"Credit Where It Is Due in the Middle East" Topic

Credit Where It Is Due in the Middle East
Erick-Woods Erickson
Oct 1

Iran's strategy in this war was never complicated. The mullahs believed that if they choked the Strait of Hormuz long enough, Americans would feel it at the gas pump and Washington would lose its nerve before the midterms. Brent crude spiked past $107 USD a barrel this month, and Iranian-aligned militias sent drones into Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline and shut it down for more than a week. Tehran was betting that pain at the pump would break us before its own economy broke.

That bet has failed, and President Trump deserves immense credit for it.

Crude exports from the Persian Gulf are back at pre-war levels. J.P. Morgan puts the 10-day average at 17.5 million barrels a day, which is 98 percent of where it stood before the war. Goldman Sachs estimates the region exported 19 million barrels a day over the past week. Brent has come off its highs to about $103 USD, and West Texas crude is trading around $90. USD

The Gulf producers did it by building 3 exits where there used to be 1. Before the war, 83 percent of Gulf crude had to cross the Strait of Hormuz. In September, about 60 percent crossed the strait, 23 percent loaded on the Gulf of Oman coast, and 17 percent left through the Red Sea. Much of that Red Sea oil moved through the same Saudi pipeline Iran's allies tried to destroy. Iran thought it held a chokehold on the world economy, and the Gulf simply routed around it.

Iran is now the one country in the region whose oil is not moving. Before the war, it exported roughly 1.7 million barrels a day. In September, satellite data showed no Iranian crude leaving by sea at all. That is the work of the American naval blockade reimposed in July.

Last week at the United Nations, Iran offered to reopen the strait within 7 days. Its price was the release of frozen funds, an end to sanctions, and an end to the blockade. The President said no. A regime that was winning would not be begging for its money back in front of the General Assembly. A government that cannot sell its oil cannot pay those who preserve its power.

The Obama administration sent pallets of cash to Tehran. The Biden administration looked the other way while Iranian oil flowed to China. This administration has paired American naval power with the reach of the American banking system. It has blockaded Iranian ports while making it dangerous for any bank anywhere to move money for the Revolutionary Guard.

Something more remarkable is happening alongside the oil. Our Arab allies are cooperating with Israel in ways they never have before. The Abraham Accords proved in President Trump's first term that Arab governments could work openly with the Jewish state, and this war has turned that diplomatic normalization into practical cooperation. Iran has fired on Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain. Those governments now understand that the threat to their people comes from Tehran, not Jerusalem.

Inside Iran, the regime is losing its grip. Outbreaks of violence suggest a destabilization campaign that the security services cannot contain. This regime has waged a 47-year war on Americans, plotted to shoot down Air Force One, and gunned down its own people in the streets in January. Is enforcers are now the ones who are afraid.

None of this means the war is won. I was hard on the administration this summer when it called off strikes on the promise that Iran wanted peace. Iran did not want peace then, and it does not want peace now. It wants a bomb. The Houthis are stepping up attacks in the Red Sea, and exports of diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel from the region are still running below last year's pace. The pressure has to continue, and this White House should resist the voices internally who think a regime that chants "Death to America" can be bargained with.

Notwithstanding all of that, the situation has changed. Our allies are working together, Gulf oil is flowing at pre-war levels, and Iran is broke, isolated, and asking for relief in front of the world. That happened because the President was willing to use every tool of American power at once and refused to accept that the Strait of Hormuz belonged to Tehran.

A month ago, Iran thought it could hold the world hostage at the gas pump. Today the Gulf's oil is moving and Iran's is not. President Trump deserves the credit for that.

The consequences of my mistakes are not as catastrophic as they could have been-- success!

🙄

Meanwhile the Daily Mail in the UK – not a paper usually associated with TDS – is reporting that the Trump administration is putting pressure on European countries to release emergency inventories to help to ease global fuel prices or face a potential American export ban.

The warning marks an escalation of pressure on Europe as the President considers the ban to bring down US fuel prices ahead of next month's midterm elections.

A US official… said: 'It is in Europe's best interest to work with the United States as we pursue multiple pathways to boost the supply of refined products and lower costs for consumers.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told reporters yesterday that… "We've lost some diesel exports from the ⁠Middle East, although we're restoring those, and we've lost diesel exports from China. So that's a lot of interruptions."

