That was the setting that I saw, the Wall Street Journal gave an article (that I didn’t read because it was behind a paywall) where we are given ‘A Dispute Over Opening Hormuz Drives a Wedge Into U.S.-Saudi Relations’ where we are given “Trump threatened kingdom’s supply of drone and missile interceptors when it refused access to bases and airspace for Project Freedom.” That is all I have, but I do not need more. You see, one of the oldest expressions I know if is about mending ones fences and the entire setting that Saudi Arabia gets bullied because of their inability to adhere to (what some call) an illegal war is beyond stupid. You see, Saudi Arabia could ask the Ukraine to deliver 50-150 drones, that request could also be made from China, as such Saudi Arabia has options, but at present the United States is left with less and less options. As Saudi Arabia pulls out whatever they have economically in the United States, amounts up to an estimated $490 billion, with an expanded, long-term commitment expected to scale toward $1 trillion, the united States could now lose that and be left to dry. The bully approach from President Trump is costing the United States more and more. In addition, whatever rare earth mining options Saudi Arabia has could now be awarded to Australia and the EU, costing the United States billions more. So what does a person this stupid do in the Administration of the United States? I am willing to believe that his advisers put this forward, but I reckon that this might be a lose cannon setting, as I personally see it, a stage for the current President. In addition to all this, Saudi Arabia now has an option to demand the extraction of United States troops and Saudi Arabia asking China if they are willing to replace the United States as a preferred option. This enables Iran to vacate Saudi Arabia as a target, because they are unwilling to hurt China, it would be the last mistake they ever made.
So whilst we mull over the setting that Saudi Arabia is facing with China as the up and coming preferred partner for defence, mining, construction and tourism, the chances of the United States making it with an intact budget to 2028 is getting rather small. And should President Trump now threaten Disney, Warner Brothers and Universal for whatever tourism gap comes, I have a few ideas that could spell a lot of bad news. In addition I am certain that China has its own version of entertainment in the works. Everyone is forgetting that Saudi Arabia has something that the United States desperately wants. So as we were given:
“The US government is aggressively pressuring oil and gas companies to lower prices. President Donald Trump and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have berated retailers and the Department of Justice is actively investigating accusations of price gouging. They are demanding retailers drop pump prices to target $2.50 a gallon”
And whilst it came with:
“Direct warnings by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent issued a veiled warning to big oil, independent, and international retailers to be “good actors” or face “big problems” as the administration watches their record profits”, “Department of Justice investigations into claims that oil companies are failing to lower gasoline prices in line with crude drops” and “Market friction towards demands for cheaper gasoline heavily conflicts with their “drill, baby, drill” campaign promises, because prolonged low prices will disincentivize American drillers from expanding production”
As such I will take this rare setting where I (with a lack of economic education) teach that administration a few things:
“Commodities are dependent on what is available and what is needed. As such the strait of Hormuz is a setting for over 20% of what is needed and as such prices are going through the roof. Closing it, or better stating, your enemy closing it was perhaps one of the worst ideas for the United States ever.”
Starting that attack on Iran was badly considered. I gave Saudi Arabia and the UAE defensive settings in March and I also gave a few tactical settings that could have hobbled Iranian tactics and in light of that their refineries are still pumping oil. Before I was, the art of war was and they told generals (2500 years ago) how you scuttle an enemy resources. This pentagon clearly never learned from that. This pentagon also never learned from the French resistance (aka clambake 1939-1944) and that also gave me some ideas in March. As such I became the March Hare (I just saw Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland) everyone seemingly ignored. What matters is that Saudi Arabia has a few more options at their disposal, it does not require the United States as much as the United States requires the coffers of Saudi Arabia. And Saudi Arabia can sell to China and the EU, so it has options. I reckon that should Saudi Arabia play less nice, Iran will run for the hills. And as I personally see it, Saudi Arabia has the intent and motivation to make sure that Iran sees the light for their stupidity.
And the was merely the first part. You see, Saudi Arabia is deep into construction for what they need for Vision 2030 and they cannot do it alone, so these contracts are now considering the EU and China as contributors. So what is this bully tactic costing the United States? I warned them for this in ‘When it rains, it pours’ on December 2nd 2024 (at https://lawlordtobe.com/2024/12/02/when-it-rains-it-pours-2/), I feel decently certain that there is some MoU between China and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia floating around in the Ministry of Defense (the one on the King Abdul Aziz Road) as such the entire bully setting against Saudi Arabia was short sighted and ill conceived. As the image (implying) that this threat was directed at Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud might not have been a stellar idea, but I reckon that President Trump is likely a ‘thanks you’ notice from the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping. Personally I am hoping that I still get the 0.25% commission for enhancing the chances of China selling the 20 Chengdu J-20, which comes at a total of $2,200,000,000 ($110M each), which leaves me with a shabby $5.5 million making me happy beyond believe. So I have an illusional vested interest in all this, and who doesn’t want to retire with $5,500,000?
So the United States can cry me a river, but they elected the current president, as such they dug their own grave as I see it. So you all have a great day and consider what you will lose out on in the long run. I am likely not getting that commission, but that is the cross I have to bare, or is that bear? Gee, I made another funny, must be the Tim Burton effect of Alice in Wonderland.
Lawrence van Rijn - Law Lord to be 