WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday there were no American casualties in the Iranian strikes on military bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and that Tehran appeared to be standing down. “No Americans were harmed in last night’s attack by the Iranian regime. We suffered no casualties,” Trump said in a White House address. “Our great American forces are prepared for anything. Iran appears to be standing down.” Nick Note: Shooting 30 ballistic missile into a US military base is not standing down. And being driven out of the Middle East is not in the best interest of the US or the world. This guy is out to lunch. Watch this will end very very very badly
API Weekly Petroleum Data for the week ending January 3, 2020
U.S. commercial crude oil inventories (excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) increased by 1.2 million barrels from the previous week. At 431.1 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are at the five year average for this time of year. U.S. crude oil refinery inputs averaged 16.9 million barrels per day during the week ending January 3, 2020, which was 387,000 barrels per day less than the previous week’s average. Refineries operated at 93.0% of their operable capacity last week. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 8.9 million barrels per day. Distillate fuel production decreased last week, averaging 5.3 million barrels per day.U.S. crude oil imports averaged 6.7 million barrels per day last week, up by 379,000 barrels per day from the previous week. Over the past four weeks, crude oil imports averaged about 6.6 million barrels per day, 12.7% less than the same four-week period
last year. Total motor gasoline imports (including both finished gasoline and gasoline blending components) last week averaged 401,000 barrels per day, and distillate fuel imports averaged 252,000 barrels per day. Total motor gasoline inventories increased by 9.1 million barrels last week and are about 5% above the five year average for this time of year. Finished gasoline and blending
components inventories both increased last week. Distillate fuel inventories increased by 5.3 million barrels last week and are about 8% below the five year average for this time of year. Propane/propylene inventories increased by 0.7 million barrels last week and are about 17% above the five year average for this time of year. Total commercial petroleum inventories increased last week by 14.8 million barrels last week. Total products supplied over the last four-week period averaged 20.6 million barrels per day, up by 0.6
% from the same period last year. Over the past four weeks, motor gasoline product supplied averaged 9.0 million barrels per day, down by 0.4% from the same period last year. Distillate fuel product supplied averaged 3.7 million barrels per day more than the past four weeks, down by 3.4% from the same period last year. Jet fuel product supplied was up 8.1% compared with the same four
-week period last year.
Iran Supreme Leader calls missile attack killed 80 Americans “a slap in the face” to America
Iran struck back at the United States early on Wednesday for killing its most powerful military commander, firing a barrage of ballistic missiles at two Iraqi military bases that house American troops in what the Iranian supreme leader said was a “slap” against America’s military presence in the region. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made clear that Iran’s missile strikes were in revenge for the U.S. killing of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, whose death last week in an American drone strike in Baghdad prompted angry calls for vengeance and drew massive crowds of Iranians, said to number in the millions, to the streets to mourn him. Khamenei himself wept at the funeral in a sign of his bond with the commander. “Last night they received a slap,” Khamenei said in a speech after the missile strikes. “These military actions are not sufficient (for revenge). What is important is that the corrupt presence of America in this region comes to an end.” Despite the heightened rhetoric, there were some indications that there might not be more immediate retaliation by either side. “All is well!” President Donald Trump tweeted shortly after the missile attacks, adding, “So far, so good.” regarding the assessment of casualties and damage.
Moments earlier, Iran’s foreign minister tweeted that Tehran had taken and “concluded proportionate measures in self-defense,” adding that Tehran did “not seek escalation” but would defend itself against further aggression. It appeared Iran gave advance warning of the strikes. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said he received notification from Iran just after midnight that its retaliation “was starting or would start soon” and would focus only on American positions. Finland and Lithuania’s militaries, which had personnel at one of the targeted bases, said they received information about an imminent attack and had time to move to shelters or leave the base.
Iran’s attacks “appeared designed for maximum domestic effect with minimum escalatory risk,” said Henry Rome, analyst with Eurasia Group.
