On: Iran strikes tankers under US escort in Hormuz strait as Trump gathers cabinet...

“Escort.” That’s the word they’re using now. Like we’re chaperoning these tankers to a high school dance instead of floating them through a warzone we helped turn into one. Used to be “naval protection.” Before that, “convoy.” Before that, “gunboat diplomacy.” The activity hasn’t changed - just the syllables.

And “soaring” energy prices. Not “gouging.” Not “profiteering.” Certainly not “the predictable consequence of sending billion-dollar hardware to guard billion-dollar cargo through a strait we’ve spent decades making sure stays unstable.” No, it’s “soaring,” like an eagle. Majestic. Natural. Nothing to do with the men in boardrooms who’ve already priced in the next escalation.

Trump’s “gathering his cabinet.” That’s the other phrase. Not “assembling the war room.” Not “dusting off the playbook.” And definitely not “rehearsing the same script they used last time, right down to the ‘unprovoked aggression’ monologue.”

The strait hasn’t moved. The oil hasn’t changed. The only thing that’s new is the number of zeros on the invoices - and the number of words it takes to avoid saying who’s counting them.