Truth Counts

The Chasm Between Sound Bites and Reality New York Times has this headline:  'Open' Strait Renews Hopes for Peace Talks but Hurdles Remain. Let me define "open" for you. smile Key Points: Iran transformed the ceasefire into a document of maritime sovereignty. What Washington rejected in negotiations, it accepted out of necessity. The Strait is no longer an international passage - but has become a permanent pressure card in Tehran's hands. Caveats: Hostile nations will not be allowed transit.  Others will pay applicable tolls. And all passage will take place through Iran's territorial waters. Hostile countries will not be allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz.  There is a new system for the Strait. Civilian ships may only cross via a route designated by Iran. Passage of warships thought the Strait is forbidden. Crossing is only allowed by authorization of the IRGC Naval Forces. This crossing is occurring within the battlefield lull period agreement after the ...

Tonight's Bedtime Stories   The Yemeni Gas Company in Aden announces the suspension of supplying vehicles operating on domestic gas at fuel stations, in implementation of directives from the local authority. The decision aims to regulate gas distribution and curb random usage, amid warnings of safety risks and the ongoing gas crisis in the city. Coupled with this news: Aden | Oil Company Announces Increase in Petroleum and Diesel Prices Starting Friday, April 17, 2026, Due to Fallout from the Gulf Crisis and Rising Global Costs The New Price: - Petroleum: 1475 riyals per liter – 29500 riyals per can (20 liters) - Diesel: 1475 riyals per liter – 29500 riyals per can (20 liters) Confirmation that the increase is temporary and contingent on the end of the crisis and the return of conditions to normal. Rumors are being released from several platforms that at noon tomorrow, initial steps will be made to close the Bab al Mandab Strait. I am not seeing the same news on some of the m...

Presidential Legacies I stumbled upon a treasure while visiting my mother yesterday;  an old copy of Life magazine - dated October 1987.  What caught my eye, was not the image of Mikhail Gorbachev.  But tucked into the upper right hand corner of the cover was a picture of American Presidents with the title, "Four Presidents on the Future of America." Words are a delicacy for me.  What proceeds from the tongue of the one individual can be assessed on the tongue of the receiver.  What is the weight attached to the morsel?  Is it salty, sweet or bitter? What is the texture, the moisture... the crunchiness of what is shared... especially if spooning a large portion into the mouth and biting down on it a bit?   And in an era of Styrofoam news, what needs to be spit out? Presidential legacies are important.  Each American President brings their own unique flavor to the administration.  And their Executive Orders, policies, treaties, and manner...

  The Back Channels As Field Marshal Asim Munir (Pakistan's COAS) entered Iranian airspace today he was escorted by Iran's fighter jets.  Once on the ground, he was greeted by Iran's Foreign Minister.  His job is to function as a sensitive channel; a means for constructing frameworks and agreements for future negotiations. The UAE has also quietly functioned as a back channel with China.  The overture to cooperate as part of a coalition of the willing against Iran was met with firm resistance. The cessation of Israel's targeting of Lebanon remains as a red line for Iranian negotiations to move forward.  Because while Syria is a vital "land bridge" for Iran's aspirations, Lebanon (and HizbAllah) are seen as pivotal geopolitical pressure points which strengthen Iran's strategic interior. Iran intends to protect their asset. There are rumors - that all U.S. troops based in Syria will soon be leaving the region.  And Iraq is quietly "in flux" see...

Worlds Largest Oil Bottlenecks  ‼️ بزرگ‌ترین گلوگاه‌های نفتی جهان ۱) تنگه مالاکا با ۲۳.۲ میلیون بشکه ۲) تنگه هرمز با ۲۰.۹ میلیون بشکه ۳) دماغه امید نیک با ۹.۱ میلیون بشکه ۴) تنگه‌های دانمارک با ۴.۹ میلیون بشکه ۵) کانال سوئز با ۴.۹ میلیون بشکه ۶) تنگه باب‌المندب با ۴.۲ میلیون بشکه ۷) تنگه‌های ترکیه با ۳.۷ میلیون بشکه ۸) کانال پاناما با ۲.۳ میلیون بشکه 🔻 میانگین عبور روزانه بر حسب میلیون بشکه در روز محاسبه شده است؛ مجموع جریان جهانی نفت حدود ۸۰ میلیون بشکه در روز است. 🔻 در نظر داشته باشید که تنگه باب‌المندب و کانال سوئز به یکدیگر وابسته هستند و در مجموع می‌توان گفت حدود ۹.۱ میلیون بشکه در روز از آن‌ها عبور می‌کند 2) Strait of Hormuz with 20.9 million barrels 3) Cape of Good Hope with 9.1 million barrels 4) Denmark Straits with 4.9 million barrels 5) Suez Canal with 4.9 million barrels 6) Bab el-Mandeb Strait with 4.2 million barrels 7) Turkish Straits with 3.7 million barrels 8) Panama Canal with 2.3 million barrels 🔻The average daily passage is calculated in million barrels per d...

North Korea, Feeling a Bit Left Out... I am taking note of a pattern (or a pitter-patter) of mico-messaging across platforms today.  No one quite seems to know what to do with themselves at this moment in time.  What seems clear is that Israel must make peace with Lebanon, and the Strait must no longer be blockaded for any conflict resolution to move forward.  The aforementioned - are the Iranian goalposts. North Korea, feeling a bit left out - makes an announcement: The ruling party in North Korea: Any unmanned aerial vehicle, whether American or South Korean, that comes from South Korean airspace and crosses the border will be considered a declaration of war, and we will launch an attack on South Korea without any warning.