IRAN/MIKE POMPEO/MILITARY/OIL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s statement Friday [6-14-19] that Iran was behind brazen attacks on two fuel tankers in the Gulf of Oman ignored the crucial question posed by his stakes-raising claim — about what the United States plans to do about it. Trump argued in a Fox News interview on Friday that his hardline politics had forced Iran to pull back from its disruptive policies in its immediate region — a claim that would be undermined by Thursday’s [6-13-19] attacks if it turns out Tehran was responsible…The President however did not respond when he was pressed on how he planned to stop future attacks — a question that was also left unanswered by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo when he appeared in the State Department Briefing Room Thursday to blame Iran for the attacks. Trump’s lack of specifics raised the question of whether Washington’s tough talk on Iran will be backed up by action, or whether the administration is trying to keep tensions manageable amid fears of a slide into an open confrontation with Tehran.”
–Stephen Collinson, “Trump raises stakes on Gulf tanker attacks — for himself and Iran,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, June 13, 2019 9:08 am