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On May 21st, US Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said that the US had succeeded in putting the potential of Iranian attacks “on hold.”
He further mentioned the “threats” and “some intelligence” and that there were attacks – quite possibly the attack on a patch of grass by alleged Iranian-backed militants approximately 1 mile away from the empty US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq.
“I think all of you have been tracking, you know, the threats that we’ve talked about, and some of the intelligence. And, you know, one of the things I’d make — really, kind of, underscore is we talked about those threats, and there were attacks, and I really want to underscore the credibility of the intelligence. And what I would say about the department, it was extremely responsive, and I think our steps were very prudent, and we’ve put on hold the potential for attacks on Americans. And that’s what’s extremely important.”
He said that the threat still remained high and that the Pentagon’s job was “to make sure that there is no miscalculation by the Iranians.”
“That is — and it’s the most important thing we can do as the department is avoid miscalculation, and then control escalation. Our posture is for deterrence.”
Despite US President Donald Trump saying that the Iranians didn’t appear to be indicating that they’re undertaking any actions, Shanahan said that “there is risk, and we’re managing that risk.”
On proving to the Congress that the intelligence on Iranian attacks is real, he said that it could be done through “dialogue,” but no mention of evidence was provided.
“How many briefings have we done to the Hill since…, this is probably the ninth? I think we’ve done nine briefings. Maybe it was the fifth, but we’ve done a considerable number of briefings on the Hill.
The, you know, skepticism — I can’t address the individuals, and I think part of today will be to, kind of, give credible information that’ll address that.”
Regardless, Senators had seen the intelligence and they still remained skeptical of any of the threat US National Security John Bolton announced on May 5th.
Whether Iran “got this message of deterrence on the long run,” and not just for these possible suspected attacks, Shanahan had the following to say:
“I just hope Iran is listening. We’re in the region to address many things, but it is not to go to a war with Iran.”
Later on, Shanahan was asked:
“Mr. Secretary, on Iran, earlier, you said, “We couldn’t hold their potential for attacks on Americans.” Does that mean that the threat is diminished or reduced? Could you just kind of clarify what you meant by that?”
Shanahan admitted that no attacks on Americans happened despite all the fear mongering that led to the deployment of B-52 bombers in Qatar and the USS Abraham Lincoln’s carrier strike group to the Persian Gulf.
“There haven’t been any attacks on Americans. I would consider that a goal. That doesn’t mean that the threats that we had previously identified have gone away.
Our prudent response, I think, has given Iranians time to recalculate. I think our response was a measure of our will and our resolve, that we’ll protect our people and our interests in the region.”
On May 19th, US President Donald Trump said that if Iran wanted to fight, that would mean the end for them.
If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2019
On the next day, blamed the Fake News media of spinning the situation out of proportion and that the US was trying to set up negotiations with Iran, all along.
….Iran will call us if and when they are ever ready. In the meantime, their economy continues to collapse – very sad for the Iranian people!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2019
In response to Trump’s call for negotiations, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that there would be no such thing and that Iran wouldn’t bow under pressure.
“Holding onto premature perceptions, they had thought they would be able to shatter Iran’s grandeur,” he said, adding, however, that “we have been witnessing prosperity across this land every day in this tough time and under sanctions.”
“This is a very decisive response to the White House…and to those who reckon they can make the great nation of Iran buckle under their pressures,” the president noted.
“The White House announces that the people of Iran should be wary of an attack: however, [no longer than] two hours later, under pressure from the Pentagon,” the US president declares that Washington was not after launching any attack against Iran,” he said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said that Trump was right in “deploring the military-industrial complex,” but shouldn’t let “the B Team” have too much influence on decision-making.
.@realDonaldTrump rightly deplores "military-industrial complex" pushing U.S. to #ForeverWars
But allowing #B_Team to trash diplomacy & abet war crimes—by milking despotic butchers via massive arms sales—achieves nothing but empowering that same complex.
Time to #DrainTheSwamp?
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) May 20, 2019
With the #B_Team doing one thing & @realDonaldTrump saying another thing, it is apparently the U.S. that "doesn’t know what to think”.
We in Iran have actually known what to think for millennia—and about the U.S., since 1953.
At this point, that is certainly "a good thing!"— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) May 17, 2019
Essentially, the Pentagon declared victory in a clash with Iran that didn’t happen.
It began with claims that attacks were to take place, a possible false flag in the face of the attacks on the Saudi and the Norwegian tankers, the shelling of the area near the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq and so on. It is now ending with a proclamation of victory and a much softer rhetoric toward Iran.
