I was a blessed girl when I was younger, my parents, especially my Dad read to me when I was young. One of the major benefits of being the first born, of an evening when Dad got home he would read to me. All kinds of books, all kinds of subjects. For whatever reason, one particular book has been nagging at me for a week or so.
I suspect this may have to do with the ongoing conflict with Iran, which we never ever had a problem with until Donald Trump started one…Ok, that’s pure sarcasm. Iranian and Iranian-Backed Attacks Against Americans (1979-Present) with the present being June of last year. It’s pretty extensive.
Iran’s leadership has become and endangered species thanks to Israel, their fabulous intelligence agency The Mossad, and the American and Israeli air force efforts, and brave Iranians who are passing on intel when they can. So, the Islamic regime is throwing a temper tantrum as they fight for their survival. To this effort, they’ve done something they’ve never ever done before, they’ve brought access to the Strait of Hormuz into the equation. Nope, they’ve never done that.
2011–2012 Strait of Hormuz dispute and that’s left wing source Wikipedia.
The 2011–12 Strait of Hormuz dispute was a dispute between a coalition of countries and Iran. The dispute arose on 27 December 2011, when Iranian Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz.[3] In late April 2019, Iran warned that it would block maritime traffic through the strategic waterway if it were barred from using it, amid escalating U.S. sanctions.
A history of Iranian threats to blockade Gulf oil exports Wow, would you look at the date on that article! 13 December, 2018
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani this month declared that Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz if the US blocked Tehran’s export of oil.
“If someday, the United States decides to block Iran’s oil [exports], no oil will be exported from the Persian Gulf,” Iranian state television quoted him saying.
Tehran has made similar declarations about closing the narrow Strait of Hormuz – where one-fifth of the world’s oil supply today transits through from the Gulf into the Indian Ocean – over the past 40 years, whenever it has felt threatened.
Fears of the strait being blocked go back even further than that.
Rumor: Iran To ‘Practice’ Closing Strait Of Hormuz; Plug Up Oil Tanker Corridor Wow, would you look at the date on that article! Dec. 13, 2011
“TEHRAN (Reuters) – A member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Committee said on Monday that the military was set to practice its ability to close the Gulf to shipping at the narrow Strait of Hormuz, the most important oil transit channel in the world, but there was no official confirmation.
The legislator, Parviz Sarvari, told the student news agency ISNA: “Soon we will hold a military maneuver on how to close the Strait of Hormuz. If the world wants to make the region insecure, we will make the world insecure.”
BREAKING: Iranian Regime Harasses, Attempts to Intercept US Destroyer in Strait of Hormuz
Wow! Would you look at the date on that article! Aug. 24, 2016
US defense officials confirmed Wednesday the Iranian regime attempted to intercept a US Destroyer in the Strait of Hormuz.
Four Iranian ships harassed and carried out a “high speed intercept” in the strait of Hormuz.
Two Oil Tankers Hit By Torpedoes in the Strait of Hormuz — Trump Domestic Energy Policy Keeps Oil Prices in Check Wow! Would you look at the date on that article! Jun. 13, 2019
Two tankers were hit by torpedoes in the Strait of Hormux on Thursday morning. The crew members were rescued and taken to safety.
A Norwegian and a Japanese tanker were hit by torpedoes.
Despite the attacks the Dow Market was up 50 points when the market opened at 8:30 AM.
Oil prices only spiked 3.3% or by nearly two points. This is due to the abundance of oil here at home thanks to energy policy of President Donald J. Trump.
Iranian Commandos Seize Israeli-Linked Cargo Ship in the Strait of Hormuz
Well, I’ll stop, you get the idea. The Islamic regime occupying Iran right now has a long history of using the threat of closing the Strait of Hormuz. This isn’t new, and it isn’t because of Trump and or Netanyahu. It’s because they are Islamic terrorists and that’s how they roll.
So President Trump has been trying to get the Strait back open for the safe shipping of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.
