Trail Mix Host. Lapsed journalist, author & retired pundit happily promoting nothing but the truth for Social Security checks.
View all posts by craigcrawford
18 thoughts on “Cornyn: “Not Gonna Happen””
when GOPers say “pro-life” it’s spelled without an “f”
meanwhile, at the front a good idea from an admiral who knows his stuff
When I was operations officer on an Aegis guided-missile destroyer in the late 1980s, we were given a mission in the Arabian Gulf. The Iranians, amid the so-called Tanker War with Iraq, were trying to close off the vital Strait of Hormuz.
The rest of the world needed to keep oil flowing, and chose a fairly dramatic solution: escorting convoys of oil tankers, which were flagged by the US, in and out of the tight waterway. Called Operation Earnest Will, it was mostly successful, running from the hot summer of 1987 to the fall of 1988. (Admittedly, there was a great tragedy during this time, the downing of an Iranian jetliner with 290 people killed.)
Earnest Will kept the oil flowing and took away leverage from the Iranians. My cruiser, the Valley Forge, had a successful deployment, and the mission had an important impact on global geopolitics and energy supplies.
As the world faces food shortages due to the illegal blockade of Ukraine by Russia, the US and its allies should consider a similar response.
[…]
Lastly, there is the task of informing Russia of the plan and ensuring that it understands that the coalition conducting the operation will tolerate no interference — but also has no wish to enter combat with the Russian Black Sea fleet. Moscow will likely bluster, but the idea of it attacking NATO warships in international waters is low. If, against the odds, the Russians did something stupid, it would be met with a proportional use of force.
We have reached a pivotal point: Grain shipments are cut off, the Ukrainian economy is devastated, and the coming food crisis must be avoided. The democratic allies should explore an Operation Earnest Will-style approach. Simply allowing Putin to have his way on the high seas cannot continue.
The suggestion to do escorts in the Black Sea has been floated several times. I don’t understand why the NATO nations haven’t done it yet.
Jaime – my guess is NATO and EU did not want to squeeze too hard on KGB agent Puttie because he could stop all petro shipments at once. Now that summer is arriving in Europe the need for fuel from russia is lower, and EU has been shutting off the tap and finding other resources I would expect more naval actions.
On 24 April the head of the world’s largest ship manager, René Kofod-Olsen, urged Nato to provide naval escorts for commercial vessels passing through the Black Sea: “We should demand that our seafaring and marine traffic is being protected in international waters. I’m sure Nato and others have a role to play in the protection of the commercial fleet.”
The was proposed recently by Admiral James Stavridis, a former senior Nato commander, in an article for Bloomberg: “It’s worth considering an escort system for Ukrainian (and other national) merchant ships that want to go in and out of Odesa. This would be similar to the Operation Ernest Will escorts provided to merchants in the Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s… The vast Black Sea is mostly international waters. Nato warships are free to travel nearly wherever they want, including into Ukraine’s territorial waters and its 200-mile exclusive economic zone. Conceding those waters to Russia makes no sense. Instead, look for them to become the next major front in the Ukraine war.”
The issue was anticipated last summer when the UK sent HMS Defender to the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov on a freedom-of-navigation mission, which certainly annoyed the Russians, who fired warning shots. The deputy Russian foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, then insisted that next time bombs would be dropped “not only in its path, but also on target”.
Protecting commercial shipping is by no means a simple option. Escorts would need to include minesweepers. Accompanying warships can also suffer from mines. There would need to be unanimity in Nato to authorise the operation – Turkey in particular would need to sign up. Because of the Montreux treaty, it has an effective veto as it would need to authorise Nato warships moving through the Turkish straits from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea. And Turkey’s actions are not always predictable.
as to thread subject, trevor last night
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy shares details into the bipartisan gun reform conversations following the Uvalde shooting, how the once unbreakable gun lobby is now losing steam, and why the current Senate rules have restricted action.
After a devastating mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, TX, Canada announces a major gun reform bill and conservatives in the U.S. blame the violence on everything but guns.
“…spokesperson for the Texas State Teachers Association, raised concerns about whether a person conducting unannounced drills puts themselves at risk to be attacked by someone on campus who sees them as a real threat.”
“If it really does mean breaking into a school, it could be an accident waiting to happen,” he said, adding that he thought Abbott’s latest school proposals were “just another way to avoid addressing the issue of doing something about too many guns in the hands of the wrong people.”
Greg’s stupid idea of the day: fake intruders, especially while everyone is hyper-reactive from last week’s massacre.
Also, by announcing it, wouldn’t that be a good way for someone who means to do harm who is dressed up in a suit, for instance, with fake credentials in case they are stopped, to gain access?
Biden gun speech 730p tonight. Should call for assault weapons ban, and when Republicans vote it down make it a midterm issue.
‘Consequences will be dire’: Chile’s water crisis is reaching breaking point
A pier at the dried Aculeo Lake in Paine, in 2019. For decades the lake was one of the main tourist attractions of Santiago’s surroundings. Photograph: Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images
Unprecedented drought makes water a national security issue as more than half of Chile’s 19 million population lived in area with ‘severe water scarcity’ by end of 2021
Among their demands – which ranged from better pensions to healthcare reform – the slogan “it’s not drought, it’s theft” was a common refrain.
Many called for a rewrite of Chile’s 1981 water code, a relic of Gen Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship (1973-1990) which enshrines one of the most privatised water systems in the world, allowing people to buy and sell water allocations like stocks.
Chile is also the only country in the world that specifically says in its constitution that water rights are treated as private property.
Go Nancy!
Ain’ shit gonna happen with gun safety. Republicans will not give Biden or the future dead children of our country a win. Blood on their hands, nothing in their hearts and they are absolutely without souls. They better hope atheists like me are right and Christians like them are wrong about what follows death or they are fucked for eternity.
