What passes for Presidential statements these days:-

• The war will be over when I feel it. I gotta feel it in my bones.
• The genetics of the Iranians are not exactly our genetics.
• The Iranians are bad people. They shoot protesters in the head. This is an evil group of people. [Never happens in, say, Minnesota].
• Iran’s Military, and all others involved with this Terrorist Regime, would be wise to lay down their arms, and save what’s left of their country, which isn’t much!

And one from the repugnant, blood-lusting TV star, Pete Hegseth:-

• No quarter will be given to the enemy. [A violation of international humanitarian law]

Trump has bombed Kharg Island and said he will obliterate all the oil installations on it, if Iran doesn’t open the Hormuz Strait. The Iranian armed forces have vowed to respond to any attack on Iran’s energy infrastructure by targeting energy infrastructure owned by oil companies co-operating with the US in the region.

The (much dreaded) boots on the ground has come a step closer . . . Trump has sent a marine unit to open the Strait of Hormuz by force. An expeditionary unit has been sent from Japan. It is capable of carrying out special air and surface operations and has landing force capabilities but is unlikely to arrive for another 2 weeks.

Oil prices topped $119 a barrel this week but fell to $100 by yesterday. Analysts fear costs could surge to around $150, overtaking the price peak of the 2008 financial crisis.

The risk of a US recession had now risen to one in four as the energy shock will push up inflation.