It’s time for Canada , the Europeans, the Arab nations and even China to stand up to Iran on the Strait of Hormuz.
If Iran gets away with declaring the Strait of Hormuz as its own waterway, with passage subject to its control, the implications for world trade through other similar international waterways around the globe would be calamitous!
What about the East China Sea? The Strait of Gibraltar? The Strait of Malacca? The Bosphorous Strait? The Danish Sea?
All to be “privatized”? Tolled? Or even passage-restricted?
That must not happen … and, despite whatever concerns, frustrations other world nations ( not just Western democracies) feel about Trump, the US, the Iran conflict) it’s time for them to step up, step in and back the American stance that Iran MUST NOT be allowed to privatize the Strait of Hormuz.
Too many nations … ironically, the US is among the LEAST of them … depend on free passage for their resources/goods through the Strait.
The “world” should now get involved: let Iran know their declared attempts to control/toll the Strait cannot and will not be allowed to stand.
No ifs, buts or compromises!
And if Canada, the European nations and other powers need to send their navies, military contingents to the Strait to re-open snd keep open Hormuz, so be it.
Even if it means supporting a stand taken by Donald Trump!
Harv Oberfeld
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Trump, and his legion of lickspittles have the foreign policy acumen of a dog chasing a stick.
These people live in the here and now.
Strategic planning isnt part of their Youtube infotainment reality.
So when thrice charged PM Netanyahu talks these MAGA donkeys in to a war ( to avoid his own political demise) .
Here we are.
The Iranian theocracy is a vile pustule that deserves to be lanced.
Unfortunately, the USA and Israel have bombed the the Iranian Theocrats…… back into popularity.
Well done Donald….well done.
(Response: I must have missed it: I don’t see any real evidence that the maniacal Iranian mullahs have become more popular… Either within their own borders or in the international community. And although I would agree that Trump often seems to just shoot from the lip and formulate policy based on the last person he talked to, or whatever he saw on tv in the last 10 minutes, the truth remains: Iran is a lot further away from developing nuclear bomb capabilities that threatened the entire world then it was just a few weeks ago. So I’m thankful for that … even if it was Trump who did it! Ho)
The Americans started this recent “dance” and Iran is trying to fight back. Like they say, all is fair in love and war. Trump started this b.s. and Trump can fix this. Canada needs to stay out of it. Not one nickel of my tax dollars to back the Americans. Lets not forget Trump’s attitude towards Canada and Greenland. His invasion of Venezuela and kidnapping of their President, don’t care if he was a drug lord or not. The Americans violated Venezuela’s space.
Comparing Iran to the Nazis is a bit of a stretch. Well a real stretch. What Iran has done any number of countries have engaged in this type of activity. I do recall reading articles back in the day about how the Shah had disidents treated, yes torture, executions and so has the USSR/Russia, lets not forget the Americans in Vietnam,
Lets not forget the U.S.A. didn’t get into WW II until Japan bombed Pearl Harbour. Until then they were happy to make money selling arms and banning Jews from coming to the U.S.A. oh, right not only did that ship get refused by the U.S.A., Canada refused them also. if you haven’t read Lily Palmer’s book, she devotes some time to the trouble Jews had getting into G.B. have a read. She led an interesting life.
(Response: Comparing today’s Iran to Nazi Germany is not as huge a stretch as many might believe. (Remember …a comparison need not be a FULL exact match.) However, the Iranian mullahs have turned on and slaughtered thousands of their own people for simply opposing them or protesting their policies; they have used arrests, torture, public executions to intimidate people; they have made no secret of their dedication to spreading/imposing their ideology…not just to “infidel” nations but Sunni Muslim states as well, violently if necessary; and then, of course, there’s their genocidal intentions to Jewish people… not just Israel, but bombing Jewish community centers throughout the world. And I have no doubt the danger the fanatical Iranian mullahs would use a nuclear weapon against their enemies (including the US, UK, even Europe if they thought it would achieve their ultimate goals. They MUST be stopped… before (not after) they have the bomb … despite the the naive bleeding hearts, even if it takes someone as personally disgusting as Trump to do it! Ho)
I’m not happy that the Strait of Hormuz is closed, but it was open before the war. According to John Kerry, Benjamin Netanyahu tried to convince former presidents to attack Iran. He’s no doubt happy with President Trump because now he has a president who listens to him.
