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Some of us believe that expensive gas and unstable markets are worth it to move the pieces on the board for the inevitable war with China. Apparently some of the Trump admin, including Trump himself, agrees. I'll judge the effort once it's done, or at least a few months in, but if it works, then yeah, easily worth it. Seriously though, noble deaths? Who's the child now? We all signed up to die for causes that were too big for us to understand as 18 years olds. Now you should know better.

Huh? 140Million barrels of Iranian oil are stranded at sea. the sanctions are to bring that oil to market. It is useless to engage the trolls, there is no discussion because they are single minded in their hate. Most of us have repeatedly said we don't like many things trump but he has done good things...no one is perfect, most certainly not our politicians. I saw what was in my opinion both good and bad with Biden/Obama/Bush/Clinton and was intellectually honest to admit those things. As most on this forum are in or were in the profession of arms it is stunning to find zero value in degrading and hopefully removing the single biggest purveyor of death and instability in the Middle East. The number of American lives lost or changed forever thanks to Iran should never be forgotten. If there is some short-term pain at the pump/economy to perhaps stabilize the Middle East and remove the biggest exporters of terror in the world, then I most certainly approve. Time will tell but at this point trying something different appears to be better than doing the same old thing like flying $1.6 billion in cash to Iran.

Oil pissing contest aside, Iran has brought death, destruction, and/or destabilization to most of the world for many decades. They are, and have been, wildly dangerous for a long time. It’s a failure that nothing with teeth behind it had been done about it decades ago. So while execution is never perfect, and there are valid critiques, it’s asinine to act like the status quo (or similar version) was doing just fine. War is ugly and unwanted, but it will continue to be necessary and unavoidable for the rest of human existence on this planet.

The U.S. restricts Iranian oil sales primarily through heavy financial and shipping sanctions, targeting foreign banks, shipping companies, and refiners that buy from Iran to cripple its economy. These measures, often utilizing secondary sanctions, essentially cut Iran off from the global financial system and tanker services, though occasional temporary waivers (like the 2026 30-day waivers for stranded oil) are used for global price stabilization. Secondary Sanctions: The U.S. threatens to penalize third-party countries and companies—notably in China—that purchase Iranian oil or petroleum products. Banking Restrictions: Sanctions prevent Iran from accessing international financial systems, making it difficult to process payments for oil sales, often forcing the use of illicit networks. Shipping & Tanker Bans: The U.S. targets the national tanker company of Iran (NITC) and forces shipping insurance providers (like the International Group of P&I Clubs) to deny coverage for vessels carrying Iranian oil. Maximum Pressure Campaign: Sanctions target Iran's petrochemical and energy sectors directly, focusing on closing off all avenues for revenue.