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Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

bbc.com

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Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#191

Post by jimbokun »

markvdb wrote: post #55
littlecranky67 wrote: post #10

Will this bring oil prices down in Europe? Oil tankers could still go to the mediteranian via the suez canal. This will not help asia, but I can imagine if it is too dangerous the go through bab al-mandab strait it is more lucrative to sell the crude oil to europe at a discount?

No. A cynic might think a significant part of this half-arsed Iran war was: - make sure fuel prices increase globally - The US economy is relatively well-shielded from the fallout by its own fossil fuel sources, local and in colonies like Venezuela. - export more US fossil fuels, especially to Europe, at inflated prices. US insiders reap the profits. - further kneecap European competitiveness in energy intensive sect…

You honestly think the Trump administration is intelligent enough to think all of that through and execute it?

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#192

Post by KumaBear »

ericmay wrote: post #146
softwaredoug wrote: post #97

My understanding is we haven’t gotten to full Hormuz apocalypse mode because the Chinese have a ton of stockpiles. And the Red Sea has been an option. Those conditions seem to be changing.

[flagged]

China is the reason we don’t have 5-6 dollar gas. They literally cut their imports to prevent economic disaster. If they begin buying at regular levels we would be the ones hurting more.

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#193

Post by Ydarbleoj »

aliasxneo wrote: post #119
khriss wrote: post #110

I wouldn't be surprised if this got downvoted off the front page in minutes, just like the other story about diesel being at all time highs. There is a well coordinated group here that seems unusually allergic to inconvenient truths.

Why does that have to be the only reason? I personally think it has nothing to do with "Hacker" news, but I understand that sentiment has been in the fringe lately with HN becoming increasingly political.

Just to be clear, everything is political - whether you want to acknowledge it or not.

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#194

Post by jimbokun »

danisth wrote: post #141
noelsusman wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's nice to think there was some sort of plan, but the truth is much scarier.

I believe there were pieces of a plan. This global energy shift gambit being one of them. I don’t think there was a unified strategy with contingencies etc though (if there was it certainly wasn’t very good).

Why do you believe "there were pieces of a plan"? Any reporting to corroborate that theory?

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#195

Post by jonplackett »

737min wrote: post #180

Ansar Allah (Houthis) is a terrible Islamist group that commits warcrimws against both Yemenis and people thousands of miles away. Here’s just one example, executing men for gayness: https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/03/27/yemen-houthis-sentence-m... “In addition to death sentences that include crucifixion and stoning, the Houthi court sentenced 23 men to prison for periods of up to 10 years. Three of them were also sent…

Saudi Arabia who they’re fighting against by proxy, and who we sell lots of bombs to, and are soon going to help get nuclear technology, not so great either.

https://www.humandignitytrust.org/country-profile/saudi-arab...

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#196

Post by MSFT_Edging »

2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #164
bhouston wrote: post #151

The Houthis created a fake audio of a major Yemeni commander telling his troops to retreat which was subsequently amplified on Twitter/X, telegram, etc. Apparently, this helped the Houthis advance quickly as the opposition forces were in disarray. https://x.com/BashaReport/status/2097862335494795579

[flagged]

This is the chaos that silicon valley and the current US government has fully gotten behind.

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#197

Post by nemomarx »

Rygian wrote: post #120
postsantum wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>some sort of plan George Friedman, The Next Decade

> Friedman [...] advocates a deal with Iran which would essentially allow it a secure sphere of influence in the region and an alliance with Turkey to counterbalance Iran and Israel. Seems to be in contradiction.

I think the idea is 3 regimes in power to keep a balance between them instead of two rivals?

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#198

Post by pphysch »

ericmay wrote: post #172
pphysch wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why can Israel have a nuclear weapon? It is also an insanely violent ethno-theocratic regime.

Besides the point and whataboutism, but I'm not advocating that Israel should have nuclear weapons. They do, and I'm not sure there's much we can do about it at this point. Same with North Korea. I'm opposed to the proliferation of nuclear weapons and just because one country has one doesn't mean other countries should go and get them too.

Iran clearly has the capability to flatten every major hospital and university and desalination plant in Israel, like Israel has done in Gaza, but they don't.

It's also clear that Iran having nukes would be a strategic deterrent to Israel's ultraviolent territorial expansionism.

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#199

Post by soulofmischief »

ericmay wrote: post #146
softwaredoug wrote: post #97

My understanding is we haven’t gotten to full Hormuz apocalypse mode because the Chinese have a ton of stockpiles. And the Red Sea has been an option. Those conditions seem to be changing.

[flagged]

"Ancient" colonialism? The US and Israel are both actively seeking to expand their colonial territory.

This was an interesting piece of fiction you've written, with some very impressive mental gymnastics on display. However, it's so wrong that engaging with it would be doing you a disservice because it would make you think it's even an intellectually respectable position to have in the first place.

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#200

Post by zippothrowaway »

inglor_cz wrote: post #148
mamonster wrote: post #101

That's why relying on mercs (which is what both UAE and Saudi chose in Yemen) is a double edged sword. At some point the cash isn't enough of a motivator and they will just run away.

We seem to be in need of a mercenary Uber, where individual mercenaries will have their reputation and the potential customers will be able to check it.

One of the later, not as good, seasons of Westworld has that as an app
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