Member Info for Harmonica

Onsolodground,

This is news to me! Where have you seennor heard this? Any links?

At face value, I fund it hardnto believe or most unlikely to come to pass.

Konan10,

I guess that the USA might not be immediately at threat by a nuclear Iran, but Israel would be, a US ally.

Birdsong,

The problem with attacking the desalination plants,nis that it would surely be a war crime that the USA/Israel would never be allowed to forget by the rest of the civilised world. A nuclear attack is complete overkill! Trumomhas saidnthat regime change was not part of the plan, so why use it? The neighbouring countries would also be affected by the fall-out, so might turn againstnthe USA for auch a use.

I presume that you were merely thinking aloud, seeing what the options are, rather than actually suggesting an act of barbarous lunacy?

FordM,

Any evidence for a supposed false flag attack by Israel on the British base on Cyprus? Until so, I go with the official line that it was Iran attacking Cyprus, thus contradicting your claim that Iran never attacked Europe.

Whether the USA of yesteryear joined in for self-preservation is of little importance! The important part is that on both vital occasions, it came to the aid of the UK. Sure the leaders of the USA are different today, just as they will be different tomorrow. So what?

As ai wrote before, perhaps the UK needs to spend a bigger percentsg of GDP in being as militarily self-sufficient as possible, so increasing the size of the professional army, more ships and submarines and a bigger air force, and, perhaps some sort of return to compulsory military service?

Just turned the television on for the first time since getting up, to find that the USA has stated that it will block the Strait of Hormuz! I was extremely surprised as I thought that the failed peace talks were to reooen it once and for all, and, secondly, how do you block smething that is already blocked? I suppose WHO blocks it is important, I suppose, and with what conditions.

So why has the US decided this? Ostensibly, it would appear that Trump does not want Iran to decide who can and cannot go through, and in order that Iran does not profit from a toll. Could the real reason be that the USA has found a way to stop oil shipmemts to China, its biggest economic and political rival?

I can see that Brent futures will open vastly up at 23:00 BST tonight. $120 is now not beyond the realms of possibility, or even higher, if NO crude is alowed through. If so, I expect BP plce shares to go over 600p in short order tomorrow morning! 8-))

Invrstrat,

I guess that Oman feels no need to impose a toll becsuse it makes enough profit from selling its oil amd gas!

Oreilj,

I thought that Iran HAD laid mines already! Part of the $2m payment for safe passage, is a map of where they are supposedly...

FordM,

Cyprus is part of Europe!

Some memories are very short!

Have you forgotten already?

FordM,

History shows that you are totally wrong. The USA iphas been a friend, mostly, to Britain, helping the UK to emerge as victors in WW1 and WW2. Sure, we have a US President that blows hot and cold currently, but that isnthe exception, rather than the rule. Even Biden, who was supposedly anti-British, due to his Irish sympathies was never hostike to the UK like this present incumbent.

Rather than relying on new alliances by making new friends, why not strengthen our military, so that we can rely on ourselves, not on others, because when push comes to shove, they may prove flaky? As at the start of WW2, Britain found itself pretty much alone against Nazi Germany.

FordM,

I do not understand your post addressed to me!

You wrote: 'Iran should block the Straits, sink all the ships and walk away."

I then replied that, in effect, that would like sh*ttng on your own doormat, since that would not help Iran (because it would not be able to export oil either)?

You then responded telling me that if the USA controlled thr Strait of Hormuz, Iran would NOT be allowed to export oil. Err, perhaps, but I never suggested such a thing, and neither did you, so I have no idea why you are so very indignant with me for something that neither of us stated!

Did you mistype and mean to suggest that the USA should block the Strait?

Yours totally confused,

Harmonica

Tricky125,

What "old tricks"?

FordM,

Who is the USA "attacking"???

The problem with blocking the Strait of Hormuz as thoroughly as you suggest is that it wouod also Iran! How would it sell its crude? How would it collect a toll?

No, Tricky125, let us NOT call it a draw, but rather...a ceasefire!

Tricky125,

Europe is worried because the world's biggest military might, the USA, is proving unreliable. There is worry because Russia has shown with the Ukraine since the invasion of Crimea in 2014, and Georgia in 2008, that it has expansionist political and military ambitions. There is worry because even if the Russian army is pretty useless, as shown by the monthly death-toll suffered by the Russian army, a war would be messy and inconvenient. Lastly, Europemis worried because it would rather spend the tax take on welfare for its people, rather than on military spending.

As for Putin carrying "respect", his type of respect is what a Mafia godfather expects, based on creating fear and terror. He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword. Putin knows that. He must go to bed a very nervous man wondering when a fellow oligarch will have had had enough and arranged a decapitation of the regime leader...

I can not see 640p if a ceasefire actually occurs.

LeeRex,

Trick135 ie either a Russian or a Putin fan. Russia would love nothing better than for NATO to lose the USA! The rest of NATO really must update their military.

Mind you, if the Russian invasion of the Ukraine has taught us nothing else,mit is that Russianisna paper bear, with a joke of an army. Thankfully, yhisngoves the West some years to strengthen.

As is now my custom as I crawl into bed, I have a quick look at the price of Brent futures.

I am not surprised that at around 02:30 BST, it back up to $100 per barrel. Clearly, traders have little faith in the ceasefire.

Thursday should be a good day for BP! 8-))

Darkange,

With your level of ability in written English, you really ought to be careful not to be calling people "idiots' here on this Board!

Mind you, it is said that it takes one to know one...

Very useful analysis, Ian!

The professional analysts are guessing the likely results of BP, and yet the numbers could be way, way, better!

In the MD's shoes, I should be minded to keep the green investment made, if fornno other reason than to prevent Miliband blowing his top and doing skmething horrible in revenge!

Just had a quick look, and I see that with news of attacks continuing, Brent crude futures are now heading north to $97 per barrel.