Porti & ambiente — le notizie raccolte

This week’sNews in Briefdives back into the ongoing disruption in the Middle East, as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed and oil prices continue to ripple through global supply chains. But while uncertainty persists, there are signs of shifting strategy, with CMA CGM doubling down on Red Sea transits, raising the question of whether other carriers will follow, and what that could mean for freight rates. Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Xeneta’s Peter Sand to break down the latest on ocean freight, from the risk of a renewed rate war to what improving schedule reliability really means beneath the surface. On the airfreight side,The Loadstar‘s Alex Lennane unpacks a market still under pressure. Capacity is slowly returning, but jet fuel shortages and high prices are keeping rates elevated and operations tight. We also look at flight cuts in Chicago, Kuehne + Nagel’s latest earnings, and a deep dive into Cathay Cargo and the “cruel paradox” facing the carrier amid ongoing disruption. From Suez strategy to fuel strain, this episode maps the key forces shaping freight right now. Click the link below to watch the podcast on YouTube, and subscribe so you never miss an update! https://youtu.be/n8hxd85hM68 Click here to receive an email notification every time we release a podcast.

The container shipping market may appear robust, but “much of the current strength is borrowed”, and underlying fundamentals suggest a fragile outlook, warned Braemar analyst Jonathan Roach. “Rates are firm, utilisation is tight, and sentiment is broadly constructive,” he said.“But dig a little deeper, and the picture is more complicated than the headline numbers suggest. “And he cautioned that “much of the current strength is borrowed”. A key driver of the current strength is the continued rerouting of vessels from the Red Sea and Suez Canal, which has lengthened voyages and absorbed capacity that might otherwise be excess and weigh on the market. “That is propping the market up – but it is not a permanent fix,” Mr Roach said, warning that a faster-than-expected return to normal Suez transits could trigger a sudden capacity surge, which would be “a release valve opening, and the market would feel it quickly”. The Loadstarreported earlier this week thatCMA CGMwas doubling its Suez Canaltransits as shippers were prepared to pay a premium to move cargo quicker, via the Red Sea – and Linerlytica suggested this may prompt its rivals to do the same. Mr Roach suggested that an “upside scenario” would be if disruption continued longer than expected, or if delivery schedules slipped. This way, the market would “stay tighter for longer”. And he said: “The downside is sharper.” More Suez Canal transits would release capacity back into the system, “accelerating the move into oversupply and compressing the timeline for the correction”. However, Peter Sand, chief analyst at Xeneta, toldThe Loadstar: “I think carriers eventually will get back to the Red Sea, but they are in no rush, for various reasons. “They have one sizeable disruption to handle currently, which is the Middle East, on top of all the others – Houthi rebels, Trump tariff wars, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. There will only be a full scale return once they can see that this is a safe thing to do; this is a steady thing to do; and we can reset our networks the way they were – at least through Red Sea with Suez Canal transits as we saw them back in 2023.” And Mr Roach highlighted another “genuine counterweight worth watching”. He explained: “China is moving fast. Faced with higher US tariffs, it is pivoting hard to expand its export reach – South America, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East. These are longer, more complex trade routes, and they consume more vessel capacity per unit of cargo moved.” This re-shaping of trade flows adds “real ton-mile demand to the system” and could “absorb more of the coming supply than many expect”, he added. But even so, he believes demand growth will struggle to keep pace with supply. Global trade is forecast to expand just 2% to 4% annually, while a significant amount of newbuild tonnage is due to enter service between 2026 and 2028. “2026 still looks relatively firm; disruption and inefficiency are doing the work of keeping the market tight. 2027 is where the shift begins,”said Mr Roach And by 2028, oversupply would no longer be a forecast, but “the reality”. This, in theory, means rates will come under pressure across most segments and idle tonnage builds.And he added that the exposure of oversupply was not equal across segments. While larger vessels, above 7,500 teu, will feel the turn first, “because they are the ones driving cascading into secondary markets”, vessels in the 4,000 to 7,500 teu range would be the most exposed, “squeezed from both ends” – displaced by larger ships above and pushed into feeder trades below. Feeders and regional vessels below 4,000 teu are “relatively more insulated”, supported by structural regional demand, said Mr Roach, but he warned that older tonnage in the segment would become “increasingly vulnerable as conditions deteriorate”. Inside the industry’s AI shift Complete The Loadstar’s ‘State of AI in the Supply Chain’ survey — and receive the full report and data before release. Take the 2-min survey

