RE:RE:Possible Mideast WarQWERTY,
Iran knows the USA can bring overwhelming force into open warfare. I think this attack on Saudi oil facilities is intended more to bring pressure on Europe, Japan, and China. These are the nations that rely on Saudi oil, and are thus the weakest links for sanctions. So far, Iran has avoided directly harming US assets or military personnel. That would be guaranteed to provoke a serious American military response. And then what? If Iran backs down, they will be seen as weak. If they respond, they’ll get absolutely clobbered. They know Trump needs a credible pretext for military action, in order to earn public support for any war. That means dead Americans, or seizure of US shipping at gunpoint (piracy). I would be surprised if Iran supplies such a pretext. If Americans get killed in this Iranian game of Chicken, look for this to blow up.