“For a president who wants to avoid a war in the Middle East during an election year, the Iranians have provided an off-ramp he will likely take,” Rome said Tensions have risen steadily in the Middle East since Trump’s decision to unilaterally withdraw America from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers. The Iranian strikes on the bases marked the first time in recent years that Iran has directly attacked U.S. positions rather than through proxies in the region. It raised the chances of open conflict erupting between the two rivals, who have been at odds since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution and the subsequent U.S. Embassy takeover and hostage crisis. Nick Note: Reality is this was a staged event. The fix was in. Iran got to pop off a bunch of rockets and clam 60 dead Americans. And Trump gets to say it was not shit stand down. Like i said everyone goes home happy.
‘All Is Well!’: Trump Posts Optimistic Tweet After Iran Strike, Promises Statement ‘Tomorrow Morning’
President Donald Trump issued an optimistic message on Twitter Tuesday night after Iran fired missiles at a base in Iraq housing U.S. troops. “All is well!” Trump wrote in a tweet — his first statement since the strike. “Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now.” “So far, so good!” he continued. “We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning.”
All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2020
The Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday night that Iran fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles at Iraqi airbases housing U.S. troops. No casualties have been reported as of yet. The strike comes days after the United States killed top Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani in a strike near Baghdad. Nick Note: This is a done deal. Iran saves face. No US troops were injured by design. Trump will not retaliate! Everybody goes home happy.
Iran launches missiles on Iraq base housing US troops
Baghdad (AFP) – Iran on Wednesday launched a missile attack on an Iraqi airbase where US forces are based, threatening “more crushing responses” if Washington carried out further strikes, Iranian state media said. It said the missiles were in response to a US strike last week that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi top commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.Security sources told AFP that nine rockets hit the sprawling Ain al-Asad airbase in the country’s west, the largest of the Iraqi military compounds where foreign troops are based. The attack came in three waves just after midnight, the sources said. Iran swiftly claimed responsibility for the attack, with state TV saying it had launched “tens of missiles” on the base and promised “more crushing responses” if the US carried out further strikes. The Pentagon said Iran had fired more than a dozen missiles against Ain al-Asad and another installation hosting US and coalition forces near Arbil. It said bases hosting foreign troops had expected an attack and had been on “high alert” for days. US President Donald Trump was “monitoring the situation closely and consulting with his national security team,” according to the White House.The attack came after pro-Tehran factions in Iraq had vowed to join forces to “respond” to the killing of Soleimani and Muhandis last week.Soleimani was seen as the “godfather” of Tehran’s proxy network across the region and Muhandis, one of his top advisors, was the deputy head of Iraq’s Hashed al-Shaabi military network.
“The US Marines must immediately return to their dens to make their coffins,” said Akram al-Kaabi, head of the Harakat al-Nujaba group.
“The International Resistance Regiments have been formed in order to execute a harsh, deliberate response to the American terrorist forces,” Kaabi added. His deputy had earlier called for an urgent meeting to unite anti-American forces across Iraq. “We will wage a war against the American presence in all parts of the region that we can reach,” said Nasr al-Shammary.
US installations across Iraq had faced some 15 rocket attacks in recent months but none had been claimed.
As a result, the US-led coalition and NATO announced they were temporarily suspending their operations in Iraq.
Nick Note: Its settled business. Iran needed to save face its over over over… Back to the pin pricks… After a proper wait the US will continue ts withdrawal from the middle east as Putin has demanded of his Bitch Trump!
Saudi minister gives Trump message from crown prince, meets UK defence minister
WASHINGTON/RIYADH (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he met Saudi Arabia’s vice defence minister to discuss trade, oil prices and stability in the Middle East amid heightened tensions with Iran. Prince Khalid bin Salman said on Twitter he had delivered a message from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto leader, during his meeting with Trump on Monday, without providing details. The White House confirmed the meeting took place after the Saudis tweeted a photo of the session, which took place in the Oval Office. “Had a very good meeting with @kbsalsaud of Saudi Arabia. We discussed Trade, Military, Oil Prices, Security, and Stability in the Middle East!” Trump said in a tweet.Prince Khalid, a son of King Salman, also met the U.S. secretaries of defence and state on a trip scheduled after the killing of a top Iranian military commander in a U.S. strike in Iraq. Later on Tuesday, he said he met in London with British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace and David Quarrey, the prime minister’s international affairs adviser and deputy national security adviser, to discuss “regional and international efforts in the war against terrorism”.
