Tag Archives: Red Sea

The start of isolation

That is at times a signal, at times a revelation and at times mere common sense. Arab News (at https://www.arabnews.com/node/2652675) is giving us ‘GCC declares full support for Saudi measures to protect its sovereignty’ which is nice to hear. I got there over a year ago, as such it is nice to see others are following my charge (my illusional moment). You see, Arab News is giving us “The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi on Wednesday declared the Gulf states full support for all measures the Kingdom takes to protect its security and sovereignty. The secretary-general affirmed the Gulf states support for the Saudi measures and stressed the bloc’s condemnation to the drone attacks targeting the Kingdom’s oil facilities.” I myself was on that page on the 15th of September 2019 after the Abqaiq–Khurais attack. Iran was responsible, they might have played the ‘were innocent’ card and let Houthi terrorist make the claim, but the drones were too successful and the Houthi terrorists lacked the ability to be that effective. As such the IRGC was pointed to as the only viable suspect. As such it was nice for the GCC to finally see the need for Saudi Arabia be given the ‘all clear’ and that is the start of isolation for Iran. So whilst we get “Bahrain also affirmed its support for Saudi Arabia, saying the kingdom has all the right “to respond to any aggression and deter aggressors.” 

The remarks came after Saudi Arabia carried out precision strikes early Wednesday targeting Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. The Saudi step came in line with the Kingdom’s right to self-defense, the kingdom’s defense ministry said.” So whilst we see that the member states are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, I have no idea how Oman is seeing this, but that might be the only remaining ‘fan’ Iran has left. The setting at present is that Oman has a partnership defined by active neutrality, geographic interdependence on the Strait of Hormuz, and a long history of diplomatic mediation. But as far as I see it, that is likely the only GCC fan it has left. On the upside, it is always good to have one ‘impartial’ setting in any case (should Iran actually resort to active diplomacy), but the setting is that Iran has no allies left beside the terrorist parties it fueled through decades of weapon sales, sold (as I personally see it) for $0, for jobs achieved and now they have only that left, but in all this. These parties were given that their setting would be active hostilities to Israel. The idea that they might face the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with additional attacks by the United States armed forces was something they did not expect. They were always ready for US forces in combination of Israeli forces. But the setting of Saudi forces, or better stated angry Saudi forces is a setting they were not ready for and a Saudi Arabia, that needs it safety guaranteed will resort to measures that they are not ready for. 

And that is the step that will be isolating Iran, in ways they were not ready. They made a bet that they were safe with the setting of asymmetric warfare and this is now coming to an end. Saudi Arabia is now getting the support of the entire GCC, as such Houthi terrorists will be scrambling for any hideout they can, because there won’t be any support from Iran coming their way any day soon. Iran is now in deep waters. They were hoping to get away with it a little longer, but the GCC support towards Saudi Arabia ends that train of thought. Even as we are getting ‘Houthi To Impose Toll Fees in Bab El Mandeb Strait’, I reckon that Saudi Arabia will be enforcing of zero tolerance on the toll setting by Houthi terrorists, so whilst we are given “Yemen gov’t says Houthis planning to impose fees for Red Sea transit, A minister in Yemen’s internationally recognised government on gave Wednesday” from several sources, most media sources ‘state’ that Houthis are considering this, like they had anything to say about this. As the strait of Hormuz didn’t pan out for Iran, they got their lackey to try this for the Suez role and in this setting it is likely that Egypt might give some kind of military support to keep its Suez revenue safe. And when Saudi Arabia has dealt with the Houthi threat, Iran will become the loneliest bully in history. 

Just a thought to consider in all this. But as I see it, the proclamation (can I call it that?) that the GCC stands with Saudi Arabia is a welcome setting in all this and as I see it, it will bind the hands of Iran and its terrorist allies. So, at present I am going with the phrase better late then never. 

So, have a good day and lets see what happens tomorrow, it beats reporting on the failure that Optus in Australia has become. 

