Tanker attacks: Trump blames Iran, Iran denies, & EU doesn’t trust either and wants to bypass the US dollar (will it?)

MV Kokuka Courageous with hull damage and mine

The Associated Press reported the following:

Trump blames Iran for tanker attacks but calls for talks

June 15, 2019

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has blamed Iran for attacks on oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, but he also held out hope that implicit U.S. threats to use force will yield talks with the Islamic Republic as the Pentagon considers beefing up defenses in the Persian Gulf area.

A day after explosions blew holes in two oil tankers just outside Iran’s territorial waters, rattling international oil markets, the administration seemed caught between pressure to punish Iran and reassure Washington’s Gulf Arab allies without drawing the U.S. closer to war.

“Iran did it,” Trump said Friday on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends.” He didn’t offer evidence, but the U.S. military released video it said showed Iran’s Revolutionary Guard removing an unexploded mine from one of the oil tankers targeted near the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting Tehran wanted to cover its tracks.

By pointing the finger at Iran, Trump was keeping a public spotlight on an adversary he accuses of terrorism but also has invited to negotiate. …

Iran denied any involvement in the attacks and accused Washington of waging an “Iranophobic campaign” of economic warfare. …

Apparently alluding to the U.S. video, Trump said Iran’s culpability had been “exposed.” He did not say what he intended to do about it but suggested “very tough” U.S. sanctions, including efforts to strangle Iranian oil revenues, would have the desired effect. …

As the world awaited Washington’s next move, analysts said it was difficult to sort out the conflicting claims.

“There are few actors in the world that have less credibility than Donald Trump and the Iranian regime, so even U.S. allies at the moment are confused about what happened,” said Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He said the “tremendous mistrust” of both Trump and Iran has made “the biggest priority for most countries to simply avoid conflict or further escalation.” https://www.apnews.com/328864cb72ce41a49153d06df1db5c82

Yes, Donald Trump has a credibility problem. Including from its European allies:

Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Friday cast doubt on evidence that the U.S. government claims is proof that Iran was behind an attack this week on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. …

“The video is not enough. We can understand what is being shown, sure, but to make a final assessment, this is not enough for me,” Maas told reporters during a press conference on Friday. The boat’s Japanese owner also cast doubt on the theory that a mine had been used to attack the ship, telling journalists that members of his crew had witnessed a flying object. …

“Whether it’s an attempt to remove Venezuela’s democratic government or regime change in Iran, the USA is causing global instability in furtherance of its imperial interests. We must reject the lies being used by the Trump admin to gain public support for their disastrous plans,” Chris Williamson, a member of the British parliament with the UK’s Labour Party, said in a statement. …

A second U.S. ally, France, was less committal. While the French Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, it refrained from saying whether its government had assessed the U.S. intelligence or any other evidence.

Meanwhile, European Union officials called for “maximum restraint.” 06/14/19 https://www.newsweek.com/iran-gulf-oman-germany-trump-administration-1444112

The Europeans have not been pleased with US President Trump’s decisions to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, increase sanctions against Iran, and threaten tough sanctions against European or other nations who want to continue to do business with Iran.

One of the “unintended consequences” of Donald Trump’s sanctions and threats is that the world in general, and Iran, Russia, China, Turkey, North Korea, Venezuela, and the EU in particular, are trying to bypass the use of the US dollar.

While the EU will not NOW intervene against the USA militarily should the USA attack Iran, the Europeans are actively working against USA interests as the EU takes more steps to bypass the USA dollar and promote its currency the Euro.

Notice the following:

EU and Russia Reportedly Agree to Ditch Greenback in Bilateral Transactions

The decision comes a few days after Russian President Vladimir Putin slammed the US dollar as a tool of pressure while speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Maros Sefcovic, vice-president of the European Commission for the Energy Union, have agreed to set up a working group that will deal with a transition to using the rouble and euro in bilateral payments, Russian media outlets reported, citing Siluanov’s spokesman, Andrei Lavrov.

