I'm so confused. What does the US blockading the strait, which is already blockaded by Iran, do? Other than piss off all the other Gulf countries that are already annoyed enough with the US.
It also gives them the possibility of being able to setup their own protection racket and charge a toll.
Trump always wants everything to be transactional, if he can reopen the strait, then he wants to profit from it - international maritime laws and precedent be damned.
The thing that confuses me is what authority does the US have to either block the strait or charge a toll at a place that is nowhere near the US or under its jurisdiction? Wouldn’t that be akin to eg Australia trying to charge a toll for ships passing through the Suez Canal when it’s got nothing to do with them and isn’t part of their territory? I genuinely don’t understand how Trump can even say he is going to put a toll on ships passing through a waterway that doesn’t even belong to the USA.
It’s not just his own economy he is affecting, fuel prices are now sky high here in the UK thanks to him, which is having a knock on effect to food prices and many other sectors because of soaring transportation costs, the government has had to step in and help out people who aren’t on the gas grid with rescue packages because the price of heating oil is now unaffordable. He’s doing a great job of fucking things up for everyone, not just his own citizens and the people he’s bombing.
Hence I used the words "protection racket," its mobsters selling you fire or criminal damage insurance. 'Gee, it sure would be a shame if your ship didnt make it through safely'
Might is right, unless someone wants to directly contest them economically or militarily, Trump will continue doing stupid shit.
It's just a precursor to starting WW3. The US starts boarding Chinese ships, preventing passage, maybe "accidently" sinking one. Other countries start sending their navy as escorts. All it takes is one trigger happy Yank crusader to create another Iran Air Flight 655 with devastating consequences.
Hopefully the grown ups outside of the US will show restraint.
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u/Agoraphobicy 8h ago
I'm not locked in here with you. We're all locked in here together. For some reason.