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As the world grows smaller

That is at times the setting, not because we are shrinking, but people leap with larger bounds, seek more distant settings and as distant settings become more and more reachable we seem to be shrinking. For the world this also means that other means become available. And here The United Arab Emirates take a leap, more specifically the ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) seeks to deliver LNG, more even better stated more LNG to the world as we are handed that “Abu Dhabi National Oil Co.’s shipping arm is evaluating the purchase of liquefied natural gas tankers as the state producer accelerates its push into global gas trading. Adnoc Logistics & Services may order four to six vessels to support the group’s expanding international business, Chief Executive Officer Abdulkareem Al Masabi said in an interview Wednesday. The order would come in addition to 14 LNG carriers already contracted to serve export projects in the United Arab Emirates.” this comes with the added setting of “Some of the new tankers could be ordered this year if a decision is taken to buy them, Al Masabi said without disclosing the potential cost. The company said Thursday that it continues to monitor developments in the global LNG market, but no orders for additional LNG vessels have been decided. Expanding the fleet would give Adnoc greater flexibility to market cargoes internationally rather than relying solely on long-term contracts.” Come to think of it, I wrote ‘Sinking a dilemma’ on February 1st 2026 (at https://lawlordtobe.com/2026/02/01/sinking-a-dilemma/) seems like a nice coincidence, because that tunnel might avoid several pressures. And as we are given “Al Masabi also said tensions in the Red Sea have “calmed down,” though the route remains sensitive after months of attacks by Iranian-linked Houthi forces prompted many shipping companies to avoid the area. Some operators have recently resumed or increased voyages through the corridor.” This doesn’t cover the pressures there were, but it is related. If there are more options, more and more countries will hammer the Houthi forces with drones (and optionally actual aircrafts) to keep the Houthi population down (preferable close to zero). But these forces rely on Iranian support and at present Iran is walking a fine line. I personally am still open to the destruction of their oil reserves as an empty coffer wouldn’t allow them to buy any DLE-170 170CC Twin Two-stroke part, as such the problem also goes away. Yes, I know it is a figment of my imagination, but the idea that the Iranian Credit Card is no longer allowed to be used to buy any weapons is a nice dream to have. And as we are also given “Adnoc L&S is adding vessels to handle rising domestic export capacity. The company will take delivery of two LNG carriers this year — adding to four already received — to transport gas from Abu Dhabi’s existing export terminal at Das Island. A further eight ships will serve the Ruwais LNG terminal under construction on the Gulf coast, which is scheduled for completion in 2028.” As such (as I see it) Emirati export is going nicely in an upward setting. 

But personally (which might rely on flawed logic) there is every chance that people working in the oil and gas industry might also find employment there. It comes with all kinds of settings (not all seen as positive) as you might find yourself doing a tour on Das Island which is around 173.4 KM away from the party centres of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but I reckon that its airport makes that trip in under an hour (call for specifics +97126063622). And that is the symbiosis you would want, work hard all day and twice a week (or a weekend) splash it around in either two places. But I might be oversimplifying the problem. 

What does matter that ADNOC has a growing availability of something almost the entire world needs and that makes it a sellers market. So get your orders of LNG in quick, once the contracts are signed the abundance goes away for you.

Have a great day, time for me to seek out the coolness of ice coffee and take a small walk.

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A 28 month delay

Yes, that is how I see it and it all started by a story in the Naval News (at https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/01/red-sea-crisis-houthis-demonstrate-increased-capability-coalition-demonstrates-increased-presence/) they were not alone, but there I saw a quote that set me in motion. The quote that set it off was “The introduction of a one-way attack USV is of concern”, you see that was an incorrect statement. I made clear reference of this in ‘The Iranian play’ (at https://lawlordtobe.com/2021/08/30/the-iranian-play/) there I wrote “Yemen has no infrastructure for this, Iran is the only player willing to supply Houthi forces and that is the problem” I wrote this 28 months ago and in 28 months the Houthi forces never gained the ability to do so, they never had the option or (at that time) trained staff to do anything we saw. The west and others sat on their asses all whilst the problem evolved and ONLY now, now that the fat cats are losing margins in the red sea, NOW we see action. So how stupid was that to begin with?

Al Jazeera (at https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/10/us-uk-forces-shoot-down-21-drones-and-missiles-fired-by-houthis) gives us “No injuries or damage reported in what the US military said was the 26th attack by the Yemen-based group since November 19” as I personally see it, this is pushed by others, happy to use Houthi forces as cannon fodder, but the west remains ignorant and I personally believe it is an intentional form of ignorance. 

Who did anything to stop these drones from getting there in the first place? I can’t have been the only one seeing this 28 months ago? So who was drowning the proper investigations? Who was stopping the media from asking the right questions? Perhaps it was all for the digital dollar. I doubt it, I personally believe this was another setting towards destabilisation of the middle east. It is a personal view and I might be wrong, but ask yourself. Now we see what was clear that many months ago? Are the red sea margins that important to the west? Are margins all they care about or is all that only possible as the middle east stays destabilised? You tell me, I am honestly clueless on what the answer is. Yet when you consider how long these Houthi forces are receiving support in hardware and training all whilst the west has been unable to stop them? 

Now consider three of the least capable parties in all this CIA, MI-6 and DGSE and no one saw this? I will let you ponder all this as the news comes in. Yet consider The Guardian (at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/10/britain-warns-severe-consequences-houthi-attack-red-sea-repelled) giving us “The Houthis, once seen as a minor localised military force, say the attacks are intended to force Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza” all whilst I gave the lowdown 28 months ago and you tell me, who is doing a number of whom? 

Enjoy the moment when you are merely one day away from Friday.

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