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Quote:

Originally Posted by Extenda (Post 4012918)

I don’t see how that answers my question at all.

When did I say I have a conception of true poverty at all? We’re all upper middle class airline pilots in the US. Probably 0.1%ers worldwide. What’s your point?

this question:

Quote:

Who can deal with austerity longer? The IRGC or Americans paying 5, 6, 7 dollars a gallon gas when they’re already taking out pay day loans for groceries?

My point is that $5, $6, $7 a gallon for gas has been the norm in a lot of places for some time. And those people seem to deal with austerity pretty well. Do you believe that Americans are all wimps?

But Iran is - in a good year - barely self sufficient for food and with 90% of their oil revenue shut off, that’ll eventually be a problem. When you can either have food or sponsor international terrorism, I know how I’d choose. And if you think Iranians would choose different, I DAMN SURE don’t want them to have ICBMs and nuclear warheads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Excargodog (Post 4012925)

this question:

My point is that $5, $6, $7 a gallon for gas has been the norm in a lot of places for some time. And those people seem to deal with austerity pretty well. Do you believe that Americans are all wimps?

But Iran is - in a good year - barely self sufficient for food and with 90% of their oil revenue shut off, that’ll eventually be a problem. When you can either have food or sponsor international terrorism, I know how I’d choose. And if you think Iranians would choose different, I DAMN SURE don’t want them to have ICBMs and nuclear warheads.

Ok, thanks. I guess that I just disagree with you regarding the fortitude of the average American voter. Especially considering the last election cycle affordability was by far the most important issue.

5, 6, 7 dollar gas prices, and the related increase of other consumer goods is going to create enormous problems for the incumbent party going into the midterms. Something those in charge I think are acutely aware of.

JMHO

Full engagement carries bet the brand risk. Like hurling your chili after one too many White Russians, a cautionary repercussion of false assumption, careless execution or poor timing.

https://youtu.be/O2Z0Y-mFMBk?si=JqBh2ro8AqU8FRWs

An interesting video highlighting the rather tenuous state of the UK’s nuclear deterrent.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Excargodog (Post 4012950)

https://youtu.be/O2Z0Y-mFMBk?si=JqBh2ro8AqU8FRWs

An interesting video highlighting the rather tenuous state of the UK’s nuclear deterrent.

Interesting. Wonder now & then about liability for flame podcasting, blog bombing. Put anything out there, no matter how lame/tame, somebody probably going to get pretty worked up over it.

UK operates comfortably in the belief they still have NA colonialists to rely on. A supposition with strength of past examples. But nowadays, dated accounts payable have clearly been written off. We merit no meaningful logistical support. Collect on sympathetic lip service not even half the time. We are truly alone. On both fronts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Excargodog (Post 4012902)

You have no conception of true poverty.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/...RbDwLwcph6zH5f

For that matter, the Norwegians had $5 a gallon gas back in the 1980s WHILE PUMPING FROM THE NORTH SEA AND SELLING IT. Along with a 115% tax on new cars with internal combustion engines and a 25% rate in EVs.

Which is how a country with less than 6 million people got themselves a $2 TRILLION sovereign wealth fund, increasing by about a quarter TRILLION each year.

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/27/norw...alth-fund.html

Wait, are you saying Norwegians have "austerity"?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dera (Post 4012960)

Wait, are you saying Norwegians have "austerity"?

Nope. Saying that they have been tolerating what we would consider to be inflated prices for 45 years. $5 a gallon gas in 1080 would translate to the equivalent of $20 a gallon today allowing for inflation. Just demonstrating that people can actually survive $7 gas. Will people b^tch and whine? Sure. T’s an inalienable right. Will it affect elections - very possibly. But it’s not a an existential threat to anybody. As opposed - for instance - to a theocracy whose president said they would wipe out Israel as soon as they got a few nukes to do it with. Or who on their “Quds day” routinely puts on a big street demonstration with everyone chanting “Death to America”.

Make a list of those pledging support to us, right now. Won’t be too taxing, it’s short. Reversely, a list of those leaving a media dump on our doorstep. When the dust settles, as it eventually must, compare those lists. Reward friends. Turn stone cold shoulder to the rest. Geo politik old school lesson for a brave, ridiculously tatted, new world.

The US carrier fleet is what, 12 now? Half on unrestricted operations?

Quote:

Originally Posted by METO Guido (Post 4013016)

The US carrier fleet is what, 12 now? Half on unrestricted operations?

“Unrestricted” is a fuzzy word. Much of the fleet has serious maintenance backlogs - even after just coming out of a refit. Unit rep Commanders estimate may not show it and you can fight without it but not optimal for sure.

https://www.politico.eu/article/euro...rmuz-war-iran/

Quote:

MARCH 16, 2026 9:02 PM CET
BY SEBASTIAN STARCEVIC AND VICTOR JACKBRUSSELS — Europe's message to Donald Trump on Monday was clear: We're not helping you secure the Strait of Hormuz.

Foreign ministers from the 27 EU countries gathered in Brussels to discuss the American president’s call for European countries to help secure the narrow waterway, a vital oil shipping channel that Iran has largely blocked in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli airstrikes.

Among the ideas floated was expanding the mandate of the EU’s naval mission — Aspides — to allow European warships to be sent to patrol the strait between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

But after hours of closed-door talks about the war in Iran, Europe’s foreign envoys made clear they see this as America’s problem to solve.

“Europe has no interest in an open-ended war,” EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said Monday evening after the meeting. “This is not Europe’s war, but Europe’s interests are directly at stake.”

Although there was a “clear wish” among ministers “to strengthen” the EU’s naval mission in the Middle East, “there was no appetite in changing the mandate,” Kallas said, referring to sending warships to the strait.

“Extending this mandate to cover the Strait of Hormuz ... there was no appetite from the member states to do that,” she repeated. “Nobody wants to go actively in this war.”

Respect, please

Trump told the Financial Times at the weekend it would be "very bad for the future of NATO" if European countries failed to respond to his call for help. He wrote on social media that he was in contact with seven countries about securing the strait, without naming which countries he was referring to.

And on Monday, Trump told reporters that he was confident France would assist the U.S. "I think he's gonna help. I mean, I'll let you know, I spoke to him yesterday," the American president said, referring to his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. Trump also said he was “not happy” with the response from the U.K. and “very surprised” after Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would not be drawn into a "wider war" over Iran.

Let’s see…70% of the EUs LPG and oil pass through the strait, 2% of the US’s oil passes through the strait. Much of Western Europe was within range of the IRBMs Ukraine already had and all of it would have soon been within range. And, Oh yeah, a THEOCRACY headed by a West hating bat$hit crazy loon was about to get nukes. But not Europe’s problem.

Check.