JOHN CHUCKMAN COMMENT: THE ATTACK ON SAUDI ARABIA'S CRUDE OIL TREATMENT FACILITIES - A WHOLE SET OF SERIOUS EMBARRASSMENTS FOR THE UNITED STATES - WHICH NOW BUSIES ITSELF TRYING TO TURN IT INTO AN EXCUSE TO ATTACK IRAN - HOW MILITARY TECHNOLOGY CAN CHANGE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE MIGHTY AND THE NOT-SO-MIGHTY

John Chuckman


EXPANSION OF A COMMENT POSTED TO AN ARTICLE IN THE INDEPENDENT



“Trump threatens Iran after Saudi attack: 'I don't want war but US is more prepared than any country’

“Iran denies being behind attacks and vows to defend itself”



"The US has claimed the rebels could not have carried out the attacks, and US officials have briefed selected media outlets that it believed Iran was responsible."



How can you "brief" anyone about something for which you have no evidence? You can tell them a story, but you can’t “brief” them.

The words make no sense, but then how much coming from Washington these days does make sense?

Trump and Pompeo keep talking angrily about Iran's responsibility, but they have backed their inflammatory words with absolutely no proof.

Pompeo, after recent accusations, said he would be supplying definitive proof, effectively an admission that he had no proof for what he had just been saying.

Indeed, in a report today, the Saudis are said to have told a major news source that no definite proof of responsibility has emerged from investigations.

Remember, these people, Trump and Pompeo, have demonstrated unrelenting hostility towards Iran for many months. That suggests motives for their assertions going way beyond any effort to understand truth.

American officials, also, are likely quite embarrassed at what the Houthi have achieved, and when you embarrass the very powerful, you make them very angry.

Their embarrassment would be compounded by the Houthi claim that they had inside help from Saudi Arabia. The strikes absolutely display an understanding of a huge and very complicated industrial facility. They understood exactly what parts to target for good effect.

The Houthi achievement suggests an important change emerging. Monster states in future are likely to have a harder time bullying smaller ones who are equipped with such new, effective, and not overly-costly military technologies as drones.

That is actually some good news coming out of these events. Good news, of course, the United States does not welcome.

There is yet a further source of embarrassment here for the United States. The air-defense systems Saudi Arabia bought from them, and very much had in place, utterly failed to defend anything.

Meanwhile, Trump blows on and on about how no one is better prepared for war than America.

An ugly child stomping his feet and making threats.