In the UK, diesel prices hit a new high on Monday, passing the previous record set in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022…

The cost of diesel has risen steadily in recent weeks due to the impact on global supplies from the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and from renewed hostilities in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, the ongoing war between the US and Iran is continuing to disrupt the global trade in refined oil and other petroleum materials, with Iran's effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz limiting the production and supply of fuel needed by consumers.

link

Which all suggests a slightly different picture.

I printed this before, but here it is again:

The official numbers reported by traditional vessel tracking data tell only a fraction of the story right now.
Maritime intelligence agencies and shipping analysts confirm that a massive number of vessels are actively bypassing official counts by employing "shadow fleet" tactics and going dark—meaning they switch off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders. [1, 2]
The discrepancy between the official data and what is actually happening on the water comes down to a few key factors:

The "Dark Fleet" and Data Discrepancies
* Underreported Transits: While official public trackers (like Kpler or IMF PortWatch) often report anywhere from 2 to 17 visible ships passing through daily, analysts estimate that up to two-thirds of outbound tankers are sneaking through undetected by turning off their transponders. [1, 2, 3]
* The Scale of Shadow Movements: During the ongoing conflict, maritime data firms noted that while official daily numbers hovered in the single digits or low teens, nearly 900 tankers successfully trickled through the strait over a multi-month period using dark tactics to avoid naval blockades and missile threats. [1]
* Independent Observations: Independent maritime researchers who have physically monitored the strait report seeing tankers pass through 4 to 5 at a time in closely packed formations with all tracking devices fully blacked out, confirming that AIS data misses a massive percentage of real traffic. [1]
* Advanced Evasion: Beyond just turning off transponders, many vessels are utilizing aggressive GPS spoofing (which makes them appear on maps as if they are circling on dry land) or cloning the identification codes of entirely different, scrapped ships to blend in.

Mainstream media reports often cite public data streams like Kpler, IMF PortWatch, or MarineTraffic without providing the necessary context that these tools only map visible, transponder-active ships. When headlines declare traffic is "near zero" based entirely on public databases, it inadvertently distorts public perception of how effective blockades are and how much oil is actually moving. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Whether this omission is intentional narrative-spinning or simply a symptom of lazy, data-reliant journalism, the outcome is the same: it paints an inaccurate picture of the conflict.
The dynamic between media reporting, data limitations, and the reality of the strait comes down to a few critical factors:

1. The Trap of "Visible Data" Journalism
Most newsrooms rely on automated data feeds because they are clean, quantifiable, and easy to turn into charts. When a reporter looks at a dashboard showing only 3 to 17 trackable vessels in a day, they write the headline: "Traffic Plummets by 95%." [1, 2]
However, maritime intelligence firms using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites paint a completely different picture. For example, during periods when public trackers showed almost zero activity, satellite sweeps revealed dozens of large vessels operating entirely dark within the strait simultaneously. By focusing only on the "clean" data, the media presents an exaggerated narrative of economic strangulation. [1, 2]

2. Shaping the Perception of Control
Reporting strictly on public trackers serves distinct political and strategic narratives:
* The Illusion of Blockade Success: Showing a ghost-town waterway allows coalition forces or blockading nations to project absolute control, signaling that their deterrence measures or sanctions are working perfectly.
* Hiding the Sanction Bypasses: If the public knew that hundreds of millions of barrels of oil were still successfully slipping through the strait via the "shadow fleet", it would expose the limits of Western sanctions and naval enforcement. [1, 2, 3, 4]

3. The Dangerous Reality of "Going Dark"
What the media frames as a total shutdown is actually a shift in tactics. Turning off Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders used to be a trick reserved exclusively for rogue, sanctioned "shadow fleet" tankers. Because of the severity of the conflict, mainstream, commercial energy tankers have adopted the exact same behavior to survive. [1, 2]
They are turning off their lights, cutting their transponders, and moving through the strait in tightly packed, silent convoys—sometimes even coordinating quietly with naval escorts off the grid. [1, 2]

Tracking the Reality
To get an accurate picture of the conflict, independent analysts have to look past the media reports and cross-reference multiple hidden layers:
* Satellite Radar (SAR): Bypasses clouds and darkness to locate the physical steel hulls of dark ships.[1, 2]
* Infrared & Optical Imagery: Used by tracking groups to verify if a "dark" ship is riding low in the water (meaning it successfully loaded oil) or riding high (empty).
* Local Spotters: Maritime intelligence networks rely heavily on physical observers stationed in places like Oman's Musandam Peninsula, who visually count and log the massive blacked-out tankers passing through by eye.

