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On September 18th, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that it was just normal for the Patriot missile defense system to fail in repelling the recent drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure.
“Look, anytime – we’ve seen air defense systems all around the world have mixed success. Some of the finest in the world don’t always pick things up. We want to work to make sure that infrastructure and resources are put in place such that attacks like this would be less successful than this one appears to have been. That’s certainly the case.”
He actually tried to paint the complete failure as something successful. He then, without being asked, moved on to defend the US move to leave the Iran Nuclear Deal, saying that if it didn’t Iran would’ve had missiles that could do that much earlier, and not 55 weeks from “now.”
“Fifty-five weeks from now, the whole world can sell exactly these missile systems, conventional missile systems to the Iranian Government unencumbered by any sanctions under the – 55 weeks, 55 weeks from now. Does anybody think that that was a genius idea to allow them to have the whole world be able to actually sell them missile systems? They’d have more complex ones but for the sanctions we put in place that have prevented them from getting access to money, most importantly, but also parts, spare parts, information technology – all the things that go into building out production-level threats to the world.”
Of course, any other scenario than Iran being to blame is also completely unacceptable, Pompeo simply follows the narrative, any other reality is disregarded. After all, you can’t believe what Yemen’s Houthis (Ansar Allah) say.
“You say, “the Houthis said,” you should say, “the well-known, frequently lying Houthis have said the following.” This is important, because you ought not report them as if these are truth-tellers, as if these are people who aren’t completely under the boot of the Iranians, and who would not at the direction of the Iranians lay claim to attacks which they did not engage in, which clearly was the case here. So there you go. Whenever you say “Houthis,” you should begin with “the well-known, frequently-known-to-lie Houthis.” And then you can write whatever it is they say. And you would have — that would be good reporting.”
Thank god Pompeo and Co. have never been known to lie.
Naturally, the questioning also went towards the way of how the Saudi-led coalition’s war in Yemen would come to an end. Pompeo’s answer had absolutely nothing in relation to the question he was asked:
“I know you care deeply about that, good reporting. Let me just try and close out. So we also know that these are systems that the Iranians have not deployed anyplace else, that they have not deployed outside of their country, to the best of our knowledge. We’ve not seen them deploy these types of UAV systems with the kinds of ranges and capabilities, nor have we seen them place these missiles where they could have done it. We’ve seen no evidence that it came from Iraq. It could well have traveled over Kuwait. We’ve not seen that either.”
He praised the reporting, then commented on something separate.
He further claimed that Saudi Arabian citizens and also Americans who are in the Kingdom were at risk by the attack on oil infrastructure, despite there being not a single person harmed in it. Possibly, but unlikely, Iran has devised some sort of state-of-the-art UAV that can identify specifically US citizens or some sort of American-seeking missile.
And his attempts to praise the Patriot missile by saying that other systems also sometimes fail is also expected. But, of course, no mention is made that between 1999 and 2018, the US had repeatedly used unrealistic decoys that misrepresent the performance of its systems, making it appear much more capable than they actually are. This was presented in a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists [pdf].
Furthermore, the Kingdom and the US would like to present it as if the attack on the oil infrastructure is a separate incident, but the truth is that Ansar Allah has repeatedly attacked military parades, as well as other oil facilities throughout the war, despite Saudi Arabian defense systems being specifically pointed in Ansar Allah’s direction.
And going back to the question of the war ending, even the Sudanese children soldiers that the Saudi-led coalition used against the Houthis said it.
“If it weren’t for us the Houthis would’ve captured Riyadh by now.”
Essentially Saudi Arabia lost war in Yemen.The only reason Ansar Allah hasn’t completely defeated the Saudi-led intervention is its limited arsenal.
This is where a reason to justify the US completely entering the conflict needs to be created.
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He should have kept his mouth shut. There are hundreds of billions of dollars in weapons sales that are now in more jeopardy than 2 seconds before he ran his yap. Can we please gets some adults back in charge over there in D.C.? Mr. Secretary, with all due respect, you are truly a complete idiot.
Iran really is in the box seat!! If Tehran were totally cornered by Washington, with no way out, the de facto nuclear option of shutting down the Strait of Hormuz would instantly cut off 25 percent of the global oil supply. Oil prices could rise to over $500 a barrel, to even $1000 a barrel. The 2.5 quadrillion of derivatives would start a chain reaction of destruction.
Unlike the shortage of credit during the 2008 financial crisis, the shortage of oil could not be made up by fiat instruments. Simply because the oil is not there. Not even Russia would be able to re-stabilize the market.
It’s an open secret in private conversations at the Harvard Club – or at Pentagon war-games for that matter – that in case of a war on Iran, the U.S. Navy would not be able to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
Russian SS-NX-26 Yakhont missiles — with a top speed of Mach 2.9 — are lining up the Iranian northern shore of the Strait of Hormuz. There’s no way U.S. aircraft carriers can defend a barrage of Yakhont missiles.
