• ryper@lemmy.ca
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    6 months ago

    “Effective immediately, the ​United States Navy, the Finest in ​the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING ‌any ⁠and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” said Trump, who is strongly opposed to the ​idea of ​Iran charging ⁠ships a toll to pass through the strait.

    “I have also ​instructed our Navy to seek and ​interdict ⁠every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one ⁠who ​pays an illegal toll ​will have safe passage on the high seas,” he ​said.

    Pretty sure what Trump is opposed to is him not getting a cut of the toll.

    • floofloof@lemmy.ca
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      6 months ago

      Once again the whole world has to suffer because of Trump’s insatiable ego and greed, and his bottomless stupidity. May he be gone soon.

    • Andy@slrpnk.net
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      6 months ago

      This is truly an April Fools-level move.

      The US is closing the Strait? The generals couldn’t open it, so Hegseth said, ‘Okay! I’ve got it! We declare that WE’RE closing it, NOT THEM!’

      How … is this better?

      • stickyprimer@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        Iran was allowing some ships through. The logic is that if it’s closed to the US it must be closed to everyone (it was not before).

        Do I think this is a good move? No. Do I think Trump and Hegseth have three brain cells between them? No.

        But it also isn’t hard to understand their angle here. It’s not better for anyone. But the idea is to make it worse for Iran than the previous phase, where they had control of the strait.

        • electric_nan@lemmy.ml
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          6 months ago

          Gonna be a hard sell to the rest of the world who is largely able to negotiate passage with Iran. US navy is gonna hijack ships enroute from the strait to China?

          • stickyprimer@lemmy.world
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            6 months ago

            I agree. A US blockade of Hormuz was actually always a reserve strategy to put a chokehold on China if they invade Taiwan. Now we’re just playing that card for no fucking reason at all. This administration is dumb as fuck and I can’t believe there isn’t even anyone in the military who can stop them. I guess that’s what we see with Hegseth’s long line of dismissals.

    • KoboldCoterie@pawb.social
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      6 months ago

      He did previously say that as the “winners” of the war, the US was entitled to collect that toll, basically. So, yeah, I think you’re spot on.