Both sides have reportedly emphasised that the use of national currencies will be mutually beneficial, as it reduces certain risks for entrepreneurs in Russia and the EU. …

The reported agreement comes on the heels of remarks by Russian Economy Minister Maxim Oreshkin, who told Bloomberg TV last week that the greenback was gradually losing its share in the world market.

“China, Turkey and other major partners are increasing their share in euro, as well as Europe. The dollar is gradually and inevitably losing its share in the world market. This concerns not only Russia, but the whole world as well”, he said on the side-lines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

At the same event, Russian President Vladimir Putin also stressed that since becoming the global reserve currency, the US dollar has turned into a “tool for the issuing country to put pressure on the rest of the world”.

Russia has already taken a set of measures to reduce its dependence on the US dollar, including dumping its US bond holdings, increasing gold reserves, and switching to transactions in national currencies that mitigate external economic and political risks for Moscow.

As for the EU, back in December 2018, the Financial Times reported that the European Commission had presented a series of steps to boost the euro as a global reserve currency and challenge the dollar in international transactions, including those in the energy sector. https://sputniknews.com/business/201906141075867449-eu-russia-reportedly-agree-ditch-dollar-bilateral-transactions/

Europe’s Dream: Escaping the Dictatorship of the Dollar

Trump’s hostile behavior is reinvigorating efforts to turn the euro into an alternative to the world’s dominant currency. If only the Europeans could find some way to do it.

Europe’s quest to find an alternative to U.S. financial dominance and the global rule of the dollar has only intensified since French and German leaders first howled about the need to recover their economic sovereignty last summer. But European governments are finding that coming up with a workable plan is a lot easier said than done—leaving them fuming but still vulnerable to Washington’s strong-arm tactics.

That doesn’t mean, however, the Europeans are going to give up trying—and that poses a long-term danger to U.S. power …

“It’s of deep concern that the more the U.S. pushes Europe away from a common policy, the more they push Europe into finalizing true alternatives to the U.S. financial system,” which will ultimately weaken the United States’ economic power and its ability to effectively wield sanctions, said Smith, now the co-head of the national security group at Morrison & Foerster.

So far, adverse reaction to U.S. financial actions is boosting the euro’s prospects—a bit. “[G]rowing concerns about the impact of international trade tensions and challenges to multilateralism, including the imposition of unilateral sanctions, seem to have lent support to the euro’s global standing” over the past year, the European Central Bank (ECB) concluded Thursday in its annual report on the use of the euro.

While the euro’s share of cross-border transactions stayed about the same—just under one-third of all transactions—the euro’s share in global foreign exchange reserves grew over the last year, while the dollar dropped to its lowest level in almost 20 years. The ECB said some central banks are reducing dollar exposure due to the risk of unilateral actions. …

While the United States has aggressively used its central position in the global financial system to impose sanctions on rogue actors since the 1990s, what President Donald Trump is doing is a whole new order of magnitude, Smith said.

“The Trump administration is far more willing to confront even allies and seek to force changes to their foreign-policy position using threats of sanctions, as well as trade threats,” he said. “We’re hearing now from France and Germany what we used to hear from China and Russia.” …

Late last year, the European Commission rolled out a road map to strengthen the euro’s international role, includingcompleting true monetary union 20 years after the launch of the European currency by creating real pan-European banking and capital markets, which remain fragmented along national lines. Another key plank is to use the euro more, and the dollar less, in the energy sector; despite being the biggest energy importer in the world, Europe mostly pays in dollars for oil, coal, and natural gas.

