Project Freedom.. deserves its own thread!

Trump and Hegseth are deluded about the present state of the war they started. His speech about a red, white and blue dome over the Straits of Hormuz was ridiculous. It is the USA's gift to the world, apparently. They say they have blocked Iranian ports and Iran no longer controls these waters. Waters which belong to Iran and is a major bargaining tool for the Iranians. Trump is backed into a corner and has no idea how to extricate himself from the mess he has made and come out of it looking like the Saviour of the World.

I've just posted on the another thread about this. Trump is retreating. The Iranians are claiming a win and that Trump has played his last card.
Project Freedom was doomed from the start.
Marco Rubio has said their operation fury is now over as they have achieved their goals.
What has the US achieved? The death of many people? Alienation of allies. Condemnation from their own people and many around the world.?
The creation of many, many more terrorists? Iran is out for vengeance even if a peace deal is made.

And then tomorrow it will be some other crazy plan.

I suspect that Mr Trump is focusing on his eightieth birthday next month. There was talk of plans for a variety of victory parades to celebrate. A continuing war/ incursion/excursion in the Middle East would cast rather a blight over such events.
He might be looking for a way to retreat, but claim success.

AGAA4

I've just posted on the another thread about this. Trump is retreating. The Iranians are claiming a win and that Trump has played his last card.
Project Freedom was doomed from the start.
Marco Rubio has said their operation fury is now over as they have achieved their goals.
What has the US achieved? The death of many people? Alienation of allies. Condemnation from their own people and many around the world.?
The creation of many, many more terrorists? Iran is out for vengeance even if a peace deal is made.

Sorry didn’t realise.

I just feel we all had a discussion about how long Project Freedom would last, our conversation lasted longer! 🤣🤣🤣

It’s not funny, it’s tragic but this idiot never fails to both horrify and amuse me.

If this was a tv drama people would say it was totally ludicrous and unbelievable.

It’s not unexpected but still ridiculous. Doesn’t he realise what a fool he is making of both himself and his country?

Sarnia
Iran doesn’t own the strait. It only has legal control over its own territorial waters which applies to all countries with a coastline.

Chocolatelovinggran

I suspect that Mr Trump is focusing on his eightieth birthday next month. There was talk of plans for a variety of victory parades to celebrate. A continuing war/ incursion/excursion in the Middle East would cast rather a blight over such events.
He might be looking for a way to retreat, but claim success.

But who does he think actually believes him? He’s a ludicrous, dangerous, laughing stock yet feared across the world left wondering what his next stunt will be?

Also, there’s the little issue of the $$$$$$ he’s wasting, why oh why can’t anyone stop him!

Iran sees this as a win, the regime has gained strength rather than become weakened and will undoubtedly seek revenge on those in the population whom they will now see as having backed the US.
Many have been killed.
What an unholy mess Trump has caused with repercussions in the region that will go on for decades.

Fallingstar

Iran sees this as a win, the regime has gained strength rather than become weakened and will undoubtedly seek revenge on those in the population whom they will now see as having backed the US.
Many have been killed.
What an unholy mess Trump has caused with repercussions in the region that will go on for decades.

Indeed!

An Iranian Ambassador is heading to China. Next week, Trump will also be there.
All this winning must be exhausting for him.

Maremia

An Iranian Ambassador is heading to China. Next week, Trump will also be there.
All this winning must be exhausting for him.

Yes being the victor, the best at everything and the most important person in history must take its toll on an eighty year old.

petra

Sarnia
Iran doesn’t own the strait. It only has legal control over its own territorial waters which applies to all countries with a coastline.

Glad you said that, I was about to. The Strait of Hormuz is for any ship or boat to pass through.

petra

Sarnia
Iran doesn’t own the strait. It only has legal control over its own territorial waters which applies to all countries with a coastline.

Don't countries have sovereign rights over coastal waters under international law? E.g a 12 nautical mile zone from their land border where they have full sovereignty and a 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone for resources. Would be sufficient that cover/control the strait at current levels?

You only have to recall France and UK fighting over such rights for fishing during the Brexit negotiations.

Just googled: because the Strait of Hormuz is less than 24 miles wide it falls entirely within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman.

It’s just as Petra says, the Strait doesn’t belong to Iran.

The UN Convention of the Law of the Sea ( UNCLOS) was adopted in 1982 apparently. UNCLOS created a special legal regime for straits like Hormuz to be known as "transit passages"

So there is an architecture to enable smooth transit but the politics is more complicated. Oman ratified UNCLOS but Iran didnt. The US hasn't ratified it either.

So Iran can still lay claim to Sovereignty.

I guess the reality is it is argued that the US and Israel initial strike was not legal. Now they are having arguments about the legality of Iran controlling the strait.

Iran have never argued against it.
Under International Maritime Laws it’s for all to pass through.

Oman doesn’t claim any rights over it.

Ships and countries that have nothing to do with the war are being held up, Iran is totally in the wrong here.

International law does state that shipping is free to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran and Oman do own it however.
As international law has been breached by the Trump regime it becomes more difficult to enforce it and Iran are unlikely to give up the hold they have on it.

They will have to cut a deal with the US at some point.

Or the US will have to cut a deal with them?

Unfortunately, 'possession is nine tenths of the Law'.