President Donald Trump launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran on Feb. 28, 2026, striking nuclear sites despite campaign promises to end endless wars.Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic within the first week, cutting off oil and gas shipments critical to the global economy.The conflict mirrors historical imperial declines from ancient Athens to modern Britain, where micro-military misadventures accelerated the collapse of great powers.Trump's actions have fractured his political coalition, with allies refusing to support the war and international condemnation mounting.The war's outcome threatens to accelerate U.S. global decline by destroying alliances, forfeiting world leadership and exposing eroding military power. Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic within the first week, cutting off oil and gas shipments critical to the global economy.The conflict mirrors historical imperial declines from ancient Athens to modern Britain, where micro-military misadventures accelerated the collapse of great powers.Trump's actions have fractured his political coalition, with allies refusing to support the war and international condemnation mounting.The war's outcome threatens to accelerate U.S. global decline by destroying alliances, forfeiting world leadership and exposing eroding military power. The conflict mirrors historical imperial declines from ancient Athens to modern Britain, where micro-military misadventures accelerated the collapse of great powers.Trump's actions have fractured his political coalition, with allies refusing to support the war and international condemnation mounting.The war's outcome threatens to accelerate U.S. global decline by destroying alliances, forfeiting world leadership and exposing eroding military power. Trump's actions have fractured his political coalition, with allies refusing to support the war and international condemnation mounting.The war's outcome threatens to accelerate U.S. global decline by destroying alliances, forfeiting world leadership and exposing eroding military power. The war's outcome threatens to accelerate U.S. global decline by destroying alliances, forfeiting world leadership and exposing eroding military power. From peace promises to Persian Gulf catastropheOn Feb. 28, 2026, President Donald Trump launched a war against Iran that he spent three campaigns promising to avoid. The strikes against Iranian nuclear sites, announced from the White House, marked a stunning reversal for a president who built his political identity on ending "forever wars" and removing "warmongers and America-last globalists" from power.The operation, dubbed "Epic Fury," began with devastating U.S. and Israeli bombing that killed Iran's leadership, destroyed its navy and eliminated its air defenses. Within days, Iran's leadership reversed the war's strategic balance by closing the Strait of Hormuz—the critical maritime chokepoint through which approximately 30% of global natural gas exports and significant oil shipments pass—using drone strikes against five freighters in the first week of conflict.By late March, Iran was collecting "tolls" from freighters seeking passage, cutting off energy supplies that plunged the world economy into an unprecedented crisis. Oil prices soared past $150 per barrel, gold approached $2,400 per ounce, and Western Europe faced severe energy shortages compounded by the prior destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines.Historical parallels: The pattern of imperial declineThe Iran war follows a pattern established over 2,500 years of imperial history, according to historian Alfred McCoy. When empires in decline face psychological stress from losing global dominance, their leaders often mount "micro-military" strikes to recapture lost grandeur—but these misadventures accelerate the very decline they seek to reverse.Ancient Athens launched a massive 200-ship expedition against Syracuse in 413 BC during the Peloponnesian Wars. The fleet was destroyed, survivors were captured and sold into slavery, and Athens never recovered its empire. Portugal's King Sebastian led a crusade to Morocco in 1578 that resulted in 8,000 Portuguese dead and the country's absorption into Spain for 60 years. Spain's 1920 Rif War against Berber fighters in Morocco produced 12,000 Spanish casualties and ultimately led to a fascist dictatorship. Britain's 1956 Suez Crisis saw Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser close the Suez Canal by scuttling ships loaded with rocks, ending British imperial pretensions and requiring an International Monetary Fund bailout.Trump, born to wealth and privilege, returned to office in January 2025 convinced of his unique "genius" for leadership and believing "I was saved by God to make America great again." His first year produced a series of failures: tariff initiatives against China that collapsed after Beijing cut U.S. access to rare earth minerals, and a demand for Greenland that European resistance forced him to retract.The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's asymmetric responseIran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com On Feb. 28, 2026, President Donald Trump launched a war against Iran that he spent three campaigns promising to avoid. The strikes against Iranian nuclear sites, announced from the White House, marked a stunning reversal for a president who built his political identity on ending "forever wars" and removing "warmongers and America-last globalists" from power.The operation, dubbed "Epic Fury," began with devastating U.S. and Israeli bombing that killed Iran's leadership, destroyed its navy and eliminated its air defenses. Within days, Iran's leadership reversed the war's strategic balance by closing the Strait of Hormuz—the critical maritime chokepoint through which approximately 30% of global natural gas exports and significant oil shipments pass—using drone strikes against five freighters in the first week of conflict.By late March, Iran was collecting "tolls" from