Iran, proxies, rockets, war… follow the money

It’s not rocket science, it’s arithmetic.

During Obama’s 4-year presidency, Iran’s foreign exchange reserves were stratospheric at $130 bn. Iran earned, for example, $41 bn. from Oil exports in 2016. During Obama’s reign, 4,300 rockets were launched from Gaza into Israel.

During Trump’s term, as a result of the US’s severe economic sanctions levied on Iran, Iran’s reserves plummeted from $130 bn. to $12 bn. (in Trump’s words, they were broke). Iran earned only $ 9 bn. from Oil in 2020, exporting between 0.5 to 0.8 million barrels/day. During those 4 years, about 1,200 rockets were launched from Gaza into Israel.

Enter Biden – with reduced sanctions enforcement, Iran’s financial reserves have now doubled officially to about $24 Bn. (many economists claim it is even higher); their oil exports have jumped by more than double, to 1.7 – 2.2 million barrels a day. During that time, about 13,000 rockets were launched from Gaza, about 11,000 of those since October 2023.

As Iran gets richer and bolder, Hamas and PIJ became more dangerous. So do the Houthis, and the various militias that Iran trains and funds. We all know how that works, no mystery; follow the money.

On February 1^st, 2024, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said, “We’re not at war with Iran.