Regarding the shelling of the empty embassy, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a radio interview that the United States had yet to reach a definitive conclusion he could speak publicly about.
“But given all the regional conflicts that we have seen over the past decade and the shape of these attacks, it seems like it’s quite possible that Iran was behind these,” he said, which is much softer than the determination he and Bolton usually have when speaking of accusations towards Iran, Russia and China.
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Hot air is not going solve anything.
Wish you good luck with your victory.
Man! It’s so damn easy to declare victory in a conflict when the other side isn’t showing up.
As usual we are still waiting for any evidence and as usual we are not going to get any. As usual with the US and its intelligence claims, a little trust goes a long way. The less you use, the further you will get.
Mr. Shanahan sounds, if you will permit me, perhaps just a bit, I mean, you know, somewhat incompetent? Here’s why I am going to call Mossad false flag on the attack on the oil tankers and the attack on “Mecca”: http://www.newsilkstrategies.com/news–analysis/is-iran-anti-islam-someone-wants-us-to-think-so
to me he sound like a complete tool and mentally challenged. But then is common denominator among the american politicians, the last 30 years, so is no surprise there.
i agree with your sentiment.
these people are nothing but yes men for the financial class.
No skills no experience, just kissing ass.
when was the last time you saw competence in and around the white house – eisenhower and kennedy maybe and roosevelt but otherwise hard to find.
True, and that is because presidents are all controlled by a group of essentially foreign agents, as listed here: http://www.newsilkstrategies.com/news–analysis/the-real-government-of-the-us-its-not-the-people
Hi, Vince. Never heard of Shanahan. Is he another moron like Bolton–or did you mean shenanigan ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_M._Shanahan in some cases google is your best friend finding out about system tools.
ALL NATO officials are freaking idiots. The higher the rank, the fewer the brains.
Essentially, the Pentagon declared victory in a clash with Iran that didn’t happen.
That’s quite a feat, given they were defeated by the “hypothetical enemy” in their “Millennium Challenge 2002” military exercise to simulate war with Iran! :D
Anti-US sentiments are old now. I know that Iranians are a progressive and democratic nation but their level of anti-Americanism and anti-Zionism borders on paranoia.
does it? No matter what name you use as avatar especially the one you using with a gr at the end, can not hide your jew roots hasbara. Do you get paid for what you come here and post or you do it for free.
pfff once again foolish proclamation from you. pro us sentiment is old because the west cant abide by any agreements they sign.
once israel get its nuclear program inspected and under control, then Iran can be a little more assured, until then the west can pound sand as we have been untrustworthy and unreliable.
Oh boy, the West defeated the Nazis in WWII, defeated the communists in Cold War and now we will defeat every 3rd world dictator. Israel was assaulted by hostile forces in the past many times and Iran has supported it. After the 1979 revolution the things changed. However, Palestinians are highly supportive of Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda. How about that?
Both Israelis and Palestinians are played.
By whom?
We soon will see Trump will send Sout American illegal emmigrants to Iran. Many already are poor and will integrate well.
If you continue with ad hominem attacks, I won’t converse with you and I will block you. Enough is enough.
so when you see the arch-enemy, being nuke-armed, assemble one or two armadas off you coast and the other war criminal, also armed with nukes, persistently and repeatedly bray for war against iran, I would say they are entitled to a certain paranoia and entitled to a) find a quick supply of reliable nukes and b) prepare for the worse, such as close the hormuz strait and close down ras tanura for loading of saudi crude oil for a long long time. I guess if rouhani ask kim jung un about a couple of good nukes, iran can lay waste to tel aviv post haste and that is exactly what the world needs – a middle east free of murdering and thieving and lying squatters.
become a proud anti-zionist and join the BDS-movement and start by boycotting sodastream and jaffa oranges and carmel avocados and boycott scarlett johansen, ugly squatter supporter.
Rouhani seemes named after a bread we eat for breakfast. It has a thin hard crispy outside and a lot of air inside.
After being in the owen some time its dry and hardly nothing only usefull for feeding the ducks.
Iran has no women only objekts.
After being in the owen some time its dry and hardly nothing only usefull for feeding the ducks.
Jensy, you faygala?
Iran has no women only objekts.
I dare you to say that in an Iranian woman’s face. Don’t say I didn’t warn you after she gave you a wedgie.
