U.S. Navy says Iran tried to seize two oil tankers, fired on one
nbcnews.com
nbcnews.com
The Saudis are no longer allies and are quickly becoming friends with the Iranians and the Chinese to shore up supply and demand.
The US only cares about middle east oil prices insofar as it goes to secure cheap energy for its allies. Now it looks to South America as its new partner. Manufacturing is moving to Latin America too. Mexico, in particular, is growing by leaps and bounds. Neighboring Texas is going to become a powerhouse of value added manufacturing.
It's a huge geopolitical shift that would have been unthinkable twenty years ago.
Since when?
They also like to do funny business with oil prices around election time when there is a Democrat in the oval office.
There is still a lot of love for the saudis, at least in the republican party.
>The Saudi leadership opposed the U.S. plan to invade Iraq in 2003 and did not join the Coalition. Their fears and warnings that Iraq would fracture along sectarian and political lines proved accurate.
>What was worse for Saudi Arabia was the strengthening of the Shi'ites in Iraq, seen as Iran's proxy. This drew the Iranian threat much larger for the Kingdom. Iraq, as a result of being now ruled by Shi'ites, have chosen Iran over Saudi Arabia as their closer ally.
Hell, Define Saudi Arabia...
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/biden-heads-saudi-....
Israel has nukes, we can still protect them without invading random Arab countries every 10 years.
They’re our only friendly in a sea of declared enemies.
Maybe with the US being energy independent we can let the Middle East move into the obscurity it so desperately needs. Once the stakes are more localized, they can work out their local issues without nations from halfway around the world getting PTSD trying to interfere.
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/friends-...
Sort answer, they're a staunch ally providing security, intelligence and economic partnerships.
But, regardless, it definitely is a much more hands off approach. Its kind of like Arrakis in Dune, as long as the spice (oil) flows, nobody cares about the inhabitants.
Somebody’s about to be in a lot of trouble regardless. My guess is that Iran basically denies any involvement, paints it as a faction of the military gone rogue / playing pirate, and basically throws the ships crews under the bus. Maybe a commander gets imprisoned or something.