[1, 2]
The Strait of Hormuz is far from empty; the traffic has simply transitioned from a public highway into a highly active, off-the-books shadow corridor. [1, 2]
Right here right

Yes Diesel is much more of an impact then gas. Another I posted before:

* The Ukrainian Drone Campaign: Ukraine has systematically targeted Russian industrial infrastructure using long-range drones (not drugs). According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Ukrainian drones successfully struck a Russian refinery an average of every three days over the first eight months of 2026. [1, 2, 3, 4]
*

2. Impact on Russia's Diesel Industry
Ukrainian drone strikes have knocked out roughly 45% of Russia's total oil refining capacity, deeply impacting its largest diesel-producing plants. [1, 2, 3]
* Production Drops: By mid-2026, Russia's diesel output fell by an estimated 30%, dropping to its lowest level in over 20 years.
*
* Export Restrictions: To combat domestic shortages and prevent fuel lines at home, Moscow was forced to enact strict export bans on diesel and gasoline. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
*

3. Why This Drives Up Global and U.S. Prices
Even though the U.S. does not directly import Russian oil, diesel is a globally traded commodity. When Russia—historically the world's second-largest exporter of diesel—suddenly removes hundreds of thousands of barrels from the global supply pool, it triggers a massive international scramble. This global shortfall pulls refined products out of the U.S. market via exports, driving pump prices to historic highs for American truckers, businesses, and consumers.

Year Average Price (Per Gallon) Key Market Drivers
2022

(War Begins) $5.00 USD – $5.81 USD Initial Invasion Shock: Prices spiked immediately after Russia invaded Ukraine, hitting a peak of $5.81 USD in June 2022 due to immediate fears of global shortages and bans on Russian oil.

2026

(Current Year)$3.45 – $6.53 USD

The Double Crisis Spike: Diesel started the year low (around $3.45 USD), but exploded starting in February. The combination of the war in Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz alongside aggressive Ukrainian drone strikesknocking out 45% of Russia's refinery capacity forced prices to an all-time record high of $6.53 USD this month.

"The Obama administration sent pallets of cash to Tehran". Biased imagery. A drop inthe bucket compared to this year's vastly larger cash offer to them. And this opinion piece misses the whole point of how this war abruptly began and what it has cost Americans to try and get us back to where we already were oil-wise. The role of Netanyahu. The terrorists leaders still running Iran. The failures to get a deal with people who are not going to sign or honor any deal. Covert Chinese and Russian support going to Iran.

Too many elephants in the room. Among them the health of the C in C, and the capability and willingness of the relatively small circle of advisors to advise. There is no doubt that Iran has been hit hard. But not hard enough IMO. This is not a transactional business opportunity. The Iran regime has to end for this
chapter of the war against terrorism to end.

And a big elephant…If they really were days away from having nukes, after we were told this was resolved in 2025, then credit is due when we know this is no longer the case.

The effect of diesel shortage is real. For the company that I work for a route from the NY Ports to West Virginia used to cost $1,500 USD last month to ship a load of material. This month it is costing $1,750. USD That increase gets passed down the supply chain to the end user.
Almost everything that is bought has diesel costs built into its cost structure, so there will be an impact on inflation.

The insinuation is that the cost of diesel is all the fault of the "Evil One" and the conflict in Iran.

1) False. The war has contributed to it, but is not the largest reason.

2) The war in the Ukraine is the larger contributor, especially recently. Especially since the Ukraine has started hitting oil and diesel production and refining. I'm sure you would be happy to blame Putin. But are you equally happy to blame Zelensky? Doubtful.

"He's just doing what needs to be done."

Right?

Well so is the U.S. in Iran. Would NOT be necessary if previous presidents had done the NEEDFUL! Instead of kicking the can down to the next person!!

Case in point.

Subject: ‘That's The Deal, Pal': A New Book Claims Joe Biden Strong-Armed Netanyahu To Prevent All-Out War With Iran


link

Of course no one really knows if Joe was handling this, especially since he was reading it. But it was his term.

