Iran reports they have seized another oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, in an apparent effort to increase hostilities in the region and make a larger conflict with the U.S. and western allies.  All of this activity has a ring of familiarity to it from the late 1980’s.
In ’87 and ’88 the U.S. took over patrolling the strait to afford safe passage for Kuwait tankers and western-flagged ships. Eventually, following the Iranian attack on a U.S. frigate (USS Samuel B Roberts), there were several U.S-Iran military fights.
It looks like Iran is attempting to provoke a similar scenario today.  Only this time former President Obama and former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry appear to be assisting the Iranian government in their political efforts.  As incredible as it might sound at first blush, if Iran kills or captures any American military members in the modern version of the conflict – Obama and Kerry will be working directly for the enemy.  FUBAR:

WASHINGTON – Tehran, Iran — Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it has seized British oil tanker, the Stena Impero, in the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement comes one day after the U.S. said it destroyed an Iranian drone.
The military branch said the tanker over “non-compliance with international maritime laws and regulations” and has transferred the vessel to an Iranian port.

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Following an executive order signed by President Trump, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin holds a press conference to deliver the details [Video and Transcript]:

More details on Treasury Website Here.
[Transcript] SECRETARY MNUCHIN: So I think, as you know, I just left the Oval Office, where President Trump signed a new executive order authorizing even more expanded sanctions against Iran. So now — along with our existing sanctions authority, we have additional sanctions to go after the Supreme Leader’s Office and lock up literally billions of dollars more of assets. Along with that action today, we are also announcing specific actions targeting those responsible for recent activities.
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This is something many anticipated in 2017; particularly with the Mid-East visit by President Trump; but it never happened.  However, according to the New York Times, President Trump has a renewed push toward designating The Muslim Brotherhood as an official terrorist group.
The Brotherhood is the political umbrella organization for a variety of extreme Islamist organizations; and was the primary driver of regional uprising during the Islamist Spring (Tunis, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Yemen etc). Former President Obama looked warmly upon the Brotherhood and worked earnestly with them to fulfill their ideological goals.
The most visible effort of the political Brotherhood was in Egypt with the election of Mohammed Morsi; which led to widespread violence/chaos and the eventual call by the Egyptian people for General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to step-in.
The Brotherhood leadership was exiled from Egypt, and after a short time in Qatar -and confrontation by the Gulf Cooperation Council-  they were given safe harbor in Turkey by Recep Erdogan.  They likely remain in Turkey today.
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Put this into the geopolitical file labeled: “Things that make other things make sense”…  You only need to watch the first minute and fifteen-seconds of this announcement to see the bigger BIG picture.  WATCH:

[Transcript Snippet] … “This is the first time that the United States has designated a part of another government as an FTO. We’re doing because the Iranian regime’s use of terrorism as a tool of statecraft makes it fundamentally different from any other government. This historic step will deprive the world’s leading state sponsor of terror the financial means to spread misery and death around the world.”

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Earlier today President Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence welcomed Danny Burch and his family to the White House.  Mr. Burch, an American citizen, was held captive for 18 months in Yemen and was recently released. [Video and Transcript]

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[Transcript] Oval Office – 2:12 P.M. EST – THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much for being here. We have a very big moment because we have Danny Burch back home, where he should be.
He was in Yemen, in a very horrible situation — a captive, a prisoner. You can call him whatever you want, but it wasn’t good. He was there for 18 months — even a little more than 18 months — and we got him out. And we had some great help from UAE and all of our friends. But we got Danny out. And he’s just come home, said hello to his family, his beautiful son. Thank you for being here. And it’s nice to see your father back where he belongs.
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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo goes one-on-one with Martha MacCallum to discuss his message to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and Trump’s approach to NATO.  This is a really strong interview.
Secretary Pompeo brilliantly outlines the value of the nation state, and the principle that when a coalition is formed all members within that coalition (ie. NATO) have a responsibility to participate.  Watch:

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Yesterday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a video-conference message to the assembly of international economic leadership in Davos. [Full remarks and transcript below]

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[Transcript] SECRETARY POMPEO: Good morning, and thank you, Borge, for your kind introduction. And thank you to the World Economic Forum for the invitation to speak today. It’s 18 degrees Fahrenheit here in Washington, D.C. You see the Lincoln Memorial to my back. So while I’m not here in person, I at least feel like I’m in Davos with the weather.
It’s interesting times that we live in. Over the past few years, all around the world, voters have tuned out politicians and political alliances that they thought weren’t representing their interests. A few examples of new directions that people have taken: Brexit; the election of President Macron in France; the rise of the Five Star Movement in Italy; Mahathir’s comeback in Malaysia; and of course, Borge, as you referenced, the election of President Donald Trump.
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In the historic annals of linguistic evisceration, the speech delivered today by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Cairo, Egypt, will long be remembered.

Standing in the venue of the American University in Cairo, the exact location used by former President Barack Obama in 2009, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo absolutely shredded the prior administration’s mid-east policy with a comprehensive and complete rebuke of the former President.
Understanding how Egypt was ground-zero for the destructive policies of the Obama administration and the rise of radical Islamic extremism via the Muslim Brotherhood; let there be no doubt Secretary Pompeo had a clear intention to outline the horrendous intentional Obama ideology, and it was well received by the Egyptian audience.
Stunningly resetting alliances, and simultaneously putting a dagger in the heart of the manipulative globalists.  Stop what you are doing and watch/read this stunner:

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[Transcript] Thank you, Frank. Thank you to Frank Ricciardone. Thank you for your service to America as well, in addition to the duties that you perform here.
I’ve had the good fortune to be a frequent visitor here to Egypt and the Middle East as Secretary of State. In my prior role as CIA director, I was here with some frequency, and I came here too as a member of Congress. Every time I come, I get to see something new, something wonderful.
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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivers remarks to the media following a briefing of senators on Capitol Hill.  The media was primarily focused on the issues surrounding the murder of Kashoggi; and the opportunity to create a wedge issue for the Trump administration.
Many Decepticon senators, benefactors from Qatari (Muslim Brotherhood) financing against the policy of Saudi Arabia, are aligned with left-wing opposition to the President on this issue. Instability in the middle-east is a very lucrative business model for personal financial gain.

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President Trump’s statement on Saudi Arabia is one of the most forthright explanations of foreign policy by a US President, ever. No obfuscation; no convoluted parseltongue; just plainly spoken brutal honesty.  The Saudis may do bad things but they are better than their enemies, and our alliance with them is in our national interest.  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivers a similar statement in his media press briefing today.
Secretary Pompeo remarks about Saudi Arabia begin at 04:05 of video below:

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