False-flagged oil tanker seized by Iran

[New folder]

There are reports that a "British-flagged oil tanker" has been "seized by Iran".
This follows on from a previously staged oil tanker attack in June, with both incidents being designed to stoke war with Iran.

Stretched twig of peace etc.

Is everybody ready for WAR??

[ZoyzaSorris]

Bit hard to kick up much of a fuss when we did it first isnt it?

[bgmnts]

I had an idea the other day to statt writing a fictional diary with the premise being a nuclear war has just happened, just to freak out people 300 years into the future, if they're still around.


Don't think i'll need to.

[Zetetic]

There are reports that a "British-flagged oil tanker" has been "seized by Iran".
This follows on from a previously staged oil tanker attack in June, with both incidents being designed to stoke war with Iran.

It's a bit odd to put the two on the same footing since the Iranian government firmly denies the attack in June (and the evidence for the claim that they were responsible has been questioned by others) while it's Tasnim that has reported the interdiction of the Stena Impero by "IRGC forces". (Edit: And it's being repeated by Mehr and PressTV for example.)

Its provocation and subsequent framing are important - but we do actually seem to know that this has happened.

[dr beat]

Reports of a second ship...

[poo]

Hope this won't scupper the stag do in Tehran next weekend.

[Zetetic]

Reports of a second ship...

Mesdar now returning to course, apparently. (Possibly after IRGC interdiction.)

[Urinal Cake]

'Hey bud stopping picking on our little friend!'

[Alberon]

Airstrikes inside of a week.

We all knew this was coming. The US wants a war, and Iran is inclined to give them one.

[batwings]

I'm not worried, Johnson will sort things out.

[BlodwynPig]

I'm not worried, Johnson will sort things out.

The Sun are preparing the headlines already

[Pdine]

Why 'false-flagged'?

[New folder]

Why 'false-flagged'?

Initially, the news trended on twitter with the phrase "British-flagged tanker", which is quite a weird and cumbersome phrase to be repeated sufficiently enough to trend. Why not simply "British tanker"?

This often happens when certain international breaking news stories emanate from a single source, that wishes to push the media narrative in a certain direction: for instance, "Novichok-like" in relation to Dawn Sturgess. Phrases like this are often deliberately vague and loaded, and crop up when the imperial war machine is revving its engines.

So, it's a reference to the previous false-flag Iranian tanker attack on 13th June, and the fact that the breaking news media decided to propagate this story with the bizarrely vague phrase "British-flagged tanker".

[José]

some guy was on the news saying "it's absoloutely unprecedented that goverment forces would board and detain a vessell entering their waters blah blah blah etc" and i'm like hang about...  what about literally every boat that comes within 15 miles of australian waters?

i've literally seen the garbage tv show about it. "NO MR HSIN YOU CANNOT ENTER AUSTRALIAN TERRITORY WITH A HULL FULL OF ANGRY AFRICANIZED BEES". and the little old dude is like "OK YOU TAKE DRIED HADDOCK BUT I KEEP BEE!" and the aussie customs guys start getting visibly irate and start yelling about their fragile ecosystem and having PTSD flashbacks of rabbits and bullfrogs running around.

[Zetetic]

Initially, the news trended on twitter with the phrase "British-flagged tanker", which is quite a weird and cumbersome phrase to be repeated sufficiently enough to trend.

A vessel often doesn't bear the flag of the country of its ultimate owners. The Stena Impero appears to be Swedish-owned, but British-flagged. This means that the vessel is registered in the UK.

(The Mesdar is British-owned, but Liberian-flagged.)

Why not simply "British tanker"?

The phrase "British tanker" was used repeatedly in headlines and the like.

This was then clarified to refer the ship's registration, since there are multiple ways that a ship might be linked to Britain (while not being linked in other ways). This is the opposite of vagueness.

[Mister Six]

Yeah but ooooOOOooooOOOO false flags though! Never mind that the Revolutionary Guard announced this on Iranian state television! Conspiracy! WooooOOOOooooo!