So in the US women are not treated like objects. Hilarious because 1 minute looking at US media tells a different story. Furthermore, what about ‘gender fluidity’ or lgbtq in schools?
Its not like Iran. You are partly true in some matters.
I think “Me too” and like that will change things some.
Yeah, how could anyone hate the homicidal, apartheid state of Israel, who live on land that was cleared by slaughtering whole families? If you think that is an exaggeration, read this: http://www.newsilkstrategies.com/news–analysis/israels-right-to-existarabs-right-to-die
From 1948, many “Arab” nations wanted to destroy Israel and kill the Jews. However, they have failed and have all recognized Israel except for the Assad regime. Israel is not apartheid. Israel is the ONLY nation in the ME that recognizes the existence of Arameans. Israel helped Lebanese Maronites to defend themselves. Israel also helped Orthodox Serbs against Bosniaks. While on the other hand, Palestinians have extremist ideology and they are making terrorist activities.
You are misinformed. A quick internet search will show numerous zionist terrorist acts from 1924. The bombing of the King David Hotel in 1946 for example.
Why every anti-Zionist always points out the King David Hotel bombings but not the numerous pogroms in every “Arab” country. I say “Arab” because the false ideology of pan-Arabism categorizes every country from Morocco to Iraq and from Syria to Oman as “Arabic”.
I appreciate the response. I suppose one point is ‘hypocrisy’. Zionists are always blaming everyone else when NONE of this would happen if it was not for them. They caused all this mess. Imagine if zionists landed on your territory & slowly but surely took over rendering you & your descendants 2/3 rd class citizens. Then accusing YOU of anti-semitism. The audacity of it all is mind boggling!
Zionists only want a Jewish state. If you think that modern Jews have no relation to historical Jews then guess what? Palestinians say that they are Arabs so they should go back to Arabia. Israel is fully democratic and even Palestinians are allowed to form political parties and be part of the army and the government, not to mention that they recognized the Aramean nation.
A re-run of the Gulf of Tonkin incident 2’0 .
Playing self imagination threat no one believes.
this morons have passed the no return line to sanity. I wonder if they believe their own lies which is quite possible from retards as they are.
Interesting to see such harsch words from somebody who only belives in what he sees.
Yes in all likelihood they believe their own lies (that the evil Iranians -incl. the Muslim Brotherhood- are behind the USraHell deep state), and therefore it can go all south very fast: ‘U.S. Adopts Al-Qaeda Claims Of Chemical Attack, Promise “Quick And Appropriate” Response’ ‘Missiles fired at Russian Kheimim airbase in Syria amid massive militant offensive – MoD (RT) Published time: 22 May, 2019 12:27’…’Al-Nusra terrorists on Wednesday fired 17 missiles at Russia’s Kheimim airbase in Syria, all of which were either intercepted or fell short. The attack came as the Syrian Army faced a mass militant offensive in the Idlib province.’
What’s next? Since they are not retarded, they are more likely religiously mad…
Even yesterdays assessment here seams far far away: ‘Of course, with this tendentious cast-list, we can not exclude the possibility that the scenario might go sideways and provoke a war. In reality, the White House and the Kremlin are talking to each other. Neither the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, nor his Russian opposite number, Sergueï Lavrov, have any wish to get tangled up in this trap.’ https://www.voltairenet.org/article206535.html
HARSH WORDS………….. since when the truth is harsh words and what is left to see from their actions and deeds, to see them for what they are? By the way what planet are you living on?
I am not criticizing your view on to the truth – since it is what it is. I read from your answer that you have seen enough ‘to see them for what they are’, and that you are not seeing what Meyssan sees, which is all the bull about ‘the deep state’, which Trump, according to Meyssan, fights.
‘What Planet?’ – there arn’t many options, since there is only one (and those morons are fucking it up for everyone).
So very much on the south side, it is – and that’s where I recommend to be…
good answer. Who ever think trump is fighting deep state is so far gone that even the tree can not see let alone the forest. The funny part is that any one can make a search about him and find all about his life and his actions. Any way we not global players so is nothing we can do about that beside try to be informed, prepared and at least in our territories be the top dogs for what ever come against us.
p.s. I dont believe for one second that are mad. They are groomed by the system, been advanced where they are now by the zionist in their effort to establish their NWO and have been used according to the need of them at the right time. So madness is not an excuse of their actions they been given an agenda by their handlers and do the best to their abilities to achieve it by any means possible. They are just not very bright and they lack the imagination of an intelligent person to sell the agenda so they trying to enforce it. Just remember puppets have handlers and that is what they are and that is why their deeds and actions show so much inconsistency.
