Lunatic Trump - We closed the Strait of Hormuz, now it is your problem

The Straits of Hormuz was free for navigation before the war against Iran. The USA and Israel were the culprits that created the conditions leading to its closure or presumed touted closure. Iran has never officially closed the Straits of Hormuz. It is only deemed closed to unfriendly states and ships associated with unfriendly states. Clear and unambiguous. Friendly states have negotiated access, like China, Pakistan and Malaysia. Why would China want to be involved in sending naval vessels to participate in keeping the Straits of Hormuz open when it already has access to the Persian Gulf? The USA created the problem, let the USA resolve it.

The USA is withdrawing from its failed attempt to use force to keep the Straits of Hormuz open, as no other country, even allies, really believe it will succeed. Not with the costs for escort ships factored in and even insurance provided by the USA. The risk is too great for shipowners, and some are not even wanting to trust the ability of the USA to uphold its insurance provision stance, asking how long it is going to take to be compensated after lodging a claim. The trust in the USA is gone, and ship owners know that for a fact.

The UK is now caught between a rock and a hard place, having tried to be involved in the Iran War by sending military logistics to Cyprus and attempting to send its bathtubs to support Trump and getting insulted in the process. Other European states have stayed away, so Iran will probably not be treating them the same as the UK when the USA departs from the Straits of Hormuz. Trump is adding insult to injury by telling the UK to get its oil on its own.

Having said that, the USA is not completely unaffected as far as oil from the Middle East going through the Straits of Hormuz. The USA still has to import oil for its refineries; the so-called heavy crude as opposed to the light crude that it produces itself, in abundance. The cost of refitting its refineries to accept its own light crude is too expensive, costing billions for each refinery, which prevented the conversion over the years.

So, let us see what happens.


Anonymous