Mike Pompeo: Iran is "Responsible" for the Attacks on Two Oil Tankers in the Gulf of Oman

Acts of war.

- Two tankers were attacked Thursday near the strategic Strait of Hormuz -- the second time in a month that tankers have been seriously damaged in the region and again the U.S. has pointed the finger of blame at Iran.

Speaking Thursday afternoon in Washington, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it was, "the assessment of the United States government that the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for the attacks that occurred in the gulf of Oman today. This assessment is based on intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to execute the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping and the fact that no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with such a high degree of sophistication."

This is going to be an interesting call from Trump. On one hand, he talks up a ferocious game of obliterating enemies in war.

On the other hand, he seems to actually be mostly a dove. He does not want to get into foreign wars and he doesn't want to upset the beautiful, terrific economic conditions we have going on here.

But he now has to pick one of these impulses or the other.

I suppose he could chart some middle path of tactical strikes against a few key Iranian military installations -- but Iran doesn't have to play the moderate course back. Iran could escalate this into full war.

So I don't know if there really is any "middle path" here; the middle path will likely lead to the war path.

So what is Trump? Is he the dove or the hawk? People say he's a Jacksonian, and avoids war until it cannot be avoided, then he seeks to inflict crushing damage.

But is he? Or is he more of a Clintonian "proportional response" type? Or even an Obama "red line" type?

We don't really know yet.

Iran seems to be guessing he's an Obama-like "red line" type -- all bark, no bite.

But I guess we'll see.

Videos of Pompeo's statement and the tankers ablaze below.

posted by Ace of Spades at 06:09 PM

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