Diesel

* The Ukrainian Drone Campaign: Ukraine has systematically targeted Russian industrial infrastructure using long-range drones (not drugs). According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Ukrainian drones successfully struck a Russian refinery an average of every three days over the first eight months of 2026. [1, 2, 3, 4]
*

2. Impact on Russia's Diesel Industry
Ukrainian drone strikes have knocked out roughly 45% of Russia's total oil refining capacity, deeply impacting its largest diesel-producing plants. [1, 2, 3]
* Production Drops: By mid-2026, Russia's diesel output fell by an estimated 30%, dropping to its lowest level in over 20 years.
*
* Export Restrictions: To combat domestic shortages and prevent fuel lines at home, Moscow was forced to enact strict export bans on diesel and gasoline. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
*

3. Why This Drives Up Global and U.S. Prices
Even though the U.S. does not directly import Russian oil, diesel is a globally traded commodity. When Russia—historically the world's second-largest exporter of diesel—suddenly removes hundreds of thousands of barrels from the global supply pool, it triggers a massive international scramble. This global shortfall pulls refined products out of the U.S. market via exports, driving pump prices to historic highs for American truckers, businesses, and consumers.

Year Average Price (Per Gallon) Key Market Drivers
2022

(War Begins) $5.00 USD – $5.81 USD Initial Invasion Shock: Prices spiked immediately after Russia invaded Ukraine, hitting a peak of $5.81 USD in June 2022 due to immediate fears of global shortages and bans on Russian oil.

2026

(Current Year)$3.45 – $6.53 USD

The Double Crisis Spike: Diesel started the year low (around $3.45 USD), but exploded starting in February. The combination of the war in Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz alongside aggressive Ukrainian drone strikesknocking out 45% of Russia's refinery capacity forced prices to an all-time record high of $6.53 USD this month.

This today

The Group of Seven nations agreed to a "substantial release" of diesel stocks to combat rising fuel prices.

The Trump administration has been pressuring Europe to release diesel stocks as an alternative to the U.S. imposing an export ban.

The G7 members are France, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Union also participates.

Subject: G7 to release diesel stocks as wars in Europe, Middle East hit supplies


link

Lastly, our state Congress and the governor signed a 90 day moratorium on state gas and diesel Taxes supposedly to start today.

Not all stations have done it yet… wonder why? 😏

But that drops roughly 47 cents off a gallon of diesel.

Only 3 red states have removed all state gas taxes. Why?

Only three states have completely suspended their total state gasoline tax (or its major equivalent) within the last six months. [1, 2]
While roughly one-third of U.S. states have enacted some format of fuel tax relief to combat prices driven up by the war with Iran, most have opted for partial reductions, delaying planned tax increases, or waiving rules on agricultural diesel rather than wiping out the entire gasoline tax. [1, 2]
The states that have full suspensions active or enacted within the last six months include:

Ohio: Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation suspending the state's entire 38.5-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax (alongside the 47-cent diesel tax) for 90 days, taking full effect on Sunday, October 4, 2026.

Georgia: Gov. Brian Kemp enacted a 30-day emergency suspension of the state's 33.3-cent gasoline tax. This follows a previous multi-month total suspension the state utilized during the spring.

Indiana: Gov. Mike Braun extended the state's total fuel tax holiday through November 4, 2026. Drivers have been benefiting from a full suspension of the state's 7% gasoline sales tax and its excise tax, saving roughly 61 cents per gallon at the pump. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Don't know why credit should be given to someone who started the war that caused the strait to be closed and then had to send the US navy to clean up the mess he made. Maybe he should get credit for overthrowing the regime, getting rid of the missiles, ending Iran's support of terrorism and ending Iran's nucvlear program, that was completely destoryed just months before the war started but then magically came back…oh, wait, none of these things have happened yet has it.

Grattan

Who started this war???

When???

The 1979 Turning Point
* Embassy Seizure: On November 4, 1979, Iranian revolutionaries stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. [1]
*
* Ideological Shift: The newly formed Islamic Republic established its foreign policy in direct opposition to the United States, labeling it the "Great Satan". [1, 2]
*
* Historical Grievances: Iranian motivations were partly fueled by fears of U.S. intervention, rooted in the 1953 overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh. [1, 2]
*

Proxy Conflicts and Escalation
* The 1980s: Iran utilized asymmetric warfare and backed proxy groups, leading to major attacks like the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Beirut that killed 241 U.S. service members. [1]
*
* Decades of Proxy Warfare: Over the subsequent decades, Iran and its regional networks—including groups in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen—have routinely engaged U.S. and allied forces through proxy strikes, rocket attacks, and maritime disruptions. [1, 2]
*
* Direct Tensions: The ongoing shadow war has continued through successive U.S. administrations via economic sanctions, nuclear disputes, and direct military flashpoints up to the present day. [1, 2, 3]
*

The difference between us is, I would have backed Joe or Barrack if they had attacked Iran. I believe you would have too. You only oppose this now, because of the current President.

