I’ve been banned from the UK. I tried to get on a flight to London to attend SXSW London and give a speech at Oxford. I’ve been banned for criticizing Israel. Are we free anymore? This is oppression of Western citizens by our own governments on behalf of a different country!
I suspect the real reason for Singapore's opposition to a toll on Hormuz is not some high-minded devotion to international law, but because if it's set as a precedent and a toll were to exist on the Strait of Malacca, it would basically kill their current business model.
See, geographically speaking, Malacca runs primarily between Malaysia and Indonesia - Singapore only controls a small stretch at the southeastern exit. Yet currently they capture most of the strait's commercial value through port services, bunkering, and transshipment: it's basically like them having the best "service station" on the world's most popular free highway.
What the Hormuz precedent - if established - is all about is the revenge of geography: power given back to the countries that own the road, as opposed to those with the best rest-stop.
Fantastic news for Malaysia and Indonesia (which is partly why you're seeing key Malaysian political figures, like Nurul Izzah Anwar, issue a highly unusual rebuke of Singapore over Balakrishnan’s remarks: https://t.co/Ca8Mf2SRYJ), but a big threat to a city-state whose entire economy is built on being the best service provider on what's largely someone else's waterway.
The main difference between the Iranian and American negotiation teams is not academic degrees or IQ; it is the fact that the Iranian negotiation team works for Iran, and the American negotiation team works for Israel
@Ru173418052 Agree with the sentiment great loss, but it’s a bit rich when you support the idiot running the country of your other passport starting silly wars. Or is it the warring trait you admire not the competence.
Israel is explicitly warning Christian and Druze residents in southern Lebanon not to hide Muslim residents among them as their forces advance.
Not a peep from Sheryl Sandberg.
President Donald Trump says he has “destroyed 100% of Iran’s Military capabilities.
The 0% that remains is playing havoc with the global economy.
-The Economist
@LauraLoomer Pakistan already has nukes and until the Brits split India different people coexisted, just like in Palestine. You know this but just like to spread lies. I simply said the quiet part out loud.
BREAKING: The Israeli military says it is dropping charges against five soldiers who were accused of sexually abusing a Palestinian detainee. https://t.co/bGpXfGwEev