Iran claims to have seized British oil tanker in strait of Hormuz

[Igel]

10. In this case, though, it's a British tanker.

The Brits recent humiliation of the Iranians was either (a) not opposing Trump to the extent that the Iranians demanded, thus not being properly obeisant; or, (b) seizing an Iranian tanker that was shipping oil to Syria in defiance of UN Security Council sanctions.

I don't think of (a) as justification, unless we should all welcome our new Iranian overlords.

I find (b) to be moderately offensive, because it means the UN really should cut Iran some slack as it supports a fellow dictator and ignores the UN.

Which of those is something progressives should get behind is a bit of a mystery to me.


However, I have to wonder if instead of some random malfunction (or possibly drunken navigator) the pilot was somehow cajoled or convinced to divert the ship or, given Iran's coziness with Putin, whether that nice GPS-jamming tech that Putin uses wasn't employed a bit more in the furtherance of anti-Western goals.


Than the Iranians are still seeking a restoration of their natural pride and dignity from what happened with the Brits 60+ years ago--something that still hurts in the lived experience of even newborns, it seems--I don't think is a valid excuse for most contemporary acts. Except to the extent that saying constantly things like "Death to _______" might eventually actually lead to violence.