[weekender]

Flags are interesting.

Some more detail here:

How 'British' is the tanker?
Ships must fly the flag of a nation state, explains Richard Meade, managing editor of maritime intelligence publication Lloyd's List.

They must be registered in a country, but that doesn't have to be the same country as its owners, or have any relation to the cargo, he says. But there must be some link to the UK.

"But how you define UK is relative," Mr Meade says.

The Stena Impero is Swedish-owned and those on board are Indian, Russian, Latvian and Filipino.

Here's a picture - that someone else took - of an F16 over the Malvern Hills today.  Is that a Swiss flag on the rudder?  Why would that be there?  I don't know, I just like flags and seeing them in the wild.



I personally saw at least 16 F16s today, although my walking friend did point out that it could have been the same four flying in a circular formation for a bit.

[BlodwynPig]

Prepare for War!!!

In Swindon

[beanheadmcginty]

Looks like the Danish flag to me.

[Menyatta Zondatta]

War in Swindon you say? Hope that nonce Sargon of Akkad gets drafted

[weekender]

Well, let's get the Danes involved in a war that they want nothing to do with then.

Surely with Brexit, they will be our allies now?

Fuck it, I'm moving to Norway.

[weekender]

War in Swindon you say? Hope that nonce Sargon of Akkad gets drafted

Well that was an unexpected Google.  Here's what you've thrown in the mix for "Sargon of Akkad":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Benjamin

Occupation: YouTuber

Wow.  This was not an avenue I was considering exploring tonight.

Really though, YouTuber is now an occupation?  Fucksake.

[Zetetic]

Some reports of some Farsi-language Iranian media twitter accounts being blocked today.

Government ministers are to deliver speeches as the world's largest arms producers sell their wares, including bombs, planes, drones, guns and tanks.

Eurofighter jets and Paveway bombs of the kind being used by Saudi forces in Yemen are expected to be promoted to international militaries.

The United Arab Emirates, which is part of the Saudi-led coalition bombing the country, is listed as a "platinum partner" on DSEI's official website.

It says the state-owned Saudi Arabian Military Industries firm will also be among exhibitors.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-arms-sales-invite-saudi-arabia-illegal-dsei-2019-a9012416.html

[Kryton]

Initially, the news trended on twitter with the phrase "British-flagged tanker", which is quite a weird and cumbersome phrase to be repeated sufficiently enough to trend. Why not simply "British tanker"?

Because it's British owned but there's no British staff on it?
Doesn't look like a false flag since both Britain and Iran have confirmed it. And the course/trajectory is easily viewable online, so it's not made up....

[Zetetic]

The Stena Impero is not (ultimately) British-owned. It is registered in Britain, and 'sails under' a British flag.

I have explained this. The BBC's articles (for example) explain this. This is why they use the term 'British-flagged'.

(For completeness, again, the Mesdar is British-owned but does not sail under a British flag.)

[Funcrusher]

Hard to find a news source for this story that can give me useful facts and analysis . Obvs the tory press version is 'towel head fanatics pushing Western governments oh so reluctantly to war', the BBC is the official government version and The Graun has to prove it's a proper grown up news source by also following the official line.

[weekender]

They have oil, we want their oil. 

Rest of it is politics and posturing.

Iran thinks Britain might be weaker because of Brexit and are just testing the waters.

[Zetetic]

I wonder how big the difference in direction is between the IRGC and the President and various Councils of state.

[Pinball]

Jeremy Hunt says there won't be war.

There is video footage of Iran doing it. Iran says they did it.

UK false flag operation to start a war? Bollocks.

New Folder is an Iranian psyops operative and I claim my 5 Euros :-)

[Funcrusher]

Iran thinks Britain might be weaker because of Brexit and are just testing the waters.

This is the part I find puzzling as i don't really get why they would want to do this.

This is a really fascinating account of the previous standoff between the US and Iran and the overstretched state of the American empire.

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-keeps-talking-about-last-military-standoff-iran-what-really-happened-farsi-island-navy