DERELICTION AND INCOMPETENCE HAS SET THE WORLD ON FIRE

All righty then. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration may lift restrictions on Iranian oil that has already been loaded onto vessels. A move that could help the regime generate funds for its war effort. “In the coming days, we may unsanction the Iranian oil that’s on the water,” Bessent said on Fox. “It’s about 140 million barrels.” Bessent’s comments come a week after the administration lifted sanctions on Russian oil that was already in tankers. This enabled as much as 130M barrels of that country’s oil to flow into the marketplace, according to the Trump administration. That move also threatens to generate large amounts of cash for Russia and its war effort in Ukraine. Seems at the least monumentally hypocritical. Hasn’t the US condemned and sought to end that war? Likewise, if Iranian sanctions were to be eased, wouldn’t that provide revenue to a regime actively trying to kill Americans on the battlefield? “Two countries that we’ve spent years sanctioning are now the direct beneficiaries of a conflict the United States chose to start,” said Brett Erickson, managing principal at Obsidian Risk Advisors, a consultancy that specializes in financial crime and regulatory issues. “The United States has spent years building sanctions architecture specifically designed to constrict Russia and Iran. Within three weeks of this conflict starting, we’re tearing it to shreds. That is not a short-term adjustment, it’s a complete strategic collapse.”” Defense Secretary Hegseth refused to predict how long the conflict may go on, asserting in Thursday’s briefing that only President Donald Trump will decide when it is finished. But recently Israel has struck Iranian oil facilities counter to the administration’s desire to reduce pressure on oil prices. It seems that Israel’s timeline and objectives for the conflict may not be completely aligned with ours. When asked about that today, Hegseth acknowledged that “we have allies pursuing objectives as well,” but he asserted that the war will end when the US decides to end it. “We hold the cards,” Hegseth said. “The United States military controls the fate of that country.” Nice words. Words that once again might be more magical thinking and sweaty bravado than actual reality. Actions speak louder than any words. And rewarding Iran and Russia because the US started a war it was in no way prepared for exposes the lack of anything other than words coming from the top. Trump made a big ol mess. And probably got rid of any competence that might help clean it up. How many lives is a barrel of oil worth? What a tragic fiasco.