The White House faced sharp criticism from journalists on Tuesday after they learned that an Oval Office meeting between President Trump and Saudi Vice Minister of Defense Khalid bin Salman had not been publicly disclosed.
The public only learned about the Monday meeting between the two leaders after a statement and photos were released by Saudi Arabia.
China doesn’t plan to pay billions for US agricultural products
China won’t hike grain import quotas for US trade deal
BEIJING (REUTERS) – China will not increase its annual low-tariff import quotas for corn, wheat and rice to accommodate stepped-up purchases of farm goods from the United States, local media group Caixin quoted senior agriculture official Han Jun as saying on Tuesday (Jan 7). The report raises further questions about how China will meet a target of spending billions of dollars more on US agricultural goods as the two countries look to reach an initial agreement to calm an extended trade war. US President Donald Trump said in December that China had agreed to double its pre-trade war purchases of US agricultural products over the next two years as part of a Phase 1 trade deal to be signed this month. Han, a vice agriculture minister and part of the negotiating team, said last month that China would buy more wheat, rice and corn from the United States to meet demands for higher agricultural imports. His comments led to speculation that Beijing could increase the quotas that it issues each year to grain buyers, setting the amount of wheat, corn and rice that can be imported at a tariff rate of 1 per cent. The amounts for 2020 were issued in September last year and were steady on previous years. Imports outside the quotas are rare because of tariffs of 65 per cent. Han was quoted by Caixin on Tuesday as saying the quota is offered to global markets and “we won’t adjust it for one country.” US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in December Beijing had committed to buy an additional US$32 billion of American agricultural products over two years, or roughly US$16 billion a year more than the 2017 baseline of US$24 billion. He said Beijing would aim for another US$5 billion in farm purchases each year on top of that. China’s annual quotas are 9.64 million tonnes for wheat, 7.2 million tonnes for corn and 5.32 million tonnes for rice. It has not bought large volumes of US wheat, corn and rice in recent years. Soybeans made up more than half of China’s agriculture purchases from the United States in 2017, at about US$12.2 billion. The agriculture ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Nick Note: More Trump blow and Go bullshit. Their is no China trade deal… Just Trump trying to get the sound bite. If your a farmer and bough more land and a tractor of two because Trump told you to.. Well what can i say you have proven your a dumb shit. AND AND you are part of Trumps core supporters the Stupid Majority!
US braces for Iranian response: a ‘tit for tat’ assault
U.S. officials on Monday braced for Iran to respond to the killing of its most powerful general, noting heightened military readiness in the country and preparing for a possible “tit-for-tat” attempt on the life of an American military commander.