How many American and Jewish citizens were we to allow Iran and her paid proxies to kill before actually doing something?? 50 ok? 200? 1500? Maybe 10,000? How many are just collateral damage?

It looks very much like they were going to do it again in the last week and I'm sure they are not done trying. Because that is who they are!! Radical Fundamentalist Muslim terrorists and fanatics, who follow the last imam. Men, women, children, black, white, gay, straight, whatever … they are all infidels and deserving of death!

A little high prices is a small price to pay.

I will NEVER let the hate I feel for a President, get in the way of the betterment and safety of the United States.

Trust me, I had absolutely no love or respect for Barrack nor Joe.

35th, yes

I am not sure I fully grasp what I have read… is an invaded country to blame for defending itself by any means it deems necessary in an unjust, no-holds-barred war? Doesn't the responsibility for any consequence of a war lie with the invader—the aggressor? And also with those who fail to do what is necessary to stop or punish the barbarian responsible?

Oh! we trust you!…You've made that clear since your very first post…May God have mercy on those who do not agree.

Armand

Tango

if you speak of my remark about blame on the
Z man, you just validated my exact point!

If you are not blaming him, then you should not be blaming Trump! For the exact same reasons you used to justify the Z man's actions!

I hope you understand that, as do all those who are blaming Trump and the U.S. for diesel and gas.

WE were attacked first by the barbarian hoards and for much, much, much longer.

Russia may endanger Europe, radical fundamentalist Islam endangers the world, especially with Nukes!!

My dear friend… At no point do I blame Trump regarding the fuel issue… or any local matter from his term inside his country… I'm not from the US, and honestly… like many people here… I have absolutely zero interest in the internal and domestic affairs of any country. I object to this ongoing campaign to prove which US president was the best, who did the most, who was the most useful, or who has the biggest d… in my view, that just poisons the Ultramodern forum with political topics that weren't allowed before—but which Bill now seems to enjoy. The way local politics are handled has only driven away those who used to discuss international conflicts, while at the same time relegating dissenters to the "doghouse."

Every day, I post articles about serious and genuine international conflicts, but they get ignored because the only thing that seems to matter is your president's term and how it compares to previous ones.

"…We were the ones attacked first by the barbarian hordes—and for a much, much, much longer time…"

Attacks of that nature did not exist on Ultramodern (I can attest to this as the "father" of that forum); it all began when the political actions and attitudes of this President started being promoted with evident vehemence since he won de elections… that was when the criticisms and disagreements—which have since escalated further—began.

At least… that's my personal opinion.

Armand

By the way…

"…Russia may endanger Europe, radical fundamentalist Islam endangers the world, especially with Nukes!!…"

Russia is widely seen as a major threat to global stability of the oil price due to its direct military aggression, nuclear brinkmanship, and systematic efforts to destabilize democratic nations.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin argues that Russia's actions are a response to Western threats and a push toward a multipolar world, international security analysts and global bodies point to several specific ways Russia endangers the world

Russia holds the world's largest nuclear stockpile. It frequently leverages explicit or implicit nuclear threats to intimidate NATO and deter any country who support for Ukraine.

Russia's unilateral suspension of data exchanges under the New START Treaty has significantly weakened international arms control frameworks.

According to many and serious intelligence agencies, Russia actively utilizes "shadow war" tactics across the World. This includes suspected sabotage of critical infrastructure, such as undersea cables and energy pipelines and finantila sustain for attacks in countries it considers enemies, including distorting local votes that work to its advantage

Western cyber defense agencies like CISA regularly issue warnings regarding Russian state-sponsored hacking groups targeting global energy, water, and transport systems.

Russia continuously employs Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) to inflame political divisions, spread propaganda, and influence elections within democratic societies.

A report presented to the United Nations highlighted a surge in Russia's use of targeted physical attacks, surveillance, and poisonings against critics and dissidents living in foreign countries, challenging the domestic laws and sovereignty of host nations.

