No. of Recommendations: 3
But not materially more than that. They have invested a ton in economic and diplomatic resources in all the countries there, and don't really derive much strategic benefit from Iran's military positioning relative to those economic and diplomatic ties.Much more than that. They use Iran as a blunt instrument to further China's overarching policy goals, which are to kick us in the jimmy every chance they get.
Again - "cutting off the head of the snake" is another metaphor. When did the Houthi attacks stop? Not because we stopped playing defense, and not because we "cut off the head of a snake." Because of the cease-fire in Gaza. An issue addressed primarily through a diplomatic solution, not the U.S. physically stopping anyone from attacking Red Sea commercial vessels or cowing them into giving up.Yeah, not so much:
https://apnews.com/article/trump-yemen-houthis-reb...WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump said he ordered a series of airstrikes on the Houthi-held areas in Yemen on Saturday, promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” until the Iran-backed rebels cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor. The Houthis said at least 31 people were killed, and Trump’s national security adviser said Sunday that the strikes had successfully targeted “multiple” Houthi leaders.
“Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom,” Trump said in a social media post. “No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.”This BTW is what you do when somebody sits there and shoots at you repeatedly. What you
don't do is have your valuable ships sit out there waiting for some loser to get lucky and sink one of them. THAT was a waste of time and materiel.
Yeah, because we're not telling her to do anything significant. We're telling her that she has to sell Venezuela's oil through us - why should she care? We've basically given Venezuela relief from sanctions and taken all the pressure off of them to possibly cede power to the lawfully elected opposition - and all we want in return is for us to be able to help them sell their oil? Oh, no! Please don't throw me in that briar patch!Remind me who controls their oil flows now. Right - that's us. Had we not done anything to Maduro we wouldn't have this level to pull.
What they've lost in some countries (like Argentina) they've recovered in increases in other countries like Brazil that have turned to China in response to American protectionism and...being erratic. In fact, China now has an opening to get into all the Mercosur countries for the first time ever - because Brazil has decided to make more of a pivot to Beijing:lol. de Silva is a communist. Meanwhile, Argentina, Peru, Panama, Bolivia all say hello.
