Strait of Hormuz Under Siege: Global Trade Chokes

The Calm Before the Storm or So They Thought

Right then. News from the Strait of Hormuz. Sounds like a bloody mess doesn't it? Three ships hit fires breakin' out. Reminds me of a night in Small Heath but on a much grander scale. They say it's projectiles. I say it's someone tryin' to make a point. And when someone's makin' a point with explosives you best pay attention. We always do.

The Devil's Details: Attacks and Retaliation

Eleven nautical miles north of Oman one ship's ablaze. Fifty nautical miles northwest of Dubai another's takin' fire. Near the Emirates coast more damage. This ain't no accident. This is a game and the stakes are high. They're sayin' Iran's behind it retaliatin' for those airstrikes. And the Americans? Well they sank a few Iranian ships minelayers no less. It's a tit for tat that could drown us all. Speaking of details are you aware of the [CONTENT] situation with the FDA Commissioner Grilled on Regulatory Consistency and China Threat? It's important to be thorough and pay attention to all angles. The smallest detail can change everything.

The Oil Choke: A Squeeze on the World

Twenty percent of the world's oil and gas goes through that strait. Now it's grindin' to a halt. Torbjorn Soltvedt from Verisk Maplecroft calls it severing a vital artery. Sounds about right. No oil no gas no power. And when people lose power they get desperate. Desperate people do desperate things. Remember "everyone's a wh*re Grace. We just sell different parts of ourselves."

Whispers in the Dark: Suspicious Activity

Seventeen reports since this all kicked off. Thirteen attacks four bits of somethin' not quite right. Suspicious activity. That's what they call it. I call it opportunity. Opportunity for someone to make a move to gain an advantage. And in this game you either move first or you get moved. Never let them see how much it affects you.

The American Angle: Trump's Orders

Trump says "We want them removed IMMEDIATELY" regarding any mines in the waterway. Sounds like a man used to givin' orders. But orders ain't worth a damn if they can't be enforced. And enforcin' orders in the Strait of Hormuz? That's a whole different level of dangerous. "Lies travel faster than the truth."

What's Next: A Game of Chess with Lives as Pawns

So what's the play? More attacks? More retaliation? A full blown war? This ain't about oil or politics anymore. It's about power. And survival. The only way to achieve these two is to do absolutely everything to take these two from your opponent no matter how it is done. As my momma used to say "You'll either make a mark or be a mark."