Probably because America gets the majority of their energy from there, right?
Um.
Maybe not so much.
In fact it appears that other counties should have a much bigger motivation to make sure the Strait is open and safe, including the exporters.
So President gently suggested to our NATO allies they might want to do something useful towards helping secure the strait from the deranged Islamic terrorists, as they have been for many years now.
The United States contributes to NATO’s common-funded budgets and programs through direct and indirect contributions. NATO has a governance structure that allows allies to collectively decide what is eligible for common funding and how much can be spent annually. In 2026, NATO’s annual budget and programs are projected to cost approximately €5.3 billion (£4.6 billion), with a cost-sharing formula in place to cover operational expenses.
NATO guidelines state that member nations are expected to commit a minimum of 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense spending. This target was agreed upon by NATO member states in 2006 and again in 2014, with an aim to reach it by 2024. As of 2025, all NATO members are expected to meet or exceed this 2% target.
The United States is the largest financial contributor to NATO, both in terms of total money spent and as a percentage of its GDP. In 2021, the U.S. spent over $811 billion on NATO funding, representing 3.5% of its GDP. By 2023, the U.S. contributed $860 billion, or 3.49% of its GDP, to NATO funding, accounting for 68% of NATO’s total combined defense spending.
So it seems like since the US has been doing all the heavy lifting the NATO “allies” would say yes, we want to help. But that ignores the nature of our “allies”, and I use that term very loosely. Especially when compared to how Israel has been in there kicking butt before we were.
And the response from those “allies”?
Underwhelming to say the least.
Most NATO Members Won’t Join Iran Operation, Trump Says
Oh, okay, you got me. That last one is satire.
But to say the least, considering our contributions to NATO none of this was well received.
Trump Issues New Warning to NATO Allies Over Strait of Hormuz
After which apparently there was some re-evaluation of positions.
Why, the NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte (who betrays he own country often) issued a strongly worded statement! Strongly worded I say!!
NATO allies jointly discussing how to handle Strait of Hormuz closure, Rutte says
Rutte asks for Trump’s ‘understanding’ on NATO countries’ hesitancy on supporting Iran war
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Sunday asked for President Trump’s “understanding” amid his frustrations with allied countries expressing hesitancy to provide support to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“I understand the president’s frustration that it takes some time, but again, I also ask for some understanding, because nations had to prepare for this, not knowing and for good reasons about the initial attack on Iran, but now coming together to make sure that we can be able to secure the Strait of Hormuz,” Rutte told host Margaret Brennan on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
Maybe strongly worded for Euro-Arabians might be a better statement.
UAE Joins 21 Countries Pledging Support for Safe Passage in Strait of Hormuz
This probably has nothing to do with Iran sending missiles to the UAE.
I do understand Japan’s help is already on the way.
Although France & Italy seem to want to try something else. Duly noted.
FT Report: France and Italy Quietly Seek Deal With Iran to Safeguard Shipping Through Hormuz
In recent days, France and Italy have quietly opened diplomatic contacts with Iran in an attempt to secure safe passage for European commercial vessels through the strategic waterway.
The discussions, first reported by the Financial Times, underscore the growing concern among European governments that prolonged instability in the region could trigger severe economic consequences.
So, according to the oil flow chart, America doesn’t get the majority of their oil from the Strait of Hormuz, there are other countries far more impacted than U.S.
I guess if we ever wondered how useful it would be to be a member of NATO if the chips were down, we now know the answer. Should we ever be invaded, ok, more invaded than under the last round of demoncrats we’re on our own. NATO is as useless as the UN. Hey, can anyone tell me the date that the UN issued it’s strong condemnation of Iran for sending cluster warhead missiles into Israel? Because that is a war crime, so I’m sure the UN is all over it, I just missed when they issued that condemnation.
Which brings me to the point of the book Daddy read to me as a little girl. This little video has a big message. No, it’s not long.
