You are underestimating the follow on effects. Other oil producers will invest and take over the sales Iran is currently making. Ghana for example. “Control” means avoiding the straight. The world economy will not invest in a path that is constantly unreliable.
After decades of quiet enabled by the Greatest Generation, today’s Americans seem to have forgotten that freedom is never free. The message broadcast to the world with this strategic surrender: When the going gets tough the Americans get lost. Putin heard it loud and clear after the humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan. And now the CCP is taking detailed notes as it eyes the tasty morsel just across its border. The US obsession with 5$ gas while totally oblivious to the disastrous consequences of a post-Taiwan world is truly remarkable.
Totally disappointed in my fellow Americans. The price of gas crowd combined with the antisemite crowd have been victorious. The democrat socialists have the power and momentum, and they know it. Trump was too weak to stand up to them, at this point in the conflict. Hopefully the next 60 days will bring about one of those miracles that have turned things around for us in the past.
In less than several years, there will be newly completed pipelines heading in a few directions out of the area, and the Straight will not matter as much.
John, you got to it b/f I did. I believe that some of the Middle East countries are already building pipelines between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Ports in the Gulf of Oman will be free and clear of an Iranian influece. If right the only ships being hit with a duty will be ships carrying Iranain oil. Long-term that is not a good business model to put a duty on the ships carrying your product. It will be interesting to see how this develops.
Batya, I have followed your work for many years now and it is obvious that you have a heart as big as the Montana sky (very big) and a sincerity that is truly endearing. The only ones who can unite the American public are the Iranians themselves, specifically the more hardline elements of their government. Only they can foster an act or event that would enrage a majority of our nation. I have every faith they probably will at some point. In the meanwhile, do not lose your heart or soul, or any part of it, to these people, because if you do they will have truly won.
Don’t give in to despair. Remember that God is in control. There have been many times during my 60 years on this planet that I have been SURE the US was headed straight down the crapper. Yet here we are, living great lives and prospering. Keep doing what you do and fighting the good fight….it will be okay.
Lesa, do you believe a talking snake tricked the 'first' woman into eating "forbidden fruit' resulting in the downfall of man? Just asking if you mean that "God",
Batya, I'm a believer in you, an admirer of your intellect. But I think you've been wrong twice.
First, perhaps you were too quick in supporting the war. All the flaws you cite existed--no public support even sought (no matter how unlikely getting it might have been), no clear articulation (understanding?) of initial goals, etc., etc.
But now I think you're too hasty in reaching conclusions based on a "MOU." I still am inclined to give DJT the benefit of the doubt. I realize he's being torn in two directions, domestic- and foreign-related. People say very correctly that he is totally unqualified to be President of the United States, based on traditional standards. He has little deep state experience, although I believe he's managing it very much better than he did in this first term.
But he is a savvy manager of very big and complex projects, and he's made himself a billionaire. As much as many people find fault with this success I believe it may well qualify him to perceive weaknesses in traditional state-craft and negotiation norms, and to take a new approach to the carrot and stick that actually uses the stick.
I'm waiting...half-hopeful, with baited breath, fingers crossed. Time will tell, especially if he's willing to bomb them "right in the head" as he has threatened to do. One hopeful indication is that he has articulated clearly, for the public, that..."depression is bad, nuclear weapons far worse." So let's wait, test his mettle.
Apart from these concessions to the Iranian regime with no real commitments, we are hearing things about the regime that make John Kerry sound hawkish.
Trump is saying that it's only fair that Iran have ballistic missiles (!).
Does this not cause you to reconsider Trump's character, having enthusiastically championed it for so long, beyond this specific (if egregious) mistake?
1. Do nothing to prepare the ground, the public's consciousness, and consent for launch.
2. Initiate the war with a built-in "escape clause"—i.e., an "end game strategy" that triggers as soon as the going (gas pumps) gets tough.
3. Without a commitment to victory, whatever the costs, known and unknown (see Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah for examples of commitments to victory), stalemate, failure and defeat are almost guaranteed. See Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan.
4. The falsely attributed claim that Einstein said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result," is nonetheless on full display here. Keep 'negotiating'.
5. Fail to defend your allies. The "Gulf partners," as well as the rest of the sentient world, have just witnessed that rather than serving as a fulcrum to leverage U.S. military power, bases on their territory are a liability. They attract masses of virtually unstoppable, deadly drones.
6. Insult your war comrades. Throw as many insults at Bibi Netanyahu as you can think of in a single sound bite, including the old reliable standby, the "blood libel." Bibi gets "a little excited"? Hmmm... Why would that be? Jewish blood lust, perhaps? Just asking questions, y'see.
7. Finally, best saved for last, replace the Creator of the universe with yourself, take full, unabashed credit for Israel's very existence.
The worst part is, now I will have to deal with all the TDS-deranged "We told you so" garbage, to which my only response will be: "phk off". See less
I sometimes wonder if a modern US with 24-7 cable news had to fight WWII, particularly the European theatre, not having been struck by Germany, would they tolerate the pain. We have lost a few more than a dozen wonderful souls in this effort. And still a few months is too much. In Ca the gas would be expensive anyway because of the removal of refineries. We are now society that, with exceptions, wants everything given. The world wants to come here but most born here are compelled to identify as victims. Are they any credible internal resistance movements to support?
The problem isn't that you got Iran wrong, you put too much faith in a man who is at his heart feckless, narcissistic, egocentric, mercurial and a psycho.
You are underestimating the follow on effects. Other oil producers will invest and take over the sales Iran is currently making. Ghana for example. “Control” means avoiding the straight. The world economy will not invest in a path that is constantly unreliable.
