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[Falcon + 222]

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Edited July 30, 2019 by Falcon

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

Trump tells countries to PAY UP if they want US protection in Strait of Hormuz

Ever the businessman, US President Donald Trump saw something in the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz most others didn’t: a chance to rake in some cash by demanding foreign nations pay for “protection.”

Trump took to Twitter Monday to, once again, call out world governments for supposedly freeloading off the US, this time by allegedly getting premium American protection services in the Strait of Hormuz.

"China gets 91% of its Oil from the Straight, Japan 62%, & many other countries likewise. So why are we protecting the shipping lanes for other countries (many years) for zero compensation."

While the plan has a certain mafioso quality to it, Trump did suggest the alternative that everyone defend their own ships from any of the future tanker attacks John Bolton blames on Iran.  ...

[BenFranklin'sSpectacles + 762]

16 hours ago, Tom Kirkman said:

Trump tells countries to PAY UP if they want US protection in Strait of Hormuz

Ever the businessman, US President Donald Trump saw something in the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz most others didn’t: a chance to rake in some cash by demanding foreign nations pay for “protection.”

Trump took to Twitter Monday to, once again, call out world governments for supposedly freeloading off the US, this time by allegedly getting premium American protection services in the Strait of Hormuz.

"China gets 91% of its Oil from the Straight, Japan 62%, & many other countries likewise. So why are we protecting the shipping lanes for other countries (many years) for zero compensation."

While the plan has a certain mafioso quality to it, Trump did suggest the alternative that everyone defend their own ships from any of the future tanker attacks John Bolton blames on Iran.  ... 

I see your point, but comparing Trump to the Mafia misses the mark.  The Mafia threatened to harm people.  The US, on the other hand, protected the sea lanes from other threats for free.  Other countries have abused this generosity; the US would be right to withdraw it's largess and let them suffer their fates. 

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

49 minutes ago, BenFranklin'sSpectacles said:

I see your point, but comparing Trump to the Mafia misses the mark.  The Mafia threatened to harm people.  The US, on the other hand, protected the sea lanes from other threats for free.  Other countries have abused this generosity; the US would be right to withdraw it's largess and let them suffer their fates. 

The article compared Trump to the Mafia, not me.  I'm used to Trump being called all sorts of names, so .... meh .... nothing new.

[Marc Savoie + 19]

Probably best we don't have 10 different countries sending their military in that narrow straight.  

[BenFranklin'sSpectacles + 762]

2 hours ago, Tom Kirkman said:

The article compared Trump to the Mafia, not me.  I'm used to Trump being called all sorts of names, so .... meh .... nothing new.

Was your entire post a quote from the article?

[Douglas Buckland + 6,308]

On 6/25/2019 at 4:41 AM, Falcon said:

I'm hearing Trump administration putting together a real Coalition of countries to address the security of the shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf. The Coalition will monitor and escort OIL and LNG Tankers thru the high risk shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf.

Trump reasons that the US does not buy Oil from the Mideast while China, Japan, India ,Asia at large and Europe that do buy Oil from the Mideast OPEC National Oil Companies should participate in the security. China receives 91% of their imported oil transported thru the Straits. Japan 62%.

This would be a major accomplishment if Trump can pull it off.  This would be real international cooperation as opposed to the lipservice given in the past.

If Europe and China participated for the Good of All the 40 years of antagonism and terror support promalgated by Iran could end. It's almost 40 years since the Iranian Islamic Revolution and the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis.

It's time for the world powers to grow up and get on board with the Administration.

UPDATE Update: REUTERS NEWS RELEASE:

Sec State Pompeo staff discussed the Coalition to monitor the security of the shipping lanes in Persian Gulf.

It's called the "Sentinel Program" . It will include Arab States and "20 additional countries". It will include financial contributions and active participation.

Did not give a timeframe.

This is not about US vs Iran. It's about world citizens bringing Iran into the 21st century. Everyone wins.  Including Iran.

TUESDAY: From what I'm hearing most foreign ships will monitor shipping lanes the US Navy will provide the mussel. (maybe Brits too)

Sources going quiet.  Public statements premature.  State Dept wants to get full commitments before an announcement made.  No idea on timeframe

 

 

If you take a hard look at what is happening in the Straits, limpet mines, drone attacks, downing of a drone, etc..., it seems obvious that the players (whoever they may be + US + Iran) are making damn sure that they do not cross the line of actually killing anybody.

If this line were to be crossed OR an American naval vessel or aircraft was targeted, the game would change instantly, the gloves would come off and military intervention would be inevitable.

Nobody really wants this. 

Look at Bandar Abbas and the surrounding facilities on Google Earth. You can see (yes, I know it is not current) the submarine bases and naval facilities clearly. These are directly adjacent to the Straits. The US is quite capable of destroying all these facilitied overnight, without putting boots on the ground - the Iranians realize this.

Furthermore, the Iranian theocracy is fearful of an uprising or a coup.

There is no appetite in the US, regardless of the sabre rattling, for another war. The US economy is healthy and they want out of Iraq and Afghanistan gracefully, but soon.

If other nations would step up to the plate and guarantee that the Straits were open to navigation, it would remove the American targets from the equation thereby reducing the threat of war.

If the international community is serious about keeping the Straits open (in many cases to allow shipment of THEIR oil), then the countries with significat naval assets need to 'put their money where their mouth is' and secure the Straits.

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

11 hours ago, BenFranklin'sSpectacles said:

Was your entire post a quote from the article?

In this case, yes.  Sometimes I run my mouth with long comments of my own, and sometimes I just quote an article as an additional or alternative viewpoint.

[BenFranklin'sSpectacles + 762]

6 hours ago, Tom Kirkman said:

In this case, yes.  Sometimes I run my mouth with long comments of my own, and sometimes I just quote an article as an additional or alternative viewpoint.

Ah.  That wasn't obvious to me.  Would it be reasonable to add quotation marks or perhaps preface the quote with something like, "Quote from article:"?

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

1 hour ago, BenFranklin'sSpectacles said:

Ah.  That wasn't obvious to me.  Would it be reasonable to add quotation marks or perhaps preface the quote with something like, "Quote from article:"?

Sure, good idea.  Usually the forum software makes it obvious when text is copied and pasted from elsewhere, but not always.