President Donald Trump ordered the Jan. 2 strike against Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, after the death of an American contractor in Iraq. Now, as the massive demonstrations of Iran’s public mourning period for Soleimani come to a close, officials believe the next steps by America’ longtime foe will determine the ultimate course of the latest crisis. While officials say American intelligence isn’t clear on whether Iran’s latest military moves are designed to bolster Tehran’s defenses or prepare for an offensive strike, the U.S. is continuing to reinforce its own positions in the region, including repositioning some forces. One official said the U.S. anticipated a “major” attack of some type within the next day or two. Pro-Iranian factions in the Iraqi Parliament have pushed to oust American troops following Soleimani’s killing on Iraqi soil. Esper spoke to reporters after a letter from a U.S. Marine general circulated that seemed to suggest a withdrawal had been ordered in response to a vote by the Iraqi Parliament over the weekend. “There’s been no decision whatsoever to leave Iraq,” Esper said. Soleimani’s death, which has sparked major protests, further nuclear development and new threats of violence, has raised the prospect of a wide and unpredictable conflict in the Middle East and escalated tensions between Iran and the U.S. Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions, said targeting Soleimani was not representative of a wholesale shift in American policy toward Iran, despite Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s comments on Sunday that the U.S. was targeting Iran’s “actual decision-makers” rather than its network of proxy allies. Trump has repeatedly contended that he is not seeking “regime change” in Iran, as has been pushed by some of his more hawkish advisers. Trump’s strike against Soleimani, a revered figure in Iran whose death sparked large displays of anger and grief, was a risky decision his Republican and Democratic predecessors opted not to take out of concern it would draw the U.S. and Iran closer to conflict. U.S. officials are also aware that Iran could try to strike a high-level American leader in a “tit-for-tat” move, potentially a military commander. One official said some Iranian ships have spread out, and while the intent isn’t immediately clear, they could move rapidly to attack. The U.S. military’s concern about its vulnerability to Iranian attack in the Persian Gulf region has been at a heightened state since about May, when the administration reported it was getting intelligence indications that Iran was planning attacks on U.S. interests in Iraq and elsewhere in the region. The Pentagon sent additional forces to the Gulf at that point, and in July it worked out an arrangement with the government of Saudi Arabia to send U.S. forces to a large base deep in the Saudi desert, in less obvious range of Iranian missiles.
The main hub for American military air operations throughout the Middle East is located at al-Udeid air base in Qatar – within easy range of Iranian missiles. American forces also are stationed in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. The Navy’s 5th Fleet, which operates throughout the region, is based at Bahrain.
In remarks to reporters Monday, Gen. Milley insisted that the intelligence on which Trump based his decision to kill Soleimani called for urgent action. “I’ll stand by the intelligence I saw,” he said, adding that details had not been made public because they are classified. He said the intelligence showed Soleimani was plotting attacks and that the U.S. would have been negligent not to act. “It was imminent,” he said, “and it was very, very clear in scale and scope. Did it exactly say who, what, when and where? No, but he was planning, coordinating and synchronizing significant operations against U.S. military forces in the region, and it was imminent.” Nick Note: I hasten to remind you a week ago Iran was killing 10,000 demonstrators. Protesting fuel price increases and the economy which has gone to shit on US sanctions and the Iranian government spending every dime it can on its military build up. Problem solved get the masses to rally behind the slain general and blame the great Satan for their misery. Classic!
Letter says troops will soon begin flying out in transport helicopters under cover of darkness
Chaos over U.S. troops in Iraq as Pentagon insists they WON’T withdraw despite general leading anti-ISIS coalition saying they’ll move ‘out of Iraq’ in letter released by “mistake” amid anger over attack that killed Qassem Soleimani
- General in charge of U.S. coalition forces in Iraq tells military counterpart to prepare for helicopter flights as troops pull up stakes
- Letter says troops will soon begin flying out in transport helicopters under cover of darkness
- But defense secretary tells reporters that ‘there’s been no decision whatsoever to leave Iraq, period’
- Chairman of the joint chief of staff confesses that the letter was a draft released by mistake
- Donald Trump said Sunday that he would only withdraw troops if Iraq paid the U.S. for building and maintaining the main air base the coalition uses
- He also threatened greater sanctions than those he has imposed on Iran
- Iraq’s parliament had passed a resolution, which is nonbinding, urging the government to evict American troops
- That was in response to Trump green-lighting a drone attack on an infamous Iranian military leader while he was in Baghdad, in Iraqi soil
- U.S. will send six B-52 bombers to the Diego Garcia air base on an island in the Indian Ocean, to prepare for the possibility of military action against Iran
Reports Monday that the U.S. would soon withdraw all its forces from Iraq were turned on their heads minutes later when U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters there were no plans to pull up stakes. ‘There’s been no decision whatsoever to leave Iraq, period,’ Esper said, adding that he and his staff were ‘trying to figure out’ the meaning of a letter signed by a brigadier general that suggested the opposite. ‘There are no plans to leave,’ he emphasized, suggesting discussion of a massive troop movement could be merely a signal that forces are being repositioned inside Iraq’s borders. Separately, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told reporters that the letter was ‘a draft. It was a mistake. It was unsigned. It should not have been released.’ The draft was ‘poorly worded’ and ‘implies withdrawal. That is not what’s happening,’ Milley declared.
