The Stock Market is just the flash on our economy.

the critical structural component of our economy are long term bonds.

These Treasury Bond are what permits our nation to, well, exist. or at a minimum, operate

Iran's control on the oil market attacks that foundation. Piggy is throwing stop gap measures at it=insisting the straits are open, when they aren't, prioritizing that traffic that does pass through to be crude oil and not gas or aviation fuel or critically fertilizers, strong arming Europe to tap their reserves, buying fuel from Russia (which ends up having the effect of the US funding the war against us), tapping our reserves to critical levels, contemplating an export ban

All of this is to keep the fuel price from getting out of control, because that would have massive ramifications throughout the supply chain-it all runs on oil.

But

Winter is Coming

20% increase in heating costs this winter

Great!

This problem isn't going away

And that doesn't even BEGIN to touch on the coming famine

Yes, global disruptions to fertilizer supplies stemming from the conflict in the Persian Gulf and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have raised serious warnings of acute food insecurity and potential famine risks in vulnerable regions.

Key Factors Driving the Crisis

Chokepoint Disruption: Roughly one-third to 30% of globally traded maritime fertilizer"along with essential feedstocks like sulfur and ammonia"normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Spiking Prices and Reduced Outputs: With shipping blocked or severely restricted by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, international urea and DAP (Diammonium Phosphate) prices surged sharply, forcing fertilizer plants in regions like India, Algeria, and Slovakia to cut back production.
Impact on Harvests: As farmers across Africa, Asia, and parts of South America face soaring costs or a lack of inputs for planting cycles, reduced fertilizer application is projected to drive down crop yields.

Who is Most at Risk?

Acute Hunger Numbers: The World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations (UN) warn that prolonged shortages could push 45 million or more additional people into acute hunger or starvation, compounding the total number facing severe food insecurity globally.
Import-Dependent Nations: Nations in Sub-Saharan Africa (such as Uganda, Zambia, and Malawi) and parts of South Asia that heavily rely on imported Gulf fertilizers and tight domestic budgets are the most exposed to harvest failures and soaring staple food prices.
Timeline: International agencies note that the most severe impacts on global grain harvests and food supplies are expected to crystallize through late 2026 and into 2027 as regional planting campaigns feel the full deficit of missed fertilizer inputs.

In 2024, more than 295 million people across 53 countries and territories experienced acute levels of hunger, according to the Global Report on Food Crises published via the Food and Agriculture Organization.

45 million people added to that level is about 15%

Global organizations estimate that approximately 9 million people die each year from hunger and hunger-related diseases.

That means around 1,350,000 additional deaths in 2027 are to be expected.

These deaths are pretty much unavoidable as the harvests that would feed them are already ------