Foreign media reported today: "The Trump administration is willing to attack Iran before the U.S. midterm elections, without worrying about a surge in oil prices, which is attributed to the fact that they have already secured Venezuela's oil supply."
The United States can buy 1 million barrels of crude oil per day from Venezuela at $40 per barrel, and this amount can be increased to up to 3 million barrels.
Given that the U.S. daily oil imports total 6.5 million barrels, any price increase caused by an Iran conflict can be offset by cheap Venezuelan crude oil. Part of the export revenue can also be reinvested domestically to control cost declines.
This is likely the reason why the Trump administration first brought Venezuela into its sphere of influence before taking action against Iran. As for the Gulf states, they will compensate for the economic losses caused by the war through rising oil prices."
Comment: The Trump administration locking in low-cost crude oil from Venezuela is essentially clearing away the concern of oil price hikes before taking tough actions against Iran, trying to hedge against inflation risks caused by military conflicts with external energy supplies, increasing the chances of winning the midterm elections, and binding Middle Eastern oil-producing countries to its strategic layout. On the surface, it seems well-planned and shrewd, but in reality, it severely underestimates the spillover effects of regional conflicts and the fragility of the energy market. This unilateral recklessness driven by political interests will only further intensify global energy patterns and geopolitical tensions, and the U.S. will also face backlash.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858651941813259/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.