https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/16/middleeast/saudi-attack-us-iran-options-intl/index.html
The drumbeat to hold Iran responsible gets louder
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...e-iran-is-to-blame/ar-AAHntmh?ocid=spartandhp
Trump says it's 'looking like' Iran is to blame
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...th-iranian-weapons/ar-AAHnVMk?ocid=spartandhp
Trump Says Iran Appears Responsible for Attack on Saudi Oil Facilities
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https://www.dailykos.com/stories/20...dictator-Mohammed-bin-Salman#comment_74957371
Trump puts the U.S. military under the control of Saudi dictator Mohammed bin Salman
Mark Sumner
...Then, on Sunday evening, Donald Trump did something more than just blame Iran for an attack already claimed by others. He put the United States military at the disposal of Saudi dictator Mohammed bin Salman. Trump declared that Mohammed bin Salman can name both whom we attack, and how we attack.
Trump tweeted that the Saudi oil supply was attacked, and that “we know the culprit” and “are locked and loaded,” awaiting verification. How is America to get that verification? According to Trump, he is “waiting to hear from the kingdom as to who they believe is the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed.”....
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https://www.dailykos.com/stories/20...ckey-in-the-White-House-to-stand-down-on-Iran
Putin just directed his lackey in the White House to stand down on Iran
Dartagnan
….But Trump’s pals in the Kremlin have a close, strategic and economic relationship with Iran, and all this “tough talk” makes them jittery. So this morning Uncle Vlad dispatched one of his minions to send their White House lackey a clear signal to stand down"
"MOSCOW, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Russia on Monday urged countries in the Middle East and outside the region not to draw “hasty conclusions” on who staged the attacks on Saudi oil facilities.
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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, asked about the U.S. statement, said: “We have a negative attitude towards rising tensions in the region and call for all countries in the region and outside of it to avoid any hasty steps or conclusions which may deepen destabilisation.”
In a separate statement on Monday, Russia’s foreign ministry said it believed that the exchange of strikes on civilian targets was “a direct consequence of the ongoing sharp military and political crisis in Yemen”.
They couldn’t have made their directive to Trump any clearer. In fact, they even threw him a bone to make sure he was paying attention:
“We believe it is counterproductive to use what happened to increase tensions around Iran in line with the well-known U.S. policy,” the foreign ministry said."
Isn’t that nice of them to credit our policy?
Lo and behold, just as the Kremlin issued its “warning,” here’s what we get from the White House: backtracking:
"President Trump's claim the US is “locked and loaded” may not refer to military action, the vice president’s chief of staff said Monday, calling the term tweeted by Trump “broad.”
“I think that locked and loaded is a broad term and talks about the realities that we’re all far safer and more secure domestically from energy independence,” Marc Short told reporters on the White House lawn. “This is not the 1970s oil embargo. It’s not 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwait. We’re now a net oil exporter which means that the American market is much better protected.”"
Right.
Nice to be reminded of who is calling the shots now.