To say that this began with Iran is a little short-sighted. Let’s not forget that the USA was perfectly happy with the Shah, and that was no democracy. Mohammed Mossadegh was ousted in a coup, and Iran has been punished with lots of sanctions.
Recently Benjamin Netanyahu mocked Jesus Christ. I won’t repeat his words, but he actually compared him to Genghis Khan. President Trump has attacked the pope more directly that Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin ever did, and he has also blasphemed Jesus Christ by posting an image of himself as a healer of the sick. The USA and Israel created the current mess, so it’s their job to fix it.
Obama had solved this problem. Trump rebirthed it. He didn’t consult anyone beforehand, this is his mission. He can clean up his own mess. Maybe when the US has a reasonable leader that will respect allies and give them a say in the planning we could help clean up his mess. I for one am enjoying watching him squirm.
(Response: Certainly, Trump is having a harder time with Iran than he did with Venezuela! It I’m not sure that Obama had the nuclear problem as solved long term as you believe: certainly it had better prospects, and the US should not have cancelled that deal. But we have no choice but to deal with it now … once and for all, so we don’t have to go through all this again in a few years. Ho)
The instability in the Near East has sucked all of the air out of the room, again.
More pertinent are DRIPA, the UN refugee treaty, the way Eby caves, the BC Conservative race and especially that other war in Ukraine and Russia.
I’m with you Harvey that it would be in the general interest, if the rest of the Near East countries joined in suppressing the Iran government. But, enough said, already!
(Response: Well, readers of this blog know how much I care about DRIPA, Eby, Ukraine etc. but in the greater picture, a maniacal religious government of fanatics pursuing a nuclear bomb is a greater threat to all of humanity. The Iranian mullahs must be stopped and I’m more concerned about that than what/who motivated the Mad Hatter to act. I don’t like or admire him … but on this one, I wish him great and early success! Ho)
Am getting very tired of all the “results” of Trumps actions. Watching the news is all about the results or Trump himself.
Thank gawd for Jermy Hanson on the moon mission a nice break from all the crap surrounding Trump
(Response: No doubt Trump is each day living up more and more to my reference to him as the Mad Hatter! Now he’s even taking on the Pope, publishing a meme showing himself as having the powers of Jesus and swearing out loud for all the world to hear. He really seems to be losing it!!! BUT even senile and/or crazy people can have moments of cognitive accuracy and sanity … and Trump’s understanding and willingness to understand/take on Iran’s nuclear bomb threat is one of those increasingly rare occasions! Ho)
Orban, crushed, EU now reverting focus to Ukraine, Erdogan threatening to invade Israel, Benni on ICC charges, Trump to follow, no real goals, objectives, end game or exit plan = “the stupidest military action in recent history”. No historical lessons adhered to, fire anyone who offers perspective differing from Drumpf, the draft evader……
Regardless of economic goals, Hormuz will be next to useless for the foreseeable future, no current regime, alliance or association of any type can solve the thousands of years of historical BS in that sandbox of stupidity! Keep it real
Escalating (starting) an action with no large consensus, no support from existing military alliances, no support from neighboring nations (Gulf states), in the midst of another war in Ukraine, while sending trade partners fleeing to Xi & co., is all completely bonkers!
Yes the Iranian regime was nuts, yes they needed a reset, but a huge NO to the tactics and lack of coordination with others while acting completely ignorant of the “Laws of unintended consequences”!
