The more our megalomaniac of a president and his raging sycophantic secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, try to assure us that things are going “swimmingly” in Iran (that’s the term Anne Coulter used in the early days of the Iraq War), the scarier it gets. Whatever disaster the United States encountered during its forever wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, neither country controlled the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes. Oh, that. Trump seems clueless as to why, during the 47 years the Iranian regime has been in power, endlessly attacking America and its allies, no US president wanted to risk the consequences of war.
The potential impact of a disruption in the oil market is immense, and if Trump isn’t careful the big winners will be Russia and China. In response to oil already spiking at around $100 a barrel, Trump has eased sanctions on Russian oil, giving his old pal Putin a desperately needed shot in the arm for his war in Ukraine. Even worse, right now the US is redeploying troops to the Middle East from the Indo-Pacific region as well as depleting our stockpile of weapons when they might soon be needed to defend Taiwan—home to 90% of the world’s leading-edge chip production—from a Chinese invasion.
Pete Hegseth Hates Iranians Even More than He Hates DEI!
Secretary Hegseth said, “The only thing prohibiting transit in the strait right now is Iran shooting at shipping. . . we have been dealing with it, and don’t need to worry about it.” How brilliant is that? And have you ever seen anyone as angry as Hegseth? Does that dude have a burr up his butt or what? In the midst of his childish rants, he vowed that the US would have “no quarter, no mercy for our enemies.” In this context, “no quarter” means killing everyone rather than taking prisoners, a practice that’s been considered a war crime for over a century.
President Trump, meanwhile, said the oil tankers should “show some guts” and continue sailing through the strait. A lovely sentiment, but neither the tankers nor their insurance companies are obligated to take that risk on behalf of the international oil market and Trump’s approval ratings. As it happens, most of Iran’s own oil goes to China, and Trump has cut off the flow by directing strikes at Kharg Island, one of Iran’s most strategic and critical energy outposts. But with its tremendous reserves and recent turn toward clean energy sources, China is less dependent on oil than the US or much of the world.
World trade and global security are being shattered by a single man.
“Not since Adolf Hitler blew his brains out in a bunker beneath the garden of the German Reich Chancellery on April 30, 1945, have the lives of so many people around the world been so buffeted by the psychosis of a single man. . . Why has Trump launched a war against Iran on a whim, attacked other countries, and upended world trade? Because he’s insane. Because he’s venal. Because he’s a malignant narcissist. Because he’s a sociopath. Because he has a fragile ego. Because those around him exacerbate and play to those traits to advance their own interests. Because CEOs and investors do likewise to fill their coffers. Because to some people, whether he is insane or malevolent or repugnant matters less than whether his actions will feather their nests, increase their power.”
David Rothkopf In Need to Know on Substack
Trump Says the War Will Be Over when He Feels it in His Bones. Terrific!
Trump’s actions follow the whims of his out-of-control megalomania, his desperate need to show the world that he is all powerful. He says he listens to his “gut,” but unfortunately that gut led him to a lifetime of mistakes and losses, including six bankruptcies before he was rescued by “The Apprentice” reality show and somehow managed to convince the American public he was a successful businessman. His ill-conceived war in Iran once again proves he is no better a president than he was a businessman.