed an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps patrol boat removing an unexploded mine from one of the tankers, the Kokuka Courageous.
But on Friday morning, the owner of the 560-foot Courageous, said that sailors saw something flying toward the vessel just before the explosion and that the impact was well above the waterline.
"We received reports that something flew towards the ship," said Yutaka Katada, president of Kokaku Sangyo Co. at a press conference. "The place where the projectile landed was significantly higher than the water level, so we are absolutely sure that this wasn’t a torpedo.
"I do not think there was a time bomb or an object attached to the side of the ship."
U.S. officials have not yet responded to the claims. But President Donald Trump reiterated U.S. allegations that Iran was behind the attack, telling the Fox News Channel that the incident had "Iran written all over it."
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday that the weapons used and the level of expertise behind the attack suggested Tehran is the culprit.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif angrily dismissed the claims and said they were without "a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence."
The attack came on the heels of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's two-day trip to Iran, aimed at improving relations between Washington and Tehran, which have
deteriorated markedly in the last 48 hours.
The USS Bainbridge was dispatched to help the damaged vessels in the gulf. A spokesman for Central Command said in a statement Thursday that the U.S. and the international community "stand ready to defend our interests, including the freedom of navigation.”
“The United States has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East. However, we will defend our interests,” said the spokesman, Capt. Bill Urban.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks in a statement Friday and vowed to work with the related countries to secure the safety of the region, but did not mention Iran or other possible assailants.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/...t-u-s-officials-over-explosives-used-n1017556
German official: US video 'not enough' to pin blame on Iran for tanker attacks
BY
CHRIS MILLS RODRIGO - 06/14/19 10:50 AM EDT
© Getty Images
Germany's foreign minister on Friday said that a video released by the U.S. is insufficient evidence to prove Iran was behind attacks this week on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
“The video is not enough. We can understand what is being shown, sure, but to make a final assessment, this is not enough for me,” Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters in Oslo,
according to Reuters.
Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo on Thursday blamed Iran for the attacks on the Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous, citing intelligence, the weapons used, expertise required and similar recent attacks.
The U.S. military
released a video later on Thursday that it says shows Iran's Revolutionary Guard removing a mine from one of the targeted oil tankers.
The captain of the Kokuka
disputed the U.S. assertion on Friday.
“Our crew said that the ship was attacked by a flying object,” said Yutaka Katada, president of ship operator Kokuka Sangyo.
Katada, citing accounts from the ship’s crew, said, “I do not think there was a time bomb or an object attached to the side of the ship," according to
The New York Times.
Iran has
pushed back on the U.S. assigning blame, calling the accusation “the simplest and the most convenient way for Pompeo and other U.S. officials.”
Thursday's attack came just weeks after allegations of sabotage in attacks against four oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The U.S. blamed Iran, pointing to limpet mines that officials said were Iranian.
Iran denied any involvement in those attacks.
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/...nough-to-pin-blame-on-iran-for-tanker-attacks