The overnight news suggests that reports of the end of fighting with Iran have been greatly exaggerated. Jon Gambrell reports at the Associated Press:
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran launched a drone assault targeting Bahrain while a ship in the Strait of Hormuz separately came under attack Saturday, in Tehran’s likely response to overnight airstrikes by the United States.
The attacks in the Persian Gulf show the danger of the Iran war again spinning out of control, even after Iran and the U.S. reached an interim deal to try and agree on a final accord to end the conflict.
The U.S. had launched airstrikes overnight in response to an Iranian drone attack on a container ship trying to leave the strait on Thursday, continuing a string of attacks that have shaken the war’s uneasy ceasefire.
Meanwhile, a multinational maritime body overseen by the U.S. Navy said Saturday that it would expand a route near Oman in the strait to allow for both inbound and outbound traffic. That likely sets up a new flashpoint with Tehran, which sees the strait as a key source of leverage in ongoing talks with the U.S.
I have opposed this war from the outset on just war grounds. Nevertheless, once a nation commits itself to war, strategic incoherence is about the worst outcome imaginable. There is an old strategic maxim that still holds true: when you set out to take Vienna, take Vienna.
What are the objectives of this war? Whatever they are, the overnight events strongly suggest they have not yet been achieved.
Well, we degraded the Iran army, which was never a threat to the US anyway. As I understand it all we have is an MOU. The longer the strait stays closed the higher we should expect oil prices to rise since reserves are now pretty depleted. That should help Iran in negotiations.
Steve
We are less than two weeks from a diesel fuel crisis here in the US. Despite Trump’s utterly delusional rants, very little oil (but no gas, fertilizer, helium, or aluminum) is leaving the Gulf, and what little does leave is permitted by Iran.
It has been obvious for many years that Iran had the world by the throat regarding oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. And it is obvious now that the US has suffered a major strategic defeat, largely due to its own hubris and recklessness.
As to us bystanders, we have a good chance of experiencing a global depression, and some people in poor countries may experience famine. The neocon/zionist/evangelical lunatics in Washington may give us a world war, too, just because they can.
Aside from that, how are the Cubbies doing? I used to listen to their games on WLS when I was at Purdue in the late ‘60’s/