And about oil prices … the Russian shadow fleet prevents severe global oil supply shocks by keeping millions of barrels flowing, which paradoxically dampens benchmark price spikes while narrowing the discount on Russian crude.
Uninsured or non-Western insured vessels transport oil priced above the $60 USD/barrel cap, stabilizing overall market liquidity. Efficient shadow operations reduce the Urals-to-Brent price discount, increasing net revenue for Moscow.
Stricter crackdowns can raise shipping friction, driving up global energy costs if non-Russian supply fails to compensate. Aging vessels (>15 years old) introduce catastrophic spill risks that externalize ecological costs onto coastal states… etc etc…

Armand

Tango my friend

Your idea of what and has taken place in Ultramodern is bluntly, wrong. Before I ever joined TMP, I read the posts. They were political, but one sided political. Those who posted the political comments went virtually unopposed. Since the majority posting agreed with each other, everyone was fat and happy. "Hey everyone agrees with us". Very much like many college campuses today.

If someone disagrees, well we run them off campus, or in one individuals case, kill him.

Now they see TMP as political because there are a few opposing views to theirs.

They ran Legion off and few others previously. I wish Legion1 would post again.

Please tell me why when individuals make disparaging remarks about the president or my country, I should let them go unopposed?

As to my post in here, they were in "response" to 4 others.

If you read my posts anymore, most are not opinion, but in white quotes from other sources.. mostly AI which returns quite a range of sources.

Lastly almost all your posts deal with the U.S. our military, policies and relationships, go back and look. Approximately 20% I find depreciating of both my president and my country and policies. I rarely comment them though.

But for someone who says he does not care about the U.S. and what we do, you seem to post an inordinate amount about us.

Ultramodern by its nature, can only be political. The only way not to be would require comments on ONLY THE military personnel, equipment, battles and the strategy and tactics ON the field.

Of course all of this is in my opinion.

As to Russia, they are your personal devil my friend, not mine. Their leader is and was wrong in his first attack under Obama and wrong with his second under Biden. But I see him more of a direct danger to Europe right now, not the U.S.

Radical Fundamentalist Islam is my personal devil. I see them as a direct danger to me, my family, my friends, our military, actually to every citizen of my country. They have proven to be since 1979. Not just Iran, but every one of them in all forms. They just tried again with the flight to Israel. Yes more of our citizens on board.

They are a danger to all.

You took that Zman remark completely out of context. You did not see the point I was making to another poster previously. Nor did I accuse you of believing Trump was responsible, but instead others here and previously deleted posts.

But again, the Z man hit Russian oil, diesel, refineries, etc, most recently which has significantly curtailed Diesel and effected prices and future's.

From: YouTube and moscow times, Reuters

Russia extended its ban on diesel exports through October 31, 2026, to protect domestic fuel supplies and control rising prices.

• Export Ban Extended: Prohibited direct fuel producers from exporting diesel, gasoil, and marine fuel.

• Domestic Priority: Kept fuel inside the country to meet high demand during the agricultural harvest season.

Causes of the Policy
• Refinery Damage: Ukrainian drone strikes damaged multiple major Russian oil processing facilities.
• Supply Shortages: Output drops led to tight fuel availability within various domestic regions.

Dear D… thanks for your comments to my thread…

Ultramodern has been around since 2012, and I don't recall any criticism regarding the *political* management of any U.S. President… apparently, that sort of thing only started around 2017–2021, based on the criticisms you claim to have noticed. If there were any before that, they completely flew under my radar. Ultramodern had a different spirit back then. Now, however—with this new term—it is true that the measures and actions taken by your President are sparking commentary, but that discussion needs to stick to geopolitical matters that might affect other countries.

I want you to understand that arguing at length and heatedly about fuel price hikes in Utah, the impact of ICE on the Latino population, fluctuations in unemployment, or the character of the Mayor of New York is a purely local political issue… it has nothing to do with international affairs.

The worst part (IMHO) is the constant dwelling on and harping about what previous Presidents did in these areas.

I don't understand why you say people who disagreed with your political views were driven away from here… Bill is the only one who could do that, and I don't recall that happening… perhaps you could give me an example? I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

As I recall, Legion was suspended several times back when he started on Ultramodern… I remember him complaining about it while continuing to post on other forums… until Bill authorized his return.
I have no idea why he has disappeared… I hope he is in good health. But he doesn't strike me as the type of person to be intimidated on a forum into stopping the expression of his ideas.

Regarding the criticisms others level at your President, I have nothing to say… except that if they are of a local political nature, I reject them, just as I do with the matters I detailed earlier.

Naturally, my threads relate to White House decisions within the international context—never local politics. Clearly, if there were a lackluster administration with no stance regarding the rest of the world, I certainly wouldn't mention it.

