"We're conducting an illegal war against Cuba and the perpetrators of it should be considered war criminals and arrested and tried."

Under what statutes?

No one is being prevented from delivering fuel to Cuba, other than possible dark fleet ships. But Holland could poor oil into Cuba all day long. So could most countries.

They just don't seem to want to.

So Snoofy, do you think the US would sink, or even board, a Norwegian-flagged oil tanker delivering oil to Cuba?

Nevamind...I already know the answer.

"The ships' seizures came amid the Trump administration's fuel blockade on Cuba."

So your argument is that the US would attack a Russian oil tanker delivering oil to Cuba?

They didn't in the past.

And it would be a bad idea.

"Cuba is being toppled by external capitalists who can't stand a country that wont let them buy it."

Is your argument that socialism can't survive without capitalists to keep it afloat?

"The United States would put retaliatory tariffs on any country doing that, per Executive Order 14380"

OK. So seafood becomes more expensive for USans.

Norway has about $4 billion in trade each year with the US. Norway's GPD is $650 billion, and their Sovereign Wealth Fund is worth $2.5 trillion.

If they wanted to, they could push oil to Cuba all day long. What the US could potentially do in response, would be to deny them support for the military purchases they have made, such as the F-35. But I'm sure those F-35s would quickly find an out-of-market buyer, and be replaced by similar aircraft.

"Embargo and Blockade aren't really interchangeable regardless of what the critics think. Iran is under blockade, and blockade runners get hit with missiles instead of sanctions."

Yeah.

Norway could push oil into Cuba all day long and no one would do anything about it. Same with Russia. And they have.

"Are we arguing about something?"

During the Cuban Revolution, Fulgencio Batista was overthrown by the communists, who ended up being worse than Batista. He may have been bad, but Cuba at the time was one of the most developed and prosperous countries in the western hemisphere. Now, the average household income as around $277 per year. In comparison, the average yearly income in Afghanistan is around $5,700 per year.

There is no argument. Just a cautionary tale about how sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.

"Capitalism is doing a trade embargo to prove that Socialism doesn't work."

Because socialism was working prior to January 2026?

Is that what you're saying?

It's always seemed like there was a dearth of USans moving south to experience Cuban socialism. More like the exact opposite.

"What kind of regime is enforcing an oil blockade on Cuba?"

A blockade?

Like the one outside the Straits of Hormuz?

How many warships?

"You've proven time after time you haven't a clue what socialism is."

Says the person who thinks that Germany and Norway are socialist...

"They had a revolution to get rid of one fascist regime."

So did lots of countries.

The Socialist regimes that followed were even worse.

"So, in her investigation, she discovered the apparent destruction of the Bahrain Naval base, and that it could no longer be used to resupply US Naval ships."

The whole region has been largely abandoned. Bahrain is inside the Arabian gulf, which means US ships would have to transit the Straits of Hormuz to get there.

My old office in Doha has a giant hole in the side of it, courtesy of an Iranian missile.

"Trump's escapades in the ME aren't helping things but it's definitely not the only elephant in the living room."

Let's be honest with each other. Trump is the problem. He is a disaster.

"Bread ($5000) and Circuses (live-streamed executions)."

Exactly this.

It's an easy way to distract from the fact that the US can't win a war. Against Iran.

They're not even trying anymore. Just theatrics.

Russia needs another war like the US needs another war.

To be perfectly fair, the Russian performance in Ukraine has been superb when compared to the US performance in Iran.

Do we wanna talk Operation Enduring -------?

I don't know a single military soul who, time now, supports Trump. Granted, I work with CGOs and FGOs. Maybe the really junior guys and really senior guys like Trump. But at my level, he is just an embarrassment. The Iran stuff is pure theatrics.

"Whatever you say, German Trumper."

That's Oberstleutnant to you, Champ.

Led Zep, The Beatles, name any other old people music. Bluh.

Pink Floyd has stood the test of time. I think A Momentary Lapse of Reason and the Division Bell were both exceptional albums. Maybe a little too new for you old farts.

#40

I'm hoping you are drunk right now. Otherwise, you might be the most unhinged person in this group.

Meth bender, maybe?

"You see those situations to be comparable, do you?"

Yup.

Totally.

In fact, out of all of them, Babbitt was the only one killed who didn't threaten officers.

She still FAFO'd, but didn't try and run anyone over. I don't blame the cops who smoked her ass. She should have been smarter than that. I would have likely done the same if I were the cops.

"They should deport her to a maximum security prison in El Salvador."

I KNEW you were MAGA!!!

"You provide nothing but excuses for cruelty and hate."

Quite the contrary.

I want you to tell me your position. My daughter has spent about half her life in Germany. In less than 18 months, her legal status to stay in this country will expire.

What should Germany do? Expel her, which I would imagine you would view as being cruel and hateful, or grant her some sort of residency status because she has been here.

Technically, she has been in the country legally since 2019, so she does have a history of legal residency. Does that make it more or less cruel to deport her?

"You're the type who believes Renee Good and Alex Pretti deserved to be murdered."

FAFO.

Remember Ashli Babbitt?

Did she deserve to be killed?

In my mind, just another example of FAFO.

"They were in the country illegally...Said the European colonizer."

So would Germany be cruel if they deported my daughter, with her German roots, back to the US because she doesn't meet the conditions to stay in the country legally?

#28

You failed to provide a cogent answer.

Do you have a solution, or would you simply prefer to bleat.

To be fair, I don't see you capable of much more than bleating...