Iran Watch...

Little John · Post by **Little John** » 08 Jan 2020, 01:25

Iran has fired on American bases in Iraq. No reports as yet of casualties, if any. Hopefully, their missiles were aimed at non personnel areas in order to make the point they could have hit personnel if they wanted to.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/07/worl ... -iran.html

This was inevitable.

This is either the beginning of the end of Yank global hegemony in the Middle East in particular and, ultimately, the wider world or it is the beginning of something much bigger that could end us all.

God damn the Yank ruling class to hell.

Little John · Post by **Little John** » 08 Jan 2020, 01:40

East Asian oil price already up by 5%

Post by **adam2** » 08 Jan 2020, 04:09

A Ukrainian passenger plane with 180 on board has crashed in Iran.

This may well be a "normal" aviation accident unrelated to the present hostilities, but the timing and the location will raise questions.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-51029994

ReserveGrowthRulz · Post by **ReserveGrowthRulz** » 08 Jan 2020, 05:09

Little John wrote: God damn the Yank ruling class to hell.

Now be nice.

ReserveGrowthRulz · Post by **ReserveGrowthRulz** » 08 Jan 2020, 05:13

adam2 wrote:A Ukrainian passenger plane with 180 on board has crashed in Iran.

This may well be a "normal" aviation accident unrelated to the present hostilities, but the timing and the location will raise questions.

In other words, the nutters will be out in full strength.

Post by **adam2** » 08 Jan 2020, 11:56

adam2 wrote:A Ukrainian passenger plane with 180 on board has crashed in Iran.

This may well be a "normal" aviation accident unrelated to the present hostilities, but the timing and the location will raise questions.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-51029994

Later reports state that this is believed to be an accident, unrelated to the conflict. It is believed that all on board are dead.

Post by **adam2** » 08 Jan 2020, 17:20

According to president Trump, "Iran is standing down".
I would not regard statements from Trump as being a very reliable source of information, however the markets appear to take this at face value, with oil prices dropping sharply.
Oil is now lower than before the American air strike that killed the Iranian general.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-51039520

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 08 Jan 2020, 17:49

According to president Trump, "Iran is standing down".

Or they maybe just waiting for us to drop our guard. Time will tell.
As to the plane crash I would not be surprised to find that Iranian air defenses mistook it for an American bomber and hit it by mistake. The timing sure puts it in the air when air defense personnel would be expecting the arrival of a US retaliatory strike.

Little John · Post by **Little John** » 08 Jan 2020, 17:56

adam2 wrote:According to president Trump, "Iran is standing down".
I would not regard statements from Trump as being a very reliable source of information, however the markets appear to take this at face value, with oil prices dropping sharply.
Oil is now lower than before the American air strike that killed the Iranian general.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-51039520

It's the opposite. Or it's both.

ReserveGrowthRulz · Post by **ReserveGrowthRulz** » 08 Jan 2020, 19:12

adam2 wrote:.
Oil is now lower than before the American air strike that killed the Iranian general.

Well that stinks. The American E&P companies wouldn't have minded a little $$ boost that required zero effort.

raspberry-blower · Post by **raspberry-blower** » 08 Jan 2020, 19:54

Moon of Alabama: Iran's missile launch against 2 U.S. bases calls Trump's bluff

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 08 Jan 2020, 22:14

If they were calling Trump's bluff they did not do it very well. Transmitting the time and place before hand is an admission that they have to be careful to not over step. They also could have at least hit a jet fuel storage tank or ammunition dump to get some flaming video for their domestic media consumption. But I suppose a missile with a 750KG warhead and a target probability circle 1600 ft in diameter isn't really all that effective until you upgrade it to nuclear. I don't know how much each unit cost the Iranians to build and deploy but I can't imagine a target they could destroy that cost more then the missile.

Little John · Post by **Little John** » 08 Jan 2020, 23:16

vtsnowedin wrote:If they were calling Trump's bluff they did not do it very well. Transmitting the time and place before hand is an admission that they have to be careful to not over step. They also could have at least hit a jet fuel storage tank or ammunition dump to get some flaming video for their domestic media consumption. But I suppose a missile with a 750KG warhead and a target probability circle 1600 ft in diameter isn't really all that effective until you upgrade it to nuclear. I don't know how much each unit cost the Iranians to build and deploy but I can't imagine a target they could destroy that cost more then the missile.

They got their hit whilst giving Trump the opportunity to climb down without losing face. It's called being the grown up in the room.

I am hearing rumors of Pompeo being sacked in the near future. If so, then it is a possibility dumbo Trump was bamboozled into this and is only too happy for a way out.

ReserveGrowthRulz · Post by **ReserveGrowthRulz** » 09 Jan 2020, 00:06

vtsnowedin wrote:If they were calling Trump's bluff they did not do it very well. Transmitting the time and place before hand is an admission that they have to be careful to not over step.

And of course they have to be careful.

ReserveGrowthRulz · Post by **ReserveGrowthRulz** » 09 Jan 2020, 00:07

Little John wrote:
vtsnowedin wrote:If they were calling Trump's bluff they did not do it very well.
They got their hit whilst giving Trump the opportunity to climb down without losing face. It's called being the grown up in the room.