Actually, what I posted was an interview with him about a paper written by him and 2 others.
I see. Vance claims this blockade is in response to Iran "blackmailing the world." Ummm ... And who's blackmailing the world now? If the US resorts to hijacking ships on the high seas that trade with Iran, what's to stop the nations losing their cargo from similarly confiscating US cargo and holding it ransom? Or US citizens? The US Navy and Coast Guard can't be everywhere at once. I think that is the message being sent by China's sabre rattling today. And I think they have every right to be irritated. Twenty-one hours is hardly a concerted effort at a diplomatic resolution. Just window dressing. But not surprising given the bizarre chain of events in Washington the last couple of weeks. When looking for foreign support Trump needs to think about the old saying "Catch more flies with honey than with vinegar". But that's not Trump. His "brand" is all about vinegar: name calling, filthy language, throwing around tariffs for personal reasons, and idolizing himself (understatement!). He alienates everyone ... except Russia and Israel. You know, the belligerent countries bombing their neighbors to pieces. It's too bad Trump didn't have the courage to answer his country's call during the Vietnam War. A taste of real combat might have given him a better perspective on how destructive belligerence can be. A genuine education would have helped too.
What a ridiculous post. You think anyone in their right mind is gonna seize our ships?? 21 hours sounds like very little until you add it to 47 years. No argument here on the topic of Russia. As to your view on Israel, it really is despicable. There is no moral equivalence whatsoever between what Russia is doing and what Israel is doing..
I hate to sound like a lawyer, but taking a ship during a blockade is not hijacking.
Cockroaches don't like it when a light is shined on them
Look any organization that would try to rely on Richwine's work, or even hire him after he left the Heritage Foundation in disgrace, and I don't know if you know this, Richwine did work for Robert Spencer's white nationalist site, to question the work of the CATO institute and PNAS is literally scrapping the bottom of the barrel.
It's really just a question of length. PNAS and CATO concluded otherwise in properly done, well regarded work. As have several university studies at well respected schools. I honestly have to follow what I believe to be the proper scholarship since I don't have the time to recreate the numbers from the ground up.
OK, so you don't want to take the time to refute the items that I listed. That is completely fine with me.
Presumably then, if other members of the international community do not recognize a proclaimed blockade, then they can proclaim their own blockades and start grabbing retaliatory cargo/ships on the high seas or in port? I guess if the US can do it anyone else can do it too, right. Just broadcast their own deadline first etc. Like I said, the US Navy is great but it can't cover the entire globe at once. And how would the markets react to the prospects of a blockade wars situation? I shudder to think. But that's the problem. No one is thinking. Jesus Trump has clearly lost touch with reality. Congress is trying to make sense out of chaos ... on too many fronts. The collection of incompetents transiting in and out of cabinet is not making their job any easier. To make matters even more complicated they have to deal with elections in a couple of months. How will Trump react when the inevitable happens and GOP gets crushed? Mark my words, Trump will come completely unhinged. He's obviously close to it now. His total focus will return to hunting down imaginary enemies for the next two years. That's how he will make America great again. The guy is easier to read than a third grade textbook.
Well technically yes, anyone can declare a blockade at any time. Just like one can declare a war at any time. In fact a blockade is very specifically an act in furtherance of an armed conflict (ie war).
US is not an Islamic totalitarian regime. Just has an elected president who now thinks he's God incarnate. I guess there's a line between the two but it's a little fuzzy.
