President Donald Trump proclaimed the Strait of Hormuz has been re-opened, but that’s not exactly how he put it.
The 79-year-old president notified Americans that Iran would begin to allow “full passage” in what he inaccurately identified as “the Strait of Iran,” the narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that has been closed to most commercial shipping traffic since Trump authorized a joint U.S.-Israel military operation.
“Now, I don’t know if it was a typo or maybe a Freudian slip,” said CNN’s John Berman. “But if you step back, the reason I’m asking it this way, because if you step back, you know, a mile here and look at this last seven weeks, there are those who suggest one of the impacts your long term might be that Iran does have now full control of that strait, that it has become the Strait of Iran. What do you think of that?”
Retired admiral James Stavridis agreed the president’s announcement was confusing, and he tried to make sense of that statement and subsequent posts Trump made explaining the current situation.
“Well, at least he didn’t say it’s the ‘Strait of Trump,’” Stavridis said, echoing an idea the president has publicly discussed. “But, let’s face it, you’re exactly right that the concern is, hey, if we allow Iran to kind of open and close the switch and decide whether it’s open or not, are we willing sovereignty over to them? That’s why I am encouraged by the second posting he made, which is that the blockade remains in effect. That’s sort of your stopper in a hand of bridge, if you will. So I think probably your point, not the most elegant language in the first post, second post, we’re still on top of this. We’re watching it, but before we get off this conversation and I know we’re just on the hour, it is good news. It is a step by Iran that could help close the big deal, the negotiation, perhaps as soon as this weekend.”
“There’s a humanitarian side to this, but there’s also a big strategic play here,” he added. “Let’s hope both sides are indicating they’ve come a little bit closer as a result of this statement.”
– YouTube youtu.be
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