LIZ SHELD’S MORNING BRIEF: Iran Shoots Down American Drone, Ready for War. “Gen. Hossein Salami, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced: ‘Shooting down the American spy drone had a clear, decisive, firm and accurate message,’ he said, translated from Farsi. ‘The message is that the guardians of the borders of Islamic Iran will decisively respond to the violation of any stranger to this land. The only solution for the enemies is to respect the territorial integrity and national interests of Iran’.”

If the drone was flying over Iranian airspace, that’s just the risk we take for keeping an eye on things. If it really was flying in international airspace, that’s (yet another) act of war against us by Tehran.

UPDATE (FROM GLENN): Just remember, before fracking we had to be able to keep the Straits of Hormuz open. Now all we have to be able to do is keep them closed. And if Iran decides to close down oil shipments from the Gulf, it’s basically an oil embargo on China.

ANOTHER UPDATE: In response to the above, a reader emails:

As of a few weeks ago, Texas is exporting natural gas…to Saudi Arabia.

And on top of that, the United States is now recognized for having the most recoverable oil in the world, 100 billion barrels more than Russia and 20 billion more than Saudi Arabia.

And add to that, China is buying more and more natural gas, and Texas is producing more and more of it, and more efficiently than ever. Iran’s actions may drive China straight into our arms to buy up more good, clean American natural gas and oil.

Well, good. And thanks, frackers!