After decades of quiet enabled by the Greatest Generation, today’s Americans seem to have forgotten that freedom is never free. The message broadcast to the world with this strategic surrender: When the going gets tough the Americans get lost. Putin heard it loud and clear after the humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan. And now the CCP is taking detailed notes as it eyes the tasty morsel just across its border. The US obsession with 5$ gas while totally oblivious to the disastrous consequences of a post-Taiwan world is truly remarkable.
Totally disappointed in my fellow Americans. The price of gas crowd combined with the antisemite crowd have been victorious. The democrat socialists have the power and momentum, and they know it. Trump was too weak to stand up to them, at this point in the conflict. Hopefully the next 60 days will bring about one of those miracles that have turned things around for us in the past.
In less than several years, there will be newly completed pipelines heading in a few directions out of the area, and the Straight will not matter as much.
John, you got to it b/f I did. I believe that some of the Middle East countries are already building pipelines between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Ports in the Gulf of Oman will be free and clear of an Iranian influece. If right the only ships being hit with a duty will be ships carrying Iranain oil. Long-term that is not a good business model to put a duty on the ships carrying your product. It will be interesting to see how this develops.
Too late. Read their constitution. They will either have nukes by them, or be capable on command.
Batya, I have followed your work for many years now and it is obvious that you have a heart as big as the Montana sky (very big) and a sincerity that is truly endearing. The only ones who can unite the American public are the Iranians themselves, specifically the more hardline elements of their government. Only they can foster an act or event that would enrage a majority of our nation. I have every faith they probably will at some point. In the meanwhile, do not lose your heart or soul, or any part of it, to these people, because if you do they will have truly won.
Don’t give in to despair. Remember that God is in control. There have been many times during my 60 years on this planet that I have been SURE the US was headed straight down the crapper. Yet here we are, living great lives and prospering. Keep doing what you do and fighting the good fight….it will be okay.
Lesa, do you believe a talking snake tricked the 'first' woman into eating "forbidden fruit' resulting in the downfall of man? Just asking if you mean that "God",
That’s the One.
Batya, I'm a believer in you, an admirer of your intellect. But I think you've been wrong twice.
First, perhaps you were too quick in supporting the war. All the flaws you cite existed--no public support even sought (no matter how unlikely getting it might have been), no clear articulation (understanding?) of initial goals, etc., etc.
But now I think you're too hasty in reaching conclusions based on a "MOU." I still am inclined to give DJT the benefit of the doubt. I realize he's being torn in two directions, domestic- and foreign-related. People say very correctly that he is totally unqualified to be President of the United States, based on traditional standards. He has little deep state experience, although I believe he's managing it very much better than he did in this first term.
But he is a savvy manager of very big and complex projects, and he's made himself a billionaire. As much as many people find fault with this success I believe it may well qualify him to perceive weaknesses in traditional state-craft and negotiation norms, and to take a new approach to the carrot and stick that actually uses the stick.
I'm waiting...half-hopeful, with baited breath, fingers crossed. Time will tell, especially if he's willing to bomb them "right in the head" as he has threatened to do. One hopeful indication is that he has articulated clearly, for the public, that..."depression is bad, nuclear weapons far worse." So let's wait, test his mettle.
Is there no soul-searching about Trump himself?
Apart from these concessions to the Iranian regime with no real commitments, we are hearing things about the regime that make John Kerry sound hawkish.
Trump is saying that it's only fair that Iran have ballistic missiles (!).
Does this not cause you to reconsider Trump's character, having enthusiastically championed it for so long, beyond this specific (if egregious) mistake?
MoU: How to lose wars, friends and allies...
Let me count the ways:
1. Do nothing to prepare the ground, the public's consciousness, and consent for launch.
2. Initiate the war with a built-in "escape clause"—i.e., an "end game strategy" that triggers as soon as the going (gas pumps) gets tough.
3. Without a commitment to victory, whatever the costs, known and unknown (see Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah for examples of commitments to victory), stalemate, failure and defeat are almost guaranteed. See Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan.
4. The falsely attributed claim that Einstein said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result," is nonetheless on full display here. Keep 'negotiating'.
5. Fail to defend your allies. The "Gulf partners," as well as the rest of the sentient world, have just witnessed that rather than serving as a fulcrum to leverage U.S. military power, bases on their territory are a liability. They attract masses of virtually unstoppable, deadly drones.
6. Insult your war comrades. Throw as many insults at Bibi Netanyahu as you can think of in a single sound bite, including the old reliable standby, the "blood libel." Bibi gets "a little excited"? Hmmm... Why would that be? Jewish blood lust, perhaps? Just asking questions, y'see.
7. Finally, best saved for last, replace the Creator of the universe with yourself, take full, unabashed credit for Israel's very existence.
The worst part is, now I will have to deal with all the TDS-deranged "We told you so" garbage, to which my only response will be: "phk off". See less
Well said. Especially the last point.
I sometimes wonder if a modern US with 24-7 cable news had to fight WWII, particularly the European theatre, not having been struck by Germany, would they tolerate the pain. We have lost a few more than a dozen wonderful souls in this effort. And still a few months is too much. In Ca the gas would be expensive anyway because of the removal of refineries. We are now society that, with exceptions, wants everything given. The world wants to come here but most born here are compelled to identify as victims. Are they any credible internal resistance movements to support?
I believe that the MOU amounts to theatre and deception. Evidently, it's working. Have faith in a positive outcome.
The problem isn't that you got Iran wrong, you put too much faith in a man who is at his heart feckless, narcissistic, egocentric, mercurial and a psycho.
The barbarians are at the gate and Trump has opened the door.
You are wrong!
How?
Not so fast.
Batya, I continue to suspect Trump has something else up his sleeve.
I shudder to think.