Surprised Hegseth didn't quote the prayer from Boondock Saints.

So, about that world economy...

Europe has ‘maybe 6 weeks of jet fuel left,’ energy agency head warns

Just in time for the World cup too.

3 hours ago, rjshae said:

So, about that world economy...

Europe has ‘maybe 6 weeks of jet fuel left,’ energy agency head warns

Just in time for the World cup too.

This potential risk is having a direct impact to my family

My stepmom was planning on flying to London and France next month because she has to manage repairs on property we own

Now she is worried she wont be able to fly back if there is no fuel because the 6 weeks deadline is when she wants to return

Its hard to believe the EU and UK wont make an alternative plan considering something as important as air-travel?

Looks like Iran opened the straight for the duration of the ceasefire.

Edited April 17Apr 17 by Sarex

45 minutes ago, Sarex said:

Looks like Iran opened the straight for the duration of the ceasefire.

Trump will host a Triumph.

lol

5 hours ago, Lexx said:

lol

is the 1m month or minute

could be both

6 hours ago, Lexx said:

lol

Simply amazing.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/what-is-strait-hormuz-why-is-it-so-important-oil-2026-04-17/

So Iran has changed course after 5 days  of the US blockade and opened the Straits to commercial shipping

" Iran's foreign minister said the Strait of Hormuz was open for all commercial vessels for the remainder of the U.S.-brokered 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, prompting a sharp fall in the price of oil. A senior Iranian official said all vessels, except for naval ships, would be able to sail through the strait but their plans needed to be coordinated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and ships transiting would be restricted to lanes Iran deemed safe. "

They are expecting the US to now end its blockade on Iranian ports

This is both understandable and expected because Iran relies on 80% of its  total revenue for oil and gas sales on its ships using the Straits. So the US blockage will literally bring the entire Iranian economy to its knees. I just didn't expect it to  happen so soon. That's another sign how fragile the Iranian economy really is

What is more interesting is analysts spent weeks discussing how the US could get Iran to reopen the Straits which has become its most successful and impactful strategy. Island invasions and  "boots on the ground " were considered but no one thought of the obvious and easy approach. Just block the Straits, do what Iran is doing and  block Iranian ships

Like I mentioned in previous posts. Irans greatest weapon has also become its greatest weakness

8 hours ago, uuuhhii said:

is the 1m month or minute

could be both

He cant help himself, his hubris and mercurial personality always has to come out and manifest itself in these types of cringe SM comments

23 hours ago, Lexx said:

lol

Aged like the whole milk his buddy RFK is drinking. :p

22 hours ago, BruceVC said:

This is both understandable and expected because Iran relies on 80% of its  total revenue for oil and gas sales on its ships using the Straits. So the US blockage will literally bring the entire Iranian economy to its knees. I just didn't expect it to  happen so soon. That's another sign how fragile the Iranian economy really is

What is more interesting is analysts spent weeks discussing how the US could get Iran to reopen the Straits which has become its most successful and impactful strategy. Island invasions and  "boots on the ground " were considered but no one thought of the obvious and easy approach. Just block the Straits, do what Iran is doing and  block Iranian ships

Like I mentioned in previous posts. Irans greatest weapon has also become its greatest weakness

Iran does have a rail line to China, so it's not like they are completely shut off. But yes it will hurt the Iranian people. It remains to be seen how long this blockade will last, especially given that this is hurting the world's economy.

47 minutes ago, rjshae said:

Iran does have a rail line to China, so it's not like they are completely shut off. But yes it will hurt the Iranian people. It remains to be seen how long this blockade will last, especially given that this is hurting the world's economy.

maybe siberian and central asia railroad could upgrade to high speed

1 hour ago, rjshae said:

Iran does have a rail line to China, so it's not like they are completely shut off. But yes it will hurt the Iranian people. It remains to be seen how long this blockade will last, especially given that this is hurting the world's economy.

Yes, its a waiting game of who can last longer

Now the Straits are closed again because the US wouldn't life there blockade

And that's expected because why would Iran lift there blockade if the US doesn't do the same?

The Iranian blockade impacts global prices and inflation but it won't "crash "any economy

The US blockade impacts the main economic lifeline for Iran, it has much more severe consequences

But can Iran just wait longer and hope the political pressure on Trump because of high gas prices changes things?

