leicsmac

Ben-Gvir is such a unconscionable, self-righteous ghoul. Pretty sure seeing other human beings being killed or maimed actually gets him off.

Pretty much, yes. The opening of Mad Max Fury Road would be the most likely logical outcome of such a shortage, instead.

Not seen that, but I wouldn't be surprised about it at all. The thing is though, an acute shortage of that particular vital resource won't be something folks can make money off for long. It will, instead, result in a world where economics (apart from the most basic-level barter) are meaningless.

And so are we all. The sooner he and his ideology are no longer a meaningful factor, the better for a great many people.

... anyone else fed up of living in "unprecedented" times? And all the time, vital resources that are not oil will keep getting scarcer too. Fresh water being the key one.

In the spirit of the above: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c23909pge35o Think Starmer is picking the wrong fight (ongoing) here. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg4g44zv37qo Wildlife smuggling is still a big moneymaker for organised crime in Asia. Perhaps one day someone will have the balls to go after the generals rather than the foot soldiers.

Not sure about that, was wondering if anyone else knew. I'm sure that you're free to post news articles with other relevance. It's just unfortunate that man and his lackeys are dominating world events in the most negative fashion at the moment, and that does sadly include the UK.

Very, very good. And as you say, very relevant.

Genuine question here; who decides the renaming of such things? Is it local government? Federal? Congress? Still a bit weird that the main airport in Washington DC is now named for a well known but one of the most divisive Presidents ever in terms of legacy - and possibly the one that set the US on the path that led to Trump in the first place.

... it's almost as if pointless violence based on stupid ideas of nationalist or other superiority cause problems for pretty much all of our species apart from a select few, isn't it?

Right. I think the withdrawal is not out of any risk of losing the ship wholesale, but perhaps having damage done to it that would be much more expensive than what has already been done in terms of time and money. But yes, it's all a bit odd when you look at it like that.

Saw him going on about his White House vanity project earlier. He demeans the office he holds and the standing of his nation around the world with every passing day he stays in office.

It's pretty equally humiliating either way. Either it's vulnerable enough that an Iranian strike can put it out of action for this length of time, or crewed and equipped by those either so unprepared, incompetent or mutinous that a laundry fire would do the same.

That and control of a key strategic area through which that oil and lots of other things travel were and are likely key considerations, yes. But it's becoming increasingly apparent that they are getting neither of those either.

Perhaps that's because, with respect, you're coming from a position of thinking the US action in this case will invariably be altruistic and positive in terms of intent when neither of things are even likely, let alone guaranteed.

To add to this, it appears to have been a gross miscalculation from Trump and his lackeys on how stable the Iranian regime is. Even a ground invasion doesn't in any way guarantee what they have talked about viz. regime change to a puppet one they control, oh, sorry, "liberating the Iranian people". So either they were clueless at the start, or knew it wouldn't happen at the start and went for it anyway to satisfy their own base purposes. Either way, this was never about "liberation".

Yep, greed. I haven't. That's disappointing, the man clearly lacks any kind of self awareness in that area. Agreed. Bowen is a superb correspondent and when it comes to foreign policy his analysis is usually spot on. As it is here.

And I'm sure that would work out exactly as intended and really well in practice. Just as it has done in the past. ...which is pretty much the most reasonable position to take given both parties involved here. I'd be interested in hearing about arguments to the contrary. Does the man really still not grasp the idea that Iraq was the worst decision he ever made and following the Americans into Iran (or even backing it in any way) would be an even worse one?

It's funny that you should say that even tongue-in-cheek, because the "SAVE America" Act that these people are proposing is voter suppression which will lead to that exact effect across certain demographics. They're very serious about removing that right and tipping the scales for all future elections in their favour.

Appreciate the additional info. Like you say, addictive personality perhaps then? Hopefully he can at least mitigate the harm more in the future.

US techbro sociopaths like Thiel naming their companies and products after references to the Lord of the Rings. They are exactly the kind of people Tolkien would have despised, and they sully his memory.

As per another thread, get him teaching disadvantaged kids how to play and at least try to give him a sense of direction that he really doesn't seem to have right now.

Or at the very least doing some community service. Get him teaching disadvantaged kids how to play golf - might even give him a sense of purpose that he appears to be lacking right now.

And this is the problem that has been apparent for years and is only getting worse. Perception, rather than fact, being a pivotal driver of political decision making.

Appreciate the resource, will check it out.