freighters seeking passage, cutting off energy supplies that plunged the world economy into an unprecedented crisis. Oil prices soared past $150 per barrel, gold approached $2,400 per ounce, and Western Europe faced severe energy shortages compounded by the prior destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines.Historical parallels: The pattern of imperial declineThe Iran war follows a pattern established over 2,500 years of imperial history, according to historian Alfred McCoy. When empires in decline face psychological stress from losing global dominance, their leaders often mount "micro-military" strikes to recapture lost grandeur—but these misadventures accelerate the very decline they seek to reverse.Ancient Athens launched a massive 200-ship expedition against Syracuse in 413 BC during the Peloponnesian Wars. The fleet was destroyed, survivors were captured and sold into slavery, and Athens never recovered its empire. Portugal's King Sebastian led a crusade to Morocco in 1578 that resulted in 8,000 Portuguese dead and the country's absorption into Spain for 60 years. Spain's 1920 Rif War against Berber fighters in Morocco produced 12,000 Spanish casualties and ultimately led to a fascist dictatorship. Britain's 1956 Suez Crisis saw Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser close the Suez Canal by scuttling ships loaded with rocks, ending British imperial pretensions and requiring an International Monetary Fund bailout.Trump, born to wealth and privilege, returned to office in January 2025 convinced of his unique "genius" for leadership and believing "I was saved by God to make America great again." His first year produced a series of failures: tariff initiatives against China that collapsed after Beijing cut U.S. access to rare earth minerals, and a demand for Greenland that European resistance forced him to retract.The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's asymmetric responseIran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com The operation, dubbed "Epic Fury," began with devastating U.S. and Israeli bombing that killed Iran's leadership, destroyed its navy and eliminated its air defenses. Within days, Iran's leadership reversed the war's strategic balance by closing the Strait of Hormuz—the critical maritime chokepoint through which approximately 30% of global natural gas exports and significant oil shipments pass—using drone strikes against five freighters in the first week of conflict.By late March, Iran was collecting "tolls" from freighters seeking passage, cutting off energy supplies that plunged the world economy into an unprecedented crisis. Oil prices soared past $150 per barrel, gold approached $2,400 per ounce, and Western Europe faced severe energy shortages compounded by the prior destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines.Historical parallels: The pattern of imperial declineThe Iran war follows a pattern established over 2,500 years of imperial history, according to historian Alfred McCoy. When empires in decline face psychological stress from losing global dominance, their leaders often mount "micro-military" strikes to recapture lost grandeur—but these misadventures accelerate the very decline they seek to reverse.Ancient Athens launched a massive 200-ship expedition against Syracuse in 413 BC during the Peloponnesian Wars. The fleet was destroyed, survivors were captured and sold into slavery, and Athens never recovered its empire. Portugal's King Sebastian led a crusade to Morocco in 1578 that resulted in 8,000 Portuguese dead and the country's absorption into Spain for 60 years. Spain's 1920 Rif War against Berber fighters in Morocco produced 12,000 Spanish casualties and ultimately led to a fascist dictatorship. Britain's 1956 Suez Crisis saw Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser close the Suez Canal by scuttling ships loaded with rocks, ending British imperial pretensions and requiring an International Monetary Fund bailout.Trump, born to wealth and privilege, returned to office in January 2025 convinced of his unique "genius" for leadership and believing "I was saved by God to make America great again." His first year produced a series of failures: tariff initiatives against China that collapsed after Beijing cut U.S. access to rare earth minerals, and a demand for Greenland that European resistance forced him to retract.The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's asymmetric responseIran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com The operation, dubbed "Epic Fury," began with devastating U.S. and Israeli bombing that killed Iran's leadership, destroyed its navy and eliminated its air defenses. Within days, Iran's leadership reversed the war's strategic balance by closing the Strait of Hormuz—the critical maritime chokepoint through which approximately 30% of global natural gas exports and significant oil shipments pass—using drone strikes against five freighters in the first week of conflict.By late March, Iran was collecting "tolls" from freighters seeking passage, cutting off energy supplies that plunged the world economy into an unprecedented crisis. Oil prices soared past $150 per barrel, gold approached $2,400 per ounce, and Western Europe faced severe energy shortages compounded by the prior destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines.Historical parallels: The pattern of imperial declineThe Iran war follows a pattern established over 2,500 years of imperial history, according to historian Alfred McCoy. When empires in decline face psychological stress from losing global dominance, their leaders often mount "micro-military" strikes to recapture lost grandeur—but these misadventures