It is pathetic if egoistic concern over gas prices is the thing that sours MAGA on Trump, after all the shit Trump has done.

Even if France wanted to, it would be suicidal. The US Navy is way too strong. No, it is obviously not possible.

if Trump does indeed close the strait, NATO nations may go and try to open it.

So you seriously think e.g. France will send ships to the gulf, and shoot at US ships?

as authorities

You can pick any authority you want. No reasonable person disagree on what international law says here.

Everybody benefits from the free trade system working - and that depends on international freedom of navigation law being respected. Also Trump voting Republicans, and Republican Congressmen, benefit.

In a sane world, us voters would stop Trump. In their own rational self interest.

That is the question. The current world system depends on there not being these kinds of tolls. But if Trump legitimizes them, then world trade could be fucked.

The current system has worked so well for so long, people don’t even seem to realize how much wealth it generates for everybody. And that it doesn’t need to be this way. Actually not unlike what happens in the US, if the rule of law collapses completely.

not a legally enforceable rule.

Anything is enforceable with enough bombs, if there is a will. Any previous US President, Democrat or Republican, would have enforced it no question.

Trump is President. Trump is the US right now. It is dangerous to pretend he is not.

And it is not just an aberration. Congress could remove Trump any time they wanted to. But they do not.

This specific part of international law has been almost universally observed for many decades. It actually matters.

Says who?

The most extraordinary thing here is perhaps that the US is not saying so. With Trump talking about imposing tolls. It used to be that like the #1 priority of Pax Americana was to insure international freedom of navigation.

But Trump just casually throws that out the window, I assume in an unvetted 2AM Truth Social rant (I haven’t actually checked where and when Trump said it).

This is insane. I don’t know why this hasn’t got wider news coverage.

I were not able to find a better news article, but this news article somehow failed to mention the central fact that anybody demanding tolls, whether Iran or USA or both, is unambiguously illegal under international law. It is an international strait, and there is right of navigation for ships. Legal Eagle describes why the tolls are illegal: Trump’s Illegalist War Gets Illegaler.

But does a US President even have the right to send US citizens to The Hague? I imagine not, since the US is not a signatory.

If there is no legal US framework, then sending them to The Hague against their will would presumably literally be a crime under US law. In principle, US President can’t just kidnap people.

As your article says, Ford falsely claimed it. So I can imagine it is a widespread misconception.

Yes.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/27/eddie-gallagher-trump-navy-seal-iraq

Trump has previously pardoned at least one guy convicted of warcrimes in US courts. So I assume pardons work just fine, for that purpose.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/27/eddie-gallagher-trump-navy-seal-iraq

But this is a bombshell, though? Would be the worst scandal of any other administration.

So since Anthony Fauci accepted a preemptive pardon from Biden, you believe Anthony Fauci is guilty?

(Your guilt admittance claim is untrue)

Ukraine literally has a land border with the EU, where the US has large equipment stockpiles and perfect logistics. Logistically it is likely much easier for the US to send stuff to Ukraine.

Look at Stalin after 1945, who was just as insane. Everybody near Stalin knew he was insane, and causing immense damage to the Soviet Union. And nobody did anything, because the first person to make a move would be killed by Stalin. They only got rid of Stalin by “failing” to send in a doctor when Stalin had a heart attack.

I assume that in the case of both Trump, the root of the problem is the broad support among the common people. Any Republican politician who speaks strongly against Trump will 1) receive death threats from MAGA 2) be ignored and 3) be primaried HARD.

t’s almost impossible to overlook the fact that there’s no tribal belonging here

Trump approval rating among Republicans prove you wrong. I don’t like it either.