We will have to see

8 hours ago, BruceVC said:

But can Iran just wait longer and hope the political pressure on Trump because of high gas prices changes things?

We will have to see

Sadly, harsh despotisms often seem better able to withstand economic pressure than democracies, and the Iranian theocracy just crushed the political resistance. Politically, I think it's also question of how much the economic impact will sway the vote in this year's midterm election. This is an unpopular war with the American electorate, so there will likely be a stronger voter turnout as a result. Redacted could spend the last two years of his term dealing with the fallout.

I'd say that democracies are as good as autocracies at withstanding pressure, economic or otherwise, so long as there's a good reason for it. The problem is when the economic issues stem from something unpopular and especially something seen as being a choice which isn't going to bring improvement nor have a defined end*. That would be things like Afghanistan, Vietnam or the French/ British attempts to keep colonies.

Places like the UK in the world wars or Ukraine currently coped ok with sustained (economic) pressure, because it was seen as being forced on them. There may be some argument about the democracy definition since since they didn't hold elections when scheduled, albeit with widespread support for the prorogation; but for the UK at least elections were held as soon as possible after the war ended (slightly before, technically, for WW2, since Japan hadn't surrendered in July 1945). Elections would likely be a Requirement for any ceasefire/ peace deal in Ukraine as well.

*which very much looks to be the case with the current crisis. No pressing reason for it, war of choice, no signs of resulting in actual improvement nor of having a defined end. So, it's unpopular.

that is not true

france are the first to crack under revolution fervor

russia are the first to crash during ww1

most centralized power are more fragile

since when something go wrong there is one thing to blame

Edited April 20Apr 20 by uuuhhii

9 hours ago, Zoraptor said:

I'd say that democracies are as good as autocracies at withstanding pressure, economic or otherwise, so long as there's a good reason for it. The problem is when the economic issues stem from something unpopular and especially something seen as being a choice which isn't going to bring improvement nor have a defined end*. That would be things like Afghanistan, Vietnam or the French/ British attempts to keep colonies.

Places like the UK in the world wars or Ukraine currently coped ok with sustained (economic) pressure, because it was seen as being forced on them. There may be some argument about the democracy definition since since they didn't hold elections when scheduled, albeit with widespread support for the prorogation; but for the UK at least elections were held as soon as possible after the war ended (slightly before, technically, for WW2, since Japan hadn't surrendered in July 1945). Elections would likely be a Requirement for any ceasefire/ peace deal in Ukraine as well.

*which very much looks to be the case with the current crisis. No pressing reason for it, war of choice, no signs of resulting in actual improvement nor of having a defined end. So, it's unpopular.

I assume we talking about the political pressure due to citizen anger and the right to protest and then how this impacts voting outcomes in elections

Any autocracy like Iran doesn't have to worry about that so if the economy continues to collapse all the state has to do is survive. They can just kill or arrest any protesters to silence them and they dont have free and fair elections anyway

Thats not the same pressure that exists on the state in any Democracy like the US

So if the economy and factors like inflation get worse any US president cant just ignore this because of the daily pressure on them

This is the main "advantage " any autocracy has. Unhappiness by citizens doesn't translate to anything like leadership change unless the citizens have the support and resources of a military force that can overthrow the state like in Syria. But in most dictatorships and autocracies that doesn't exist and the state is firmly in control of its security forces

Suspicious deaths, disappearances of space, nuclear scientists raise alarms

These 8+ have happened since 2023. Okay, here's a conspiracy theory for you... what if this is revenge for:

Assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists

currently standing at 19 deaths since 2010.

oil price seem irrationally low

wonder how long reserve will last

1 hour ago, rjshae said:

Suspicious deaths, disappearances of space, nuclear scientists raise alarms

These 8+ have happened since 2023. Okay, here's a conspiracy theory for you... what if this is revenge for:

Are Scientists with Knowledge of U.S. Secrets Disappearing? The Facts Tell a Different Story - The Debrief

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/20/trump-tariffs-refund-claims

The gong show rolls on.

Edited April 20Apr 20 by Malcador

So, who bet on Chavez-DeRemer as next to leave office?

18 hours ago, Gfted1 said:

Are Scientists with Knowledge of U.S. Secrets Disappearing? The Facts Tell a Different Story - The Debrief

Yes it could be a coincidence. I'm sure the deaths of multiple Iranian atomic scientists seemed mysterious as well... 😉