Biden: “We need to ban assault weapons”
Republicans are monsters. The Republican Party is a soulless gob.
Make gun manufacturers responsible, make gun owners responsible. Funny that Republicans yammer on about folks not taking responsibility. Oh, but they mean non-corporate entities, particularly those with more melanin. Greedy, racist, misogynistic, fascist asshats. Feel free to add your own descriptors.
An incensed Republican U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert of Tyler fought back against the accusation that his party was to blame.
“I don’t think that it’s very effective for the children to have people on the other side of the aisle come in and accuse Republicans of being complicit in murder and that we put our right to kill over others’ right to live,” he said, escalating into shouting at points during his remarks. “How dare you? You don’t think we have hearts?”
No, I don’t.
“He went on to blame Democrats for gun violence in several major cities.”
“Are you here for the murderers in Chicago? In Philadelphia and these other major cities because you’re wanting to do nationally what is being done by Democrats in those big cities?” he asked.
Of course, more needs to be done about all gun violence. However, the mass murders aren’t happening in Chicago schools.
The quote about the “invisible line that divides us,” mentioned by President Biden tonight…it’s not invisible.
Paul Begala on CNN: GOP stands for Guns Over People
when GOPers say “pro-life” it’s spelled without an “f”
meanwhile, at the front a good idea from an admiral who knows his stuff
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-05-29/russia-ukraine-war-break-putin-s-blockade-of-black-sea-wheat-ports
by james stavridis
The suggestion to do escorts in the Black Sea has been floated several times. I don’t understand why the NATO nations haven’t done it yet.
Jaime – my guess is NATO and EU did not want to squeeze too hard on KGB agent Puttie because he could stop all petro shipments at once. Now that summer is arriving in Europe the need for fuel from russia is lower, and EU has been shutting off the tap and finding other resources I would expect more naval actions.
but will Turkey be an obstacle?
excerpt from thenewstatesman: 2 weeks ago
as to thread subject, trevor last night
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy shares details into the bipartisan gun reform conversations following the Uvalde shooting, how the once unbreakable gun lobby is now losing steam, and why the current Senate rules have restricted action.
and trevor the night before
https://youtu.be/xrPC4l-psFM
After a devastating mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, TX, Canada announces a major gun reform bill and conservatives in the U.S. blame the violence on everything but guns.
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/01/texas-greg-abbott-school-security-uvalde/
“…spokesperson for the Texas State Teachers Association, raised concerns about whether a person conducting unannounced drills puts themselves at risk to be attacked by someone on campus who sees them as a real threat.”
“If it really does mean breaking into a school, it could be an accident waiting to happen,” he said, adding that he thought Abbott’s latest school proposals were “just another way to avoid addressing the issue of doing something about too many guns in the hands of the wrong people.”
Greg’s stupid idea of the day: fake intruders, especially while everyone is hyper-reactive from last week’s massacre.
Also, by announcing it, wouldn’t that be a good way for someone who means to do harm who is dressed up in a suit, for instance, with fake credentials in case they are stopped, to gain access?
Biden gun speech 730p tonight. Should call for assault weapons ban, and when Republicans vote it down make it a midterm issue.
‘Consequences will be dire’: Chile’s water crisis is reaching breaking point
A pier at the dried Aculeo Lake in Paine, in 2019. For decades the lake was one of the main tourist attractions of Santiago’s surroundings. Photograph: Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images
Unprecedented drought makes water a national security issue as more than half of Chile’s 19 million population lived in area with ‘severe water scarcity’ by end of 2021
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/01/chiles-water-crisis-megadrought-reaching-breaking-point
Among their demands – which ranged from better pensions to healthcare reform – the slogan “it’s not drought, it’s theft” was a common refrain.
Many called for a rewrite of Chile’s 1981 water code, a relic of Gen Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship (1973-1990) which enshrines one of the most privatised water systems in the world, allowing people to buy and sell water allocations like stocks.
Chile is also the only country in the world that specifically says in its constitution that water rights are treated as private property.
Go Nancy!
Ain’ shit gonna happen with gun safety. Republicans will not give Biden or the future dead children of our country a win. Blood on their hands, nothing in their hearts and they are absolutely without souls. They better hope atheists like me are right and Christians like them are wrong about what follows death or they are fucked for eternity.
Biden: “We need to ban assault weapons”
Republicans are monsters. The Republican Party is a soulless gob.
Make gun manufacturers responsible, make gun owners responsible. Funny that Republicans yammer on about folks not taking responsibility. Oh, but they mean non-corporate entities, particularly those with more melanin. Greedy, racist, misogynistic, fascist asshats. Feel free to add your own descriptors.
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/02/texas-congressional-hearing-uvalde-gun-legislation/
An incensed Republican U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert of Tyler fought back against the accusation that his party was to blame.
“I don’t think that it’s very effective for the children to have people on the other side of the aisle come in and accuse Republicans of being complicit in murder and that we put our right to kill over others’ right to live,” he said, escalating into shouting at points during his remarks. “How dare you? You don’t think we have hearts?”
No, I don’t.
“He went on to blame Democrats for gun violence in several major cities.”
“Are you here for the murderers in Chicago? In Philadelphia and these other major cities because you’re wanting to do nationally what is being done by Democrats in those big cities?” he asked.
Of course, more needs to be done about all gun violence. However, the mass murders aren’t happening in Chicago schools.
The quote about the “invisible line that divides us,” mentioned by President Biden tonight…it’s not invisible.
Paul Begala on CNN: GOP stands for Guns Over People
yay Begala wins the GOP name game!
it’s funny because it’s true
Renee, congrats. 🎉 😂
NEW THREAD