Humans in all their history proved one thing that is their common denominator. They have very short memory and even shorter thinking span, so as long you sell them on a dream will follow the leader no matter what, until the dream is gone then maybe they react, but not all races are like that.
Sorry only saw your P.S. now.
I agree, it’s religion (the system is maybe religion, Zionism/Millenarism for sure is religion). Could they sell their agenda to the world – even if they had the imagination of an intelligent person? If it is what I think their agenda is, then No – they could not, because the selfpreservation of the addressed audience would kick in.
Good point that inconsistency comes from their handlers.
And yes they are selling the ultimate dream, a dream for which a lot people where conditioned to from the first time on, when they entered a church sermon, as a child. Is it a racial thing – don’t know if the Chinese would be better, since they are even more ‘bee hive like people’…
If the Iran’s enemies have nukes and ICBMs so its compulsory that Iran should also have to repel hostile aggressions. Otherwise these idiots will convert whole population in Iran into ash.
Don’t buy US dollar. The US dollar is haram. Anything you buy with US dollar is also haram.
The United Zionists of America have been utterly defeated in this case. It’s so embarrassing for them. They have no influence whatsoever…nobody gives a shit about these yankee morons any more. Another 10 aircraft carriers will not intimidate the Persians! All this time & effort in the ME only to watch Persia scoop everything up & rightly so because nobody likes yankee zionist usury bankers anyway…I just hope one day the ‘righteous’ will chase these scumbags back all the way to the white house! Please American people, wake up NOW! can you not see that your leaders don’t give a shit about you, me or anybody!
right all the way but forget to include the necessity to evict the squatters all the way to hell from the land they’ve stolen from the palestinians. the certified idiots in washington dc can offer them green cards to settle in the disintegrating states of america and they, dem squating vermin, will find out the hard way how it is being persecuted by a population that hate them, fervently (this is because the squatters have only bought the lawmakers in washington dc and the pentagon chiefs und zu weiter whereas the population in general have seen their taxes being squandered on the squatters while the infrastructure at home has been allowed to crumble and the school-system allowed to become a joke when the necessary funds for those basic parts of a working society have been squandered on israel)
become a proud anti-zionist and fight israel everywhere and anytime. support the BDS-movement. don’t buy sodastreams and jaffa oranges, grapefruits or melons or carmel avocados and boycott scarlett johansen- she’s not worth it to waste good money on!
Just outlaw the Jew pedophile rape cult and permanently close the synagogues and yeshivas so that the baby rapers go extinct.
The US is run by idiots.
no just tools of NWO, who must do what they are told by their handlers. Kind of very dangerous idiots if you want to call them idiots.
It’s like a bull fight, and the US is the bull, it’s big strong and not very smart, but could easily kill the matador or picador’s. So they wear the pull down, with small non lethal blows, until the bull is to distressed to see the sword blow coming that finishes him off. It’s a cruel sport, but I’m actually enjoying this one. Of course this bull could simply walk away and live a long and prosperous life, but it won’t it will end up at the pet food factory.
Wow! Really stupid American military logic! Victory is when Russia defeated the Nazis. This claimed victory is high school level thinking. So when high school players flip a coin and one gets the heads up then claims victory though no game has started.
Iran won, they are still there, while the fleet sails for home.
Th US huffed, and they puffed, and then they scuttled off home.
As I already told you folks we won! We won because America is a winner nation of winners, and no matter how much you threaten and attack America on its own soils we will fight back, and we fought back, saving thousands of American lives under attack. Our enemy is now on retreat keeping his forces on hold to win time. But we will not pull back Americas forces 1 inch. They will stay there and they will move forward, until the threat against America, our Allies and our freedom is eliminated. For freedom folks!
sure as a klucking bell, the morons pushed a message of victory through a compliant msm to the people, lied to and cheated since roosevelt, that the wars in the middle east were won and that the future of the so called squatters republic israel is secured – what a larf when it’s just another vietnam in the making. dream on silly!
medalla, denles muchas medallas, que tal trabajo que hicieron. yo los condecoraría con una medalla de Gran cruz de caballero con robles y hojas de Hucatay doradas, en el grado de sobresaliente muy heroico
If that is all true then it’s time to deescalate the situation then by pulling back some ships and bombers in the region. I wish it be could be all of them.