The U.S. military had appeared to inform Baghdad that it was preparing for ‘movement out of Iraq,’ a day after the Iraqi parliament urged the government in a non-binding resolution to oust foreign troops.
The head of the Pentagon task force in Iraq, Brigadier General William Seely, sent a draft letter to the head of Iraq’s joint operations command.
‘Sir, in deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament and the Prime Minister, [the coalition] will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement,’ Seely wrote. He added: ‘We respect your sovereign decision to order our departure.’
Nick Note: Read the letter sent to the Iraqi government for yourself. At the very least it shows a government and military in complete melt down. The Romans ended the same way. Bottom line is the FACT that the US is turning tail and running away…. AGAIN!. Driven out of the Middle East by Iran. I guarantee you they are breaking open the Champagne in Moscow. Putin’s bitch is doing exactly as his master dictates… Hit the road JACK and Don’t come back no more, no more, no more! I again repeat the Secret OIL Alliance will hold. Oil flows will not be disrupted. It looks like Iran’s demand that all US troops leave Iraq and eventually the Middle East will be complied with… I am sure glad you guys elected Donald Trump and even more excited that a indicted criminal will be reelected… Its worth billions!!!
Iran is withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal after Trump ordered deadly strike on its top general
- Iran is withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, a move that could be perceived as the country taking a big step toward obtaining a nuclear weapon.
- This announcement comes after President Donald Trump ordered a strike that killed Iran’s top military leader, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
- Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018, and this moment is widely viewed as the catalyst for a series of escalatory events that have raised fears of a potential war.
- Iran has vowed to enact “severe revenge” over Soleimani’s death, who was killed in Baghdad on January 3.
- Meanwhile, Trump has warned Iran that dozens of sites could be hit by the US if it strikes “Americans” or “American assets.”
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Iran on Sunday announced it’s withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, just days after President Donald Trump ordered a strike that killed its top military leader, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Iranian state TV said Iran will no longer comply with any of the limits of the deal, The Associated Press reported, which effectively means it will no longer adhere to limitations on uranium enrichment, its amount of stockpiled uranium, and research and development. This move could be perceived as the country taking a big step toward obtaining a nuclear weapon. But Iran also said it will continue to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, and would return to the nuclear agreement if sanctions against it were lifted, according to the New York Times. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will end its final limitations in the nuclear deal, meaning the limitation in the number of centrifuges,” the Iranian government said in a statement, per the Times. “Therefore Iran’s nuclear program will have no limitations in production including enrichment capacity and percentage and number of enriched uranium and research and expansion.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider on this development. The deal, which was orchestrated by the Obama administration, had been crumbling ever since Trump withdrew the US from it in May 2018. Trump’s decision to pull the US from the nuclear deal is widely viewed as the catalyst for a series of escalatory events that have raised fears of a potential war. Iran remained in compliance with the landmark pact for roughly a year after Trump pulled the US from it, but began to take steps away from the agreement as tensions rose with the US over the course of 2019. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has engaged in a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, hitting it with harsh economic sanctions aimed at crippling the Iranian economy to squeeze Tehran into agreeing to a more stringent version of the 2015 deal. But this approach has shown few signs of success. The nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was designed to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. France, the UK, China, and Russia, Germany, and the European Union were also signatories to the deal. Iran has vowed to retaliate over Soleimani’s death, who was killed in Baghdad on January 3. The strike that killed the Iranian general was conducted under Trump’s direct orders. Trump on Friday said the strike was meant to “stop a war,” but on Saturday issued new threats to Iran via Twitter after spies detected missiles in heightened states of readiness, according to The New York Times. The president said: “Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!”