This week, the commission reported that consultations with a wide range of industries showed “broad support for reducing dependence on a single dominant global currency” and “recognition that the EU, through the euro, can reinforce its economic sovereignty.” The euro, the commission found, is the only currency that can realistically compete with the dollar. …

“What’s holding the euro back? National financial markets in Europe still lack the breadth and liquidity of U.S. financial markets because they’re segmented along national lines,” Eichengreen said. Still, he said, “Rome wasn’t built in a day. These pilot projects augur what is to come. It will just take time to get there.” …

“The United States has pushed Europe on this issue to the breaking point, where capitals across Europe are looking for alternatives, and at some point some of those alternatives will bear fruit.” https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/06/14/europes-dream-escaping-the-dictatorship-of-the-dollar/

Europe is prophesied to dominate the world economically (cf. Revelation 18). One day Europe’s preferred currency will replace the US dollar. Now, more are seeing Europe (and others) take steps against the USA dollar which will, in time, dethrone it.

The various issues with Iran and sanctions and Donald Trump are emboldening more and more in Europe to look at ways to bypass the US dollar. With Donald Trump repeatedly using the US dollar and various sanctions around the world, more and more nations see the US dollar as a dictatorship that they want to bypass.

One day, and not this year, the US dollar will be worth no more than the scrap value of the cotton ‘paper’ its bills are printed on.

Getting back to Iran, it appears that Donald Trump believes a military threat against Iran may get Iran to agree to a new nuclear deal. Iran does not want such a deal, but given enough military pressure could agree to something. Yet, not without planning on how it would retaliate.

Notice the following:

War with Iran would be the beginning of the end

Two more tankers were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday morning (6/13/19) in the Gulf of Oman, and if hostilities advance we could be facing a ‘black swan’ event. One that changes everything, and divides the world into ‘before’ and ‘after’ periods.

A lot of us are waiting for ‘something’ to happen. 06/14/19 https://www.peakprosperity.com/waiting-for-the-black-swan/

War with Iran could lead to the prophesied “great damage” coming to Jerusalem (Isaiah 22:9), and ultimately the “peace deal” of Daniel 9:27. That would be, in a sense, “the beginning of the end” as the countdown to the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21) would start once that deal is confirmed by “the prince” who will become the final King of the North.

There will be more “unintended consequences” of Donald Trump’s statements and actions.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The End of US Dollar Dominance Is the USA losing its economic status? What about the petro-gold-yuan? A related video is also available: US Dollar being challenged by Gold-Petro-Yuan.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran In Prophecy.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
The Large Hadron Collider has Military Potential Some say this European project is only peaceful. So why is it working on capturing antimatter? Here is a link to a related video: Could the Large Hadron Collider lead to destruction?
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2019, 2020, or 2021? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2018 o 2019? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter and newer video is: Might the Great Tribulation start in 2019?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
Armageddon Who is involved and when will this gathering happen? Here is also a video from Dr. Thiel, from Tel Megiddo in Israel: Armageddon. Other videos include: Armageddon Will it come on Trump’s watch?, Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy, Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome, Is China paving roads to Armageddon?, and Jordan, Petra, and Armageddon.
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. A related sermon is titled: Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? Does the Bible promise protection to all or only some Christians? How can you be part of those that will be protected? A related video would be Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?
Donald Trump in Prophecy Prophecy, Donald Trump? Are there prophecies that Donald Trump may fulfill? Are there any prophecies that he has already helped fulfill? Is a Donald Trump presidency proving to be apocalyptic? Two related videos are available: Donald: ‘Trump of God’ or Apocalyptic? and Donald Trump’s Prophetic Presidency.
Trump Presidency Magic 8 Ball or Bible Prophecy? BBC reported that one might as well use a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’ to try to predict what will happen in the remaining time of Donald Trump’s presidency. What is a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’? Dr. Thiel not only explains that, but also briefly goes over 10 biblically-based warnings he wrote would happen if Donald Trump were elected that have already began to come to pass. He also goes over something he wrote back in 2008 that the Trump presidency is also helping lead to fulfillment. Should you trust Bible prophecy or not? Dr. Thiel says that Bible prophecy can be trusted, despite the view of skeptics and others that either overlook or despise the Bible. This is a video.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.