AT THE ABYSS

 I am enjoying the squeals of outrage as everybody tears into Pete Hegseth and of course President Trump for "failing to see that Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz and that of course the USN would have to escort every single ship in and out of the Persian Gulf because...." What makes it so deliciously funny is that not one of those ships everyone is demanding escorts from us, is ours. We don't have US flagged merchant ships racing each other to get in and out of the Persian Gulf. None. Zero. Zilch.

The countries that would be responsible for protecting their own ships are ranked as follows:

 I am certain that Panama, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Hong Kong and Singapore are all sending scores of heavily armed warships to provide escorts and security for their ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Other countries and organizations bleating about escort needs and requirements are entitled to look to their own navies for such things because it is no part of the United States duties to provide escorts for every Tom, Dick and Harry. Let them summon the mighty Royal Navy and of course the fleets or warships from the EU that are just lying around looking good and sunning themselves in the Baltic and Mediterranean.  God knows they're not doing anything else right now.

Now Europe, now you see what President Trump was on about when he told you in no uncertain terms to start providing for your own defense needs and stop counting on the United States to do all the work and bear all the expense? Now do you get it?

I think Merkel is saying, "not our problem" and Trump is disagreeing.

Where are the European navies and aircraft so eager to secure the flow of goods to Europe?