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24th July 2019, 09:13 AM
#21
Re: This should liven things up in the Gulf
I bet the Iranians were really disapointed when they found that out!
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24th July 2019, 10:02 AM
#22
Re: This should liven things up in the Gulf
Originally Posted by
Mike Bird
I bet the Iranians were really disapointed when they found that out!
one post since 2015 and it's a riddle
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24th July 2019, 10:12 AM
#23
Re: This should liven things up in the Gulf
Britain committed an act of Piracy against International Law when they seized the Iranian oil tanker off Gibraltar.This was likely at the behest of Washington'
The repercussions of this piracy were obvious and not thought thru;. Iran controls the Straits of Hormuz and can block oil flows to the West. This action would create an economic and Financial collapse in Europe.
The USA is self-sufficient in oil from its fracking Industry, but needs an oil price above $60/bbl to make it economical.
With one stroke the US holds Europe to ransom, protects its frackers and demonises Iran.
The Royal Navy has Aircraft carriers without aircraft and T45 destroyers unable to operate in Middle East waters ,because of poor design of the gas turbine air coolers.
Mike Pompeo has washed his hands and has indicated that the US will not interfere. No doubt a killing was made on Wall St oil futures.
Britain has been used ,abused like an old Welly boot and the standard of political nous at the Foreign Office leaves much to be desired.
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24th July 2019, 11:53 AM
#24
Re: This should liven things up in the Gulf
The Grace 1 had changed its destination and load port on its A.I.S. a couple of times and it's my understanding that she was not intercepted in the straits of Gibraltar but had actually entered Gibraltar's waters. She was arrested at the behest of the E.U. as they claim it was carrying sanctions busting crude oil to Syria, nowt to do with the USA.
Rgds
J.A.
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24th July 2019, 01:28 PM
#25
Re: This should liven things up in the Gulf
Originally Posted by
John Arton
She was arrested at the behest of the E.U.
Except she wasn't. The EU made no such request and there is no public record of them doing so.
The initiative was taken by Gibraltar acting on "intelligence" received from unnamed quarters and the UK then helpfully assisted in her capture. A cynic might question why Gibraltar updated it's sanctions laws only 36 hours before the seizure of this ship thereby giving them the legal groundwork to do so.
The Spanish foreign minister Josep Borrell has stated on TV that she was captured at the request of the US and insinuated in the same interview that Spain was first offered the same "intelligence" but did not act upon it, whereupon it was offered by the US to Gibraltar/UK. There is now wide suspicion that the US request came from National Security Advisor John Bolton at the behest of Trump.
Whilst she may well be in breach of EU sanctions, that is but a convenient coincidence.
Her seizure does of course greatly assist the Trump administration in their war of words with Tehran in that it has the side effect of thwarting independent European attempts to negotiate with the Iranians over their nuclear deal, something the Trump administration wants to stop.
Of course since the UK has pretty successfully alienated itself from the EU over the past three years and with a "no deal" Brexit in sight, cozying up to Trump and acting as his poodle is but an inevitability.
Last edited by Jim R Christie; 24th July 2019 at 01:31 PM.
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24th July 2019, 02:15 PM
#26
Re: This should liven things up in the Gulf
Mr Picardo a representative of the Gibraltar Government stated "the Grace 1 was arrested as she as in beach of EU sanctions.he also went on to say that there was no external influence on his Government to arrest the ship".
Vic
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24th July 2019, 02:23 PM
#27
Re: This should liven things up in the Gulf
Originally Posted by
vic mcclymont
Mr Picardo a representative of the Gibraltar Government stated "the Grace 1 was arrested as she as in beach of EU sanctions.he also went on to say that there was no external influence on his Government to arrest the ship".
Vic
To which we might ask does he consider the UK to be "external", does the mere passing of intelligence count as 'influence' or merely a simple exchange of information etc? It does at least demonstrate that the EU made no such request.
What's very telling about this whole sorry affair is precisely what the British/Gibraltar governments and the EU are not saying.
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24th July 2019, 02:59 PM
#28
Re: This should liven things up in the Gulf
Originally Posted by
Daniel Buckley
(1)Britain committed an act of Piracy against International Law when they seized the Iranian oil tanker off Gibraltar.
(2) This was likely at the behest of Washington
.
(1) How does it become a Piracy issue, a word only used by Iran who were sanction breaking in the first instance
(2) Purely conjecture on your part, unless you have information that we mere mortals are not privy to
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24th July 2019, 04:06 PM
#29
Re: This should liven things up in the Gulf
Originally Posted by
vic mcclymont
Keith, Ivan, more chance of catching a bus than a response from the EU.
Interesting fact some of the crew are Russian, wonder what the big Bear will do?
Vic
I was surprised that a British flagged vessel carried no British crew
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24th July 2019, 04:54 PM
#30
Re: This should liven things up in the Gulf
Geopolitics aside (the initial mining by Iran of the Emirate and Norwegian vessels, the Gibraltar seizure, the initial Iranian attempts against the BP vessel) what on earth was that British flagged ship doing going through the straits unescorted.
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