Then there are the SS-N-22 Sunburn supersonic anti-ship missiles — already exported to China and India — flying ultra-low at 1,500 miles an hour with dodging capacity, and extremely mobile; they can be fired from a flatbed truck, and were designed to defeat the U.S. Aegis radar defense system.
https://consortiumnews.com/2019/04/24/pepe-escobar-war-on-iran-calling-americas-bluff/
You forget the other way around. America is self sufficient in oil, so why should we care about the rest of the world get in trouble by Iran closing the Hormuz strait……………………LMAOL.
Tommy, you should check what reserves in oil the US really posses in US mainland. The figures presented are not sufficient to run the economy for more then 2 month. At present the strategic petroleum reserve has 644.8 million barrels, stored in Texas and Louisiana. On 2013 daily U.S. consumption levels of 18.49 million barrels per day, these reserves would just last 35 days. Unfortunately the maximum withdrawing amount per day is only 4.4 million barrels. The rest of the needed oil supply must come from US oil production. Talking about self sufficiency in oil production, US produces 4.4 million barrels per day (figures Sep 2019). This together with the capability from the SPR gives a daily available oil volume of 8.8 million barrel, which is only 47% of what is required daily to run the economy on the same level. Therefore US should better care what they are doing.
All right, but according to Rumsfeld we could invade and take over Iran in 4 weeks. That would resolve the problem……………..not :-D.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FrQau2GwhFo/UR6Ft_z0CSI/AAAAAAAACZQ/cltnn0WJUUg/s1600/image0011.gif
Oil is not about putting gas in your tank. Its the US currency, the dollar, that is based on oil not gold. For every purchase of oil, the US gets a benefit because buyers of oil must purchase dollars.
Spot on! Just one thing, the so-called US currency is actually not US currency, but central bank private currency.
I think USA has benefits from Saudis’ incompetence and their excursion in Yemen. USA sells more weapons to them and in region too and can, through actions like this one, make oil price go up whenever needed. So Pompeo just went there to keep the situation as it is, war must go on…
sure missile-defense systems fail all the time but the problem is that the american systems fail more than any one elses. mohammed bin salam, of fake leonardi da vinci purchase at 450m$ fame, should indeed listen to putin and buy a few of the s400s but I guess de russians would like up front payment, which mbs probably can’t muster.
I cannot stand him. The only way to describe him is in the bible that he carries, ‘he is a man of perverse speech’ (one who twists things).
The Houthis (aka Yemenis) aren’t trying to take Riyadh, note, he is attempting to make this a war of aggression by Yemen against the Saudis; will nothing provoke God?
He is a liar, ignorant and childish!
He is an American government official :)
must read https://www.asiatimes.com/2019/09/article/how-the-houthis-overturned-the-chessboard/
Yup, even die hard Moronikan fans are seeing the ugly truth this days, in case of an war, everything will go full inflatory within warp speed range, and costs sky rocketing, from petrol to food, everything, and then we have the spectaculare failure of the weapon systems the Saudi-barbarians have, bought from Uncle Scam, yup, the Houtis/Yemens have done something even I couldnt expect nor even imagine just an week ago, that, Ladys and Gentlemen, dont happen often, undressed the empire and Trumpstein the idiot in charge is butt naked, and I know that He wants war, because King Bibi wants war, and the Brits, along with the Froggf….. in Paris, and then we have the Germs, drooling something about embargoing Saudi-barbaria because of an f…. journalist, whil they dont even cast an eye over to what the Saudi-barbarians are doing to the Yemen people, their 4 year long slaughter fest, huh, never have the evil scums been undressed as this days, even Ratus Norvegicus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown-rat aka Rattus Norvegicus) is screaming on the top of their Ahsmatic lungs (ashma medic works because of steroids) about Kill em all aka Iranians, and you wounder why Obamalama the Lord of Piss and Drones got the piss price, to legitimise the wars we have all seen come the last decades, after the initial downfal of credibility with the Sigar man, Billiboy, and they also dont even bother to name anything other than bomb Iran back to the stone age, as good “christians”. Yeah why isnt anyone using the same rethoric about Norway, Brits, French, the Germans, like the raving Moronikans are doing as we speak, slaughtering Yemens, bombing civlians as mass, from Schools for Disabeled to Weddings, not an single word and do notice the hideous rotten UN, with an Saudi-.barbarian as the head of the Human right consill, yup, its an f…. freak show.
Yeah, Houtis/Yemen, the world sould be gratefull for the undressing, whatever the Nuts and Bolts drool, everybody knows they Lie, Steel and Cheet, all the time, and the thing is, witch I wounder most about in this times, is have stupid are the Saudi-barbarians, you are not doing anything but pointing an hughe cannon to your own head, by fatasisng an war against Iran, what the f…. have happened, and you wounder why I use the Snorting shit narrative, because you have to do something like that to be so bloody detached from the real world as you have shown lately. Is it greed, or plain idiocy, I am not shure, but one thing do I know for ceratin, apart from we are all going to die one day, is that you will be gone, Saudi-barbarians, and then erazed out of history as an human fluke, an dead end, dumb enough to kill them self.
