Trump will begin blockade of Strait of Hormuz within hours

dailymail.co.uk

10 points·Bender··12 comments

I am genuinely curious - would the navy shoot down a friendly nation tanker who was just trying to cross?

That would be an insane escalation that helps nobody. Instead, if they watched it float by, that makes the USA look impotent beyond belief. I suppose they could "just" seize it, but piracy is not much of an improved look.

The Chinese can do something really funny now.

Excellent point. If I were China, think you would be obligated to push the issue. Either the USA does nothing or steals a foreign ship. The only issue is I know that ship nationality can be complicated, unless there is a state-owned vessel they could use for the process.

Is he trying to pressure Europe into a joint action on Iran? Or in their calculus hurting China and Iran remains viable despite the blowback in the US? We don't have the whole picture, of course, but right now this only makes sense if to confuse your enemy you must shoot yourself in the foot first while singing Kumbaya.

It’s to make it so the strait is closed for everyone if it is closed for some. This hurts Iran’s already weak economy significantly but also its allies like China, especially if they’re shipping arms by sea.

US vessels blocking Chinese vessels in international waters would certainly have interesting and very immediate results. I'm not sure Trump realizes how big the cowpie is that he just faceplanted in.

Jealous that Iran is collecting tolls.

Wants a piece of the action.

All of it.

Before war it was open; During war he says why dont you open; Now he says he will close?

Discussion (53 points, 74 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47739524

Can't get outsmarted if you don't think.

Well that'll sure open it up

TACO will blink.

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