I was just interviewed by @beverleyturner on GB 🇬🇧 News about the 2,500 Marines being deployed and asked if President Trump’s post below 🟰 escalation. As I said, Iran’s regime is irrational. A regime that massacres 35K of its own people is a regime that wants the world to burn. If they’re willing to butcher their own people, they won’t hesitate to plunge the world into a global energy crisis. If oil reaches and stays above $150 for a prolonged period, we enter a global recession. Higher oil and natural gas prices impact EVERYTHING. As I said, almost every product we touch comes off a plane, ship or truck. Gas per gallon is already $1 higher in a matter of weeks. 70% of GDP is consumer spending. But people stop spending discretionary 💰 (travel, dining out) to spend on non-discretionary items (⛽️, electricity, groceries). Drawing red lines around Qatar’s oil just might be telling Iran where to aim. If they do, does Trump follow through on his threat? Because the destruction of Iran’s South Pars gas field would be the most significant energy shock in modern history. The combined South Pars (Iran)/North Field (Qatar) holds nearly 10% of the world's proven natural gas. Total destruction would permanently remove a massive portion of the Earth’s recoverable energy. Considering Qatar provides 20% of the world’s LNG, we would immediately see an LNG price explosion. Think about this: if South Pars is leveled, Iran has zero incentive to leave Qatar’s infrastructure standing. If they successfully strike Qatar's terminal, the world loses 100+ billion cubic meters (bcm) of export capacity overnight - which equals roughly one-quarter of all the LNG traded in the entire world. If that disappears instantly, we would experience Hunger Games for Energy. Countries like Japan, South Korea, and Germany - who rely on imported gas to keep the lights on - will pay any price to get what’s left. Rich countries outbid poorer countries. Places like Pakistan or Vietnam could go completely dark because they simply cannot afford the new price of fuel. If you use a gas furnace, your monthly bill could triple instantly. Most modern power plants burn natural gas to make electricity. Natural gas isn't just for heat - it’s a raw material for almost everything. Most fertilizer is made using natural gas. No gas = expensive fertilizer = skyrocketing food prices. Steel, glass, and plastic factories require massive amounts of gas. The cost of a car, a smartphone, or a soda bottle would rise because the energy to make them became a luxury. In many parts of the world, governments would have to choose who gets power. They might shut down heavy factories (causing mass layoffs) just to make sure hospitals and homes have enough heat to keep people from freezing in the winter. And let’s be honest: as bad as the physical loss of gas would be - the panic would be worse. Good luck finding 🧻 at the store. Why would Trump threaten to destroy South Pars? Because it’s the heart of Iran. It provides 80% of their domestic gas and fuels almost 90% of their electricity. Without it, Iran’s power grid collapses. This would stop all industrial production, heating, and water desalination, likely leading to unprecedented civil unrest in Iran and a massive humanitarian crisis. It might lead to regime change but at what cost? With 2,500 Marines on their way to the region and talks of troops on the ground (for possibly securing enriched uranium or seizing Kharg Island), we’re at a moment of real possible escalation. Let’s hope Iran doesn’t target Qatar as President Trump warned. Otherwise, the President could be faced with a decision of total destruction of Iran’s oil infrastructure which will take decades to rebuild and cause a global energy and humanitarian crisis OR sending in the Marines to seize the island. I know what a few Marines can do. 2,500 Marines may be able to take it, but it’ll require more than that to hold it. Then what? 🤷‍♂️ God bless our troops.(John E Deaton)