accelerate the very decline they seek to reverse.Ancient Athens launched a massive 200-ship expedition against Syracuse in 413 BC during the Peloponnesian Wars. The fleet was destroyed, survivors were captured and sold into slavery, and Athens never recovered its empire. Portugal's King Sebastian led a crusade to Morocco in 1578 that resulted in 8,000 Portuguese dead and the country's absorption into Spain for 60 years. Spain's 1920 Rif War against Berber fighters in Morocco produced 12,000 Spanish casualties and ultimately led to a fascist dictatorship. Britain's 1956 Suez Crisis saw Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser close the Suez Canal by scuttling ships loaded with rocks, ending British imperial pretensions and requiring an International Monetary Fund bailout.Trump, born to wealth and privilege, returned to office in January 2025 convinced of his unique "genius" for leadership and believing "I was saved by God to make America great again." His first year produced a series of failures: tariff initiatives against China that collapsed after Beijing cut U.S. access to rare earth minerals, and a demand for Greenland that European resistance forced him to retract.The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's asymmetric responseIran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com By late March, Iran was collecting "tolls" from freighters seeking passage, cutting off energy supplies that plunged the world economy into an unprecedented crisis. Oil prices soared past $150 per barrel, gold approached $2,400 per ounce, and Western Europe faced severe energy shortages compounded by the prior destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines.Historical parallels: The pattern of imperial declineThe Iran war follows a pattern established over 2,500 years of imperial history, according to historian Alfred McCoy. When empires in decline face psychological stress from losing global dominance, their leaders often mount "micro-military" strikes to recapture lost grandeur—but these misadventures accelerate the very decline they seek to reverse.Ancient Athens launched a massive 200-ship expedition against Syracuse in 413 BC during the Peloponnesian Wars. The fleet was destroyed, survivors were captured and sold into slavery, and Athens never recovered its empire. Portugal's King Sebastian led a crusade to Morocco in 1578 that resulted in 8,000 Portuguese dead and the country's absorption into Spain for 60 years. Spain's 1920 Rif War against Berber fighters in Morocco produced 12,000 Spanish casualties and ultimately led to a fascist dictatorship. Britain's 1956 Suez Crisis saw Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser close the Suez Canal by scuttling ships loaded with rocks, ending British imperial pretensions and requiring an International Monetary Fund bailout.Trump, born to wealth and privilege, returned to office in January 2025 convinced of his unique "genius" for leadership and believing "I was saved by God to make America great again." His first year produced a series of failures: tariff initiatives against China that collapsed after Beijing cut U.S. access to rare earth minerals, and a demand for Greenland that European resistance forced him to retract.The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's asymmetric responseIran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com By late March, Iran was collecting "tolls" from freighters seeking passage, cutting off energy supplies that plunged the world economy into an unprecedented crisis. Oil prices soared past $150 per barrel, gold approached $2,400 per ounce, and Western Europe faced severe energy shortages compounded by the prior destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines.Historical parallels: The pattern of imperial declineThe Iran war follows a pattern established over 2,500 years of imperial history, according to historian Alfred McCoy. When empires in decline face psychological stress from losing global dominance, their leaders often mount "micro-military" strikes to recapture lost grandeur—but these misadventures accelerate the very decline they seek to reverse.Ancient Athens launched a massive 200-ship expedition against Syracuse in 413 BC during the Peloponnesian Wars. The fleet was destroyed, survivors were captured and sold into slavery, and Athens never recovered its empire. Portugal's King Sebastian led a crusade to Morocco in 1578 that resulted in 8,000 Portuguese dead and the country's absorption into Spain for 60 years. Spain's 1920 Rif War against Berber fighters in Morocco produced 12,000 Spanish casualties and ultimately led to a fascist dictatorship. Britain's 1956 Suez Crisis saw Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser close the Suez Canal by scuttling ships loaded with rocks, ending British imperial pretensions and requiring an International Monetary Fund bailout.Trump, born to wealth and privilege, returned to office in January 2025 convinced of his unique "genius" for leadership and believing "I was saved by God to make America great again." His first year produced a series of failures: tariff initiatives against China that collapsed after Beijing cut U.S. access to rare earth minerals, and a demand for Greenland that European resistance forced him to retract.The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's asymmetric responseIran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Historical parallels: The pattern of imperial declineThe Iran war follows a pattern established over 2,500 years of imperial history, according to historian Alfred McCoy. When empires in decline face psychological stress from losing global dominance, their leaders often mount "micro-military" strikes to recapture lost grandeur—but these misadventures accelerate the very decline they seek to reverse.Ancient Athens launched a massive 200-ship expedition against Syracuse in 413 BC during the Peloponnesian Wars. The fleet was destroyed, survivors were captured and sold into slavery, and Athens never recovered its empire. Portugal's King Sebastian led a crusade to Morocco in 1578 that resulted in 8,000 Portuguese dead and the country's absorption into Spain for 60 years. Spain's 1920 Rif War against Berber fighters in Morocco produced 12,000 Spanish casualties and ultimately led to a fascist dictatorship. Britain's 1956 Suez Crisis saw Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser close the Suez Canal by scuttling ships loaded with rocks, ending British imperial pretensions and requiring an International Monetary Fund bailout.Trump, born to wealth and privilege, returned to office in January 2025 convinced of his unique "genius" for leadership and believing "I was saved by God to make America great again." His first year produced a series of failures: tariff initiatives against China that collapsed after Beijing cut U.S. access to rare earth minerals, and a demand for Greenland that European resistance forced him to retract.The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's asymmetric responseIran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com The Iran war follows a pattern established over 2,500 years of imperial history, according to historian Alfred McCoy. When empires in decline face psychological stress from losing global dominance, their leaders often mount "micro-military" strikes to recapture lost grandeur—but these misadventures accelerate the very decline they seek to reverse.Ancient Athens launched a massive 200-ship expedition against Syracuse in 413 BC during the Peloponnesian Wars. The fleet was destroyed, survivors were captured and sold into slavery, and Athens never recovered its empire. Portugal's King Sebastian led a crusade to Morocco in 1578 that resulted in 8,000 Portuguese dead and the country's absorption into Spain for 60 years. Spain's 1920 Rif War against Berber fighters in Morocco produced 12,000 Spanish casualties and ultimately led to a fascist dictatorship. Britain's 1956 Suez Crisis saw Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser close the Suez Canal by scuttling ships loaded with rocks, ending British imperial pretensions and requiring an International Monetary Fund bailout.Trump, born to wealth and privilege, returned to office in January 2025 convinced of his unique "genius" for leadership and believing "I was saved by God to make America great again." His first year produced a series of failures: tariff initiatives against China that collapsed after Beijing cut U.S. access to rare earth minerals, and a demand for Greenland that European resistance forced him to retract.The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's asymmetric responseIran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Ancient Athens launched a massive 200-ship expedition against Syracuse in 413 BC during the Peloponnesian Wars. The fleet was destroyed, survivors were captured and sold into slavery, and Athens never recovered its empire. Portugal's King Sebastian led a crusade to Morocco in 1578 that resulted in 8,000 Portuguese dead and the country's absorption into Spain for 60 years. Spain's 1920 Rif War against Berber fighters in Morocco produced 12,000 Spanish casualties and ultimately led to a fascist dictatorship. Britain's 1956 Suez Crisis saw Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser close the Suez Canal by scuttling ships loaded with rocks, ending British imperial pretensions and requiring an International Monetary Fund bailout.Trump, born to wealth and privilege, returned to office in January 2025 convinced of his unique "genius" for leadership and believing "I was saved by God to make America great again." His first year produced a series of failures: tariff initiatives against China that collapsed after Beijing cut U.S. access to rare earth minerals, and a demand for Greenland that European resistance forced him to retract.The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's asymmetric responseIran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Ancient Athens launched a massive 200-ship expedition against Syracuse in 413 BC during the Peloponnesian Wars. The fleet was destroyed, survivors were captured and sold into slavery, and Athens never recovered its empire. Portugal's King Sebastian led a crusade to Morocco in 1578 that resulted in 8,000 Portuguese dead and the country's absorption into Spain for 60 years. Spain's 1920 Rif War against Berber fighters in Morocco produced 12,000 Spanish casualties and ultimately led to a fascist dictatorship. Britain's 1956 Suez Crisis saw Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser close the Suez Canal by scuttling ships loaded with rocks, ending British imperial pretensions and requiring an International Monetary Fund bailout.Trump, born to wealth and privilege, returned to office in January 2025 convinced of his unique "genius" for leadership and believing "I was saved by God to make America great again." His first year produced a series of failures: tariff initiatives against China that collapsed after Beijing cut U.S. access to rare earth minerals, and a demand for Greenland that European resistance forced him to retract.The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's asymmetric responseIran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Trump, born to wealth and privilege, returned to office in January 2025 convinced of his unique "genius" for leadership