Japan demands more proof from U.S. that Iran attacked tankers

Japan Today ^ | June 16 2019 | Japan Today

[rintintin]

TOKYO The Japanese government has been requesting the United States for concrete evidence to back its assertion that Iran is to blame for the attacks on two tankers near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, government sources said Sunday.

The request came after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave a statement hours after the attacks blaming Iran but without offering proof. The Department of Defense later released a video allegedly showing an Iranian patrol boat removing an unexploded mine attached to the side of the Japanese-operated tanker Kokuka Courageous.

But Japanese government officials remain unconvinced, the sources said. "The U.S. explanation has not helped us go beyond speculation," said one senior government official.

[gaijin]

Japan wouldn’t gain, Iran wouldn’t gain.

Saudi Arabia would. Israel would.

Japan says it was a MISSILE, no mine.

[gaijin]

So I came back to see him a few weeks later, and by that time we were bombing in Afghanistan. I said, “Are we still going to war with Iraq?” And he said, “Oh, it’s worse than that.” He reached over on his desk. He picked up a piece of paper. And he said, “I just got this down from upstairs” — meaning the Secretary of Defense’s office — “today.” And he said, “This is a memo that describes how we’re going to take out seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran.” I said, “Is it classified?” He said, “Yes, sir.” I said, “Well, don’t show it to me.” And I saw him a year or so ago, and I said, “You remember that?” He said, “Sir, I didn’t show you that memo! I didn’t show it to you!”

[BenLurkin]

Hey Japan has a navy. Let them protect their oil in the gulf.

[JohnBrowdie]

lol wut?

[proust]

“Because I said so” doesn’t cut it anymore?

[spokeshave]

Japan says it was a MISSILE,

Do they have any concrete proof of that...?...inquiring mind seek to know,

[pepsionice]

The ‘gain-list’ ought to include both Russia, and Russian Oligarchs as well. The only evidence which exists so far is the Iranian military vessel pulling up to the tanker and removing ‘something’.

[JohnBrowdie]

lol. delusional Clinton ass licker Wesley Clark. you’re going to have to do better than that.

[proust]

Also the "bomb bomb bomb, bomb Iran" Neocon dirtbags benefit.

[thoughtomator]

The Japanese are not stupid enough to believe in a “smoking gun” that’s neither smoking nor a gun.

[chief lee runamok]

"If having expertise sophisticated enough to conduct the attack could be a reason to conclude that the attacker was Iran, "That would apply to the United States and Israel as well," said a source at the Foreign Ministry."

I'm looking at china. The chinese have plenty to gain, nothing to lose.

Unless they get caught.

[Jonty30]

What is Japan doing near Iran anyway?

[montag813]

This isn’t our problem. Send agents with dogs to the border to push back the Congolese into Mexico. THAT is our fight. Not stupid Mideast oil.

[editor-surveyor]

.
Tell them to send another tanker...
.

[CJ Wolf]

Japan has my permission to take a few Iranian ships out.

[CJ Wolf]

Transporting oil. Like for years and years.

[editor-surveyor]

.
China would more likely hack the controls of the ship and guide it to their shores.
.

[catnipman]

Heck, if they don’t like what we told them, let them figure it out their own damn selves: it’s their damn boat that got sunk ...

[JonPreston]

Refer Japan to John Bolton. He’ll explain neocon foreign policy to them.