Industry officials say they are doing everything they can to sound an alarm that prices are about to soar as the commercial and government inventories that have mitigated price rises so far are rapidly depleting, according to multiple people familiar with the conversations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation from the administration. Some inventories could be wiped out within weeks, the executives have warned, coinciding with the peak summer travel season.
Exactly when Trump started to hear from the oil execs about the reserves I do not know. But this week Trump suddenly escalated attacks on Iran, possibly committing war crimes. Phillips O’Brien:
On the evening of June 9, the USA, with what seems to be intent, attacked two reservoirs and a water treatment facility in southern Iran. Almost immediately afterwards, water was cut off to about 20,000 Iranian civilians who live around the southern Iranian town of Sirik.
Why was this most likely a deliberate attack? Well, there seems to have been nothing nearby of military value and the destruction was precise. The New York Times has already run an investigation on it.
And then the dimwit POTUS told Iran what to expect next.
In the U.S. military, commanders do not typically speak publicly about future operations to avoid tipping off an adversary or jeopardizing the mission’s success and, possibly, American lives.
But that has not dissuaded America’s commander in chief from proclaiming when and how the United States will next attack Iran.
For the second day in a row, President Trump on Thursday threatened in a social media post that the United States would hit Iran “VERY HARD TONIGHT,” and may soon take Kharg Island, the heart of Iran’s oil economy.
Mr. Trump said the same thing on Wednesday, and hours later American warplanes and Tomahawk missiles struck dozens of Iranian radars, air defenses and other military targets in the Strait of Hormuz and elsewhere around the country.
But just minutes ago Trump announced that peace talks are on again.
US President Donald Trump has just posted on Truth Social:
Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening.
Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others.
The Naval Blockade will remain in full force and effect until this Transaction is finalized — Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly.
DONALD J. TRUMP
Yeah, I’m not holding my breath until it happens.
Update: And guess what? Dow surges 900 points after Trump says U.S. will soon sign deal with Iran, oil falls.
I'm taking bets – even money – that the new deal falls through. Maha can hold the money. The only point I'm less than sure about is if Iran will call Trump's BS for what it is. I don't think there's any breakthrough in negotiations or consultations with Israel, much less the Arab nations on the wrong side of the blockade. The fact that Trump did not crow about the strike on a water plant proves he knows he's in war crimes territory.
I think Iran wants Trump in a ground war on their turf. Iraq and Afghanistan proved you can beat the US when you level the playing field. Trump has the advantage in the air and with precise missiles. Taking Kharg Island and holding it means they get to spill US blood. IMO, that plan is on the table and there's a high price tag. Iran can't keep us from taking it, but they can run up the cost in GI lives at the same time, as gas prices set new records.
The GOP in Congress are starting to resist. Looks like FISA will expire for a while until Trump finds someone to run NSA who knows what a low-level security clearance looks like. The voter suppression bill is going nowhere. Fears of losses in November for the GOP are becoming certainty as Iran drags out with dazzling incompetence.
I keep watching for the Gulf states to break from Trump. They are getting screwed like a cheap you-find-a word that rhymes with 'score.' There has to be a limit to how much money they can lose.
Trump is like the dog with a bone who saw his reflection in the water. Thinking say another dog with a bone he lost his bone trying to take the one from what he thought was another dog. That story was in our school's elementary reader. It had a moral as did many of the stories.
Sometimes one's perceptions and greed can lead to failure.
One of the many lessons he seemed to miss somehow.
Like don't tear up a good agreement thinking you could do better…and end up like that greedy dog.
President Trump on Thursday threatened in a social media post that the United States would hit Iran “VERY HARD TONIGHT,” and may soon take Kharg Island, the heart of Iran’s oil economy.
Oh lord, this stupid 'take Kharg Island" meme. It is a major shipping port for oil not "the heart of Iran’s oil economy". Capturing it or destroying the oil infrastructure would hurt Iran but Iran has other ports and both road and rail modes to export oil.
If Trump had the intelligence of a turnip and the ability to read a map he would see that actually landing troops on the island would make the Dieppe raid in WWII look like a resounding success. Kharg is about 30km from mainland Iran. Shahed drones have ranges over 1,000km. The island is in range of tube artillery
There is no way for US forces to get to the island except by water or air unless you want to try a land invasion from Iraq who would undoubtedly be pleased to help the USA invade a close neighbour and major energy supplier. Then the USA only has to fight through about 300km of what looks like rather rough country under constant missile and drone attack and then stage an amphibious attack on the island.
Every time I hear a commentator or reporter talk about taking Kharg Island, as if it would be a breeze and over in a day, I start thinking. "That person is an utter fool, Can they not read a map?". Still Trump's inside dealers are probably making money and that's what counts.
“If Trump had the intelligence of a turnip and the ability to read a map” I honestly don’t think he does. Maybe he did when he was younger, but his brain appears to be nothing but mush at this point.
(Adding a bit) One of the characteristics of Alzheimer’s is that it erases your brain backward. In other words, as the disease progresses you may retain (for a while) knowledge that you’ve had for a long time, but new information goes in one ear and out the other. I wonder if one of the reasons he’s so obsessed with building things in D.C. is that’s something he still understands.