Middle East conflict

[onetrack]

More info on oil benchmark pricing .....

 

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=18571

[kgwilson]

Interesting as the types of crude oil is not something I have taken much notice of in the past. At least the market is not something Trump has got any control over but I bet that is something he wants as well as being King of the world. The other thing about prices of everything in the US is that is not what you actually pay. States impose their own sales taxes added on at the point of sale & there are even POS taxes for local authorities projects or even schools & churches.

[facthunter]

Does Trump have his own Brand of CRUDE oil?  Oils Ain't Oils, You know.  He excels in causing Friction and Seizing things.  The MOST POWERFUL "THING" the World has ever experienced, He Modestly Proclaims. "Trump will FIX it". Yeah but what does FIX Mean? Nev

[rgmwa]

19 hours ago, facthunter said:

My View hew is trying to deny CHINA Oil..  Maybe disadvantage Europe as well  and at the same time HELP his good Mate, Putin. Nev

That would require him to hold three different trains of thought in his head at the same time. I think that level of strategic thinking would too much for him.

[facthunter]

He is already doing the things Mentioned and they are Long term aims. Nev

[nomadpete]

Tis, at a deeper level than a Trump brainfart, not only about oil & grift.

 

It's all about military industry salesmanship.

 

Long read but an interesting look at the game playing in M.E.

 

https://wajeehlion.substack.com/p/empty-quivers-and-digital-yuan-chinas

[nomadpete]

Is USofA actually becoming a 'failed state'?

 

When the dust finally settles in the Middle East (I know, that's an oxymoron), will USofA go broke?

 

According to a report in the Washington Post, “Iranian airstrikes have damaged or destroyed at least 228 structures or pieces of equipment at U.S. military sites across the Middle East since the war began, hitting hangars, barracks, fuel depots, aircraft and key radar, communications and air defense equipment.”

 

The above costs have not been estimated in war expenses.

 

So in a 2 month 'brief excursion' in M.E. donold increased national spending by $50 BILLION. And depleted major weaponry by circa 60%.

 

To the east go the spoils of war.

[kgwilson]

The US is already technically broke with a debt/GDP ratio of 124% and rising rapidly. They will keep printing money though  but the chickens will eventually come home to roost. By comparison Australias debt/GDP ratio is 34.4%.

[old man emu]

The US economy is like a blockage in a drainage system. What backs up behind it keeps other countries afloat. If the blockage breaks down, then all those other economies will go down the gurgler too.

[onetrack]

The American economy thrives, and is largely built on, the manufacture of armaments. Even seemingly unrelated industry manufacturers such as Caterpillar and John Deere make huge profits from Military supply contracts. 

However, the wealth of America is dependent on the American companies selling their armaments and associated industrial production to other countries - thereby getting rich on fighting by other countries.

But when that military hardware expenditure is wasted on Americans own war activities - with little gain to show for it - either financial, territorial, or in any other form - then those losses can only weaken the American economy, and lead to huge American wealth destruction.

[facthunter]

Trump's Economics Make HIM richer and are Based on deals made when HE holds all the Cards. He knows FA about economics except to use it as a  weapon AGAINST Competitors and Allys. His Obsession with Punitive TARIFS is a good example. .He's an Economics Dullard actually.  Nev

[kgwilson]

In the meantime the UK, Germany, France, Sweden, other European countries & even Ukraine are all ramping up production in their own armaments industries to reduce and eliminate reliance on US arms. 50 year of that reliance is at an end. Also much of their technology is equal to or more advanced that that of the US. It will take a few years but in the long run little donny is f*#$ed. 

 

The main worry is what is Putins lot doing & the Chinese are full on as well. Hopefully i won't be around when the excrement finally hits the fan.

[facthunter]

You Only DIE once. Putin would like to take/destroy the World with him if He can't restore Russia to a major Power. America (under Trump) wants WAR more than China does and cares  Less for the Planet.  USA is the centre of the Universe with Trump, but it IS divided unto Itself by Trump. (on Purpose, because that is the way HE works). THAT will cause his Ultimate downfall.  Nev

Edited May 17 by facthunter
more content.

[nomadpete]

The Not-a-war is going bigly for amerika....

 

Well it is going great for the arms replacement industry!

 

 

[nomadpete]

I know it's just a meme. But is it true?

[nomadpete]

While Little donold is usung the US military to manipulate the oil futures market, the media has forgotten the Israel/Palestine battles.

 

Palestine, which only existed for 28 years, was carved out of the Ottoman Empire by the Brits in 1920. The Ottomans had been there for 500 years but backed the wrong side in WW1. Nobody wants to see Israel returned to the Ottomans, and the Ottomans probably don’t want it back. Before that the Romans merged Judea into Syria-Palestine and as such it was owned by countless empires without a separate identity until the British mandate of Palestine.

The first Arabs arrived in about the 7th century. The Jewish tribes of Israel had lived there since the Bronze Age , so about 2,700-3,500 years before them.

Even if the dates are off, the Jews of Canaan and Judea were in Israel then Palestine before the Arabs.

Who came first and where they came from needn’t matter. What matters is what exists now and how to fix it.

Kicking the 7 million Israelis out of Israel and calling it Palestine is not a viable or moral option. Nor is driving the Palestinians into the sea.

[pmccarthy]

Just teach them to swim first. The ones with guns will sink.

[old man emu]

2 hours ago, nomadpete said:

The Ottomans had been there for 500 years but backed the wrong side in WW1

Only because the British reneged on a deal to supply the Ottomans with a battleship they had paid for. 

 

It is ironic that the Ottomans sided with Germany/Austro-Hungaria since the Ottomans and Austro-Hungarians had been at war for centuries.

[facthunter]

The Brits have a  long record of not honoring agreements, but Trump would have to be better.. Nev

[facthunter]

Honesty and Integrity stands in the way of  getting RICH.. It's regarded as a weakness in the FILTHY Rich World..Nev

[Jerry_Atrick]

There seems to be a largely diminished coverage in the Russia Ukraine war as well..