To be the aggressor, and to within a month revert to a knee-jerking reactionary tact, only exposes the failures on many levels to have explored the potential pitfalls of the actions recently taken! Drumph knew Iran was bonkers, why did he press ahead without proper risk assessment, he is after all, the omnipotent F’n know it all?????
Just “Keepin it Real” BS free…..
Still offering $10.00 Can for a litre of Iranian gasoline for my big ole farm truck….still looking….
(Response: I am certainly no fan of Trump, but if there’s anything worse than him, it is the fanatical maniacal mullahs running Iran! They were well on their way to building a nuclear weapon; they would use it! Talk is cheap and ineffective against such murderous nuts. Just look at their record in the mid-East and around the world… Well before the current conflict erupted. I do believe that history will actually thank Trump… With all his faults (and there are hundreds) for ridding the world of Iran’s nuclear blackmail. And as part of that, the Strait of Hormuz must be kept open to free navigation for all… No matter what it takes to achieve that. And Canada and other world traders should be there to assist. Ho)
Sorry no.
Trump and Israel, mainly Trump has gotten the world in this predicament and the USA had better find a way out.
There is no way in hell that Canada should be involved unless the UN mandates it as a UN action and UN intervenes.
Supporting Trump would be condoning his actions and the Trumps USA would probably invade Cuba and Greenland while the world is trying to clean up his mess in the Middle East.
The apron strings are cut and they should remain so because in the USA, the people themselves still do not fully understand what Trump has done and cleaning up after him, well forget it. The only thing that stirs Americans it seems is the cost of gas and as i am writing this on Sunday, I think the Dow will plunge tomorrow as gas prices soar.
“As ye sows, so shall ye reap”, comes to mind.
Trump started a war (oh sorry its not a war) and consulted with no one; he continues lie about the war and insults everyone, and now seems to have lost the war. Canada and Europe must stay well out of it.
(Response: It is simply historically incorrect to suggest Trump snd Israe got us into this mess: that ignores almost 50 years of Iranian attacks, murders, assassinations, bombings… directly and through its proxies… around the world, not to mention the terrible suppressive measures, executions and torture it has used against its own population. Just like the Nazis, at some point they had to be taken and stopped. That time is now and Canada and the entire free world should be there to assist .. not just the US. Ho)
I concede the point about Trump and the war ( the Epstein distraction, no an action, no anything but a declared war) and we should blame the British, no blame the UN, no, blame the French, no, blame the Ottomans …….. I digress, Trump is responsible for the current action and by the way, which blockade are we trying the tankers from, the Iranians or the US?
The British media (who seem to have a better handle on this war than American and Canadian media), now claim it wasn’t the uranium or regime change after all, rather it was the oil. Trump wants the Iranian oil for himself or second prize take a percentage of the profits from Iranian oil and the wold be damned.
As well, Trumps puppet master, Putin and his loyal oligarchs are now profiting from the lifting of sanctions of Russian oil – golly gee whiz Batman………….
Why should Canada be involved in this mess , I don’t trust Trump or the USA at this point of time we do not want any part of the Lord of Chaos’s war and the despotic Iranian Mullahs, they have won………
Lies, more lies, then deceit is the hallmark of this fiasco and Canada has enough on its plate than engage is any sort of action in the Persian Gulf.
What we see is 12th centruy despotic religious types, with 21st century weapons, fighting a 18th century “Yankee Trader”, again with 21st centruy weaponry; it is like cheap Sci-fi novel, but it isn’t.
(Response: Well, who could disagree that Trump is a frequent liar or chaotic politician or has seriously harmed the US’s reputation abroad. However, I do sleep better knowing that Iran’s ability to build nuclear bombs HAS been severely set back; also its ability to seriously threaten Israel and other Mid east nations has been severely set back, as well as fund and arm so many proxy terrorists. And one day, despite all his other faults and disgusting persona, the world will appreciate what Trump has done. Ho)