Russia isn't my personal devil; it is the devil of the entire free world—as are China, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, North Korea, etc. Of course, for the past four years, they have been slaughtering a country they chose to invade and occupy, just as they have done so many times throughout their bloody history. If North Korea were to decide tomorrow to move against its southern brethren once again, rest assured I would apply the same tenacity in exposing them.

I'd like you to put yourself in the shoes of "Z-man"—as you call him—for a moment… wouldn't you try to do everything possible against the Russians? Or would you let them set you and your entire country on fire, worrying about what international markets might say if you put up a fight?

There has been much discussion here about the aid the US provides—or doesn't provide, or *could* provide—to Ukraine. That is where our views diverge most sharply, because your President calls a bloody murderer of Hitler's ilk a "friend" and pats him on the back, all while "putting the squeeze" on Z-man on TV.

I cannot respect people like that.

Armand

Armand

Legion1 specifically stopped posting because he had, had enough of the constant barrage of negativity being returned at him by some here. He specifically said he had, had enough. He also went from a supporting member to a basic.

This was all within the last 2 months.

I did not start the politics in this thread. There at least 9 or 10 posts deleted by Bill because someone complained. I did not start the diesel or gas.

I responded TO them.

I have refrained from stating a new post about the withdrawal from Iraq (I believe you posted a comment elsewhere in another thread about it.).

Mine was to comment on how "well" a withdrawal could take place, when an administration did NOT use it as a political hammer. Took their time, organized it and notified their allies. A withdrawal that was committed to by a previous administration I will add, not this one. Did the President get on media sources and claim he was "forced into it"? No. Did we lose soldiers in a disorganized rout? No. Did we leave billions of equipment lying around that we did not intend to? No.

FYI that was our second withdrawal for Iraq.

Why did we return? ISUS
What is ISUS? A Radical Fundamentalist Islamic group. Funny how they keep coming back.

By the way, was your post about the withdrawal made in a "positive" way? Nothing about how the US is making a mistake and it being a danger?

If the U.S. is forced to go back again, we will. We did this time.

Radical Fundamentalist Islam conquered a large chunk of the world, starting in 600. Many of those views still exist in many areas, including Iran. Russia "may" pose a threat to others, other than the Ukraine. Radical fundamentalist Islam "does" pose a threat and has for much longer than Russia.

It is personal for me, as they caused a death very close to me. So yes, they are my personal devil.

Please though, when you see the post of those disparaging the current president or the U.S., tell them the same things you have told me. It would save myself and a few others responses.

But until that stops, I and those few, will continue to respond in kind.

Just like you have with the Falklands. Why? It's our rice bowl.

Russia isn't my personal devil; it is the devil of the entire free world—as are China, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, North Korea, etc.

Why no mention of radical fundamentalist Islam in this group?

How many of those above compare to this in the last 60 years. (I believe this is very understated).

Fondapol and Facebook

Islamist terrorist attacks alone have directly caused at least 250,000 deaths since 1979, with total direct and indirect casualties—including wounded and casualties from broader insurgencies and civil wars—reaching well into the hundreds of thousands or millions.

One last Armand

Trump calls darn near everyone a "friend", until their not. Again it is a negotiation ploy of his. Like it or dislike it, it is his methodology.

The list is long.

Macron, Johnson, Orban, Netanyahu, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Shinzo Abe, Narendra Modi, Xi, Kim and on and on.

He#l Elon Muck is a friend, then not a friend, then a friend, then not a friend.

If You you take "friend" as an indicator of anything, you are falling for the media manipulation methodologies.

Well he insist that my President is his friend… I hope so he do not change his mind about him… (smile).

I was not aware about Legion… he would be missed by me.

I never support anyting about Iran, Isis and same… I post a lot of threads against them… they bomb us in Buenos Aires … twice!…they are the worst of the worst… at leas the Russians TRIED to give a conventional battle… but take into account they menace also by other ways the free world…

Armand

Hence why i so despise them
And Iran especially. Also why I have wanted this campaign since the hostage taking of 79.

I hope Legion sees these and returns.

But he could be frozen 🥶 in Northern Ohio since our browns have won 3 games in a row, Hell is freezing over.

Case in point.

The EVIL NEVER ENDS

Subject: Al Qaeda calls for more attacks on US and Israeli flights after horror FlyDubai 'hijack' – AOL


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