I hope that the next time, despite their sucsess with not harming civlians, but to wack the Top of the insane scums of this earth, out of existence, take the head, always go for the head, and this time, I hope they wipe most of you infidel rats from the face of this earth, you deserve no mercy what so ever and will get non. BUT, never the less, in all humbleness, blessed be the peacemakers, never forget that, war is evil, all wars should be ended, and anyone whom do that will have my respect, despite everything done before, its never to late to turn.
peace
What he really meant to say was “American air defense systems fail all the time”…
Just look at the analysis of the patriot performance in the Iraq war. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2003/03/how-good-are-those-patriot-missiles.html
All air-defenses since the stone age have failed.
Its only because the world expect an American to be perfect because we are the light on the hill. But people must get used to that even an American system cant be 100% perfect.
Its Saudis own fault because they didn’t buy the amount of air-defenses that we recommended. The Saudis wanted to be wise guys and “taking our own decisions” on something they don’t have a clue about.
Let this be a lesson to the Saudis, to open up their date ears when an American is speaking!
What about US air defenses at Bahrain, HQ of USN 5th Fleet and NavCentCom? Located directly between Iran and Abqaic. Those air defenses are unable to detect or respond to squadrons of Iranian missiles overhead?
Those small states are not jeopardized why we sold them dummies. Arabs aren’t able to see the diference. More on the bottom line same effect…………………………..LOL.
I’m glad you are amusing yourself. Your non-response is worthless.
The attack was at the weekend when the US troops are smoking weed and having sexual intercourse with each other, Felix.
Yep, nobody saw anything.
I know a lot of Americans, but the light on the hill I never met. Are you sure? The brightest Americans I know are naturalized foreigners from Asia, who hold the intellectual flag up. Majority of born Americans are rather ignorant, self centered and not on the height when it comes to intellect.
Who needs intellect when the US has the most powerful military in the world:)
https://bobdavisblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/hopeless.jpg
Is that wise when we consider that the American governments, past and present, all have a hallowed tradition of speaking out of their arses, Tommy?
Saudia Arabia kill Yemenis civilians for USA no problem but if Yemenias destroy petroleum infraestructure ( without killing of civilians )this is very bad and can deserve a USA militar intervention.
´the yemenites attack saudi arabia and saudi proxy, the unhinged states of A sets in motion plans to attack Iran, just like after 9/11 when a number of saudis (17 out of 19?) attacked the unhinged states of A and the unhinged states of A attacked and destroyed Iraq in retaliation – is that what is called asymmetrical retaliation and is that what we’re looking at here – israel attacks saudi arabia and pretends to have nothing to do with the attack and instead points finger at it’s worst enemy, Iran, hoping a) that no one will find out and b) that Iran is wiped off the map. Guess that is more or less what we’re looking at but for the sake of peace and tranquility in the middle east, the best outcome would be if israel and the israelis are wiped off the map, for gooood. iron doom kaboooom.
Agree complete. The world is rulled by psico deceivers without shame
“Asymmetrical retaliation”, perfect! Lol!
US oil also has rights you know. One barrel, one vote.
Par for the course for this bunch of incompetent bozos, also known as the constantly lying Zionist US regime. I said these idiots were going to have to defend their idiocy sooner or later over their claims. All their own rhetoric brought this on and then this pathetic attempt to justify failure. PompAss says everything they claim Iran has (or hasn’t) done, they haven’t seen before and don’t know how or where they did it from, but we know Iran did it. What kind of double-talking stupidity is that? In other words; we don’t know shit, we can’t prove shit, but we know Iran did it. More like; We were caught with our pants down, our junk doesn’t work as promised, has been outed as ineffective at best, so now we talk shit and try to blather our way out of it with nonsensical arguments and accusations for which there is no proof. I especially liked “our missiles were aimed the wrong way”. It’s amazing these A-holes can find their ass while sitting on their hands. Can’t wait for Yemen to hit Abu Dhabi. People in glass houses….
US weapon systems are over priced junk !
Why would anyone believe in ” We lie, we cheat, we steal” Pompeo.
(Patriot) AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS FAIL ALL THE TIME
First time in his life PompousAss said something true.
https://oneway2day.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/trump-snake-oil-salesman-toon.jpg
http://www.greenwichworkshop.com/weistling/images/MorganWeistlingSnakeOilSalesmanHeader.jpg
Pompeo works for Anti-Christ.
hmmm….. Pantsir-S1 have much better succes-ratio in defending drones in Syria ….. There is no equivalent system in USA arsenal
Whenever you say “Americans,” you should begin with “the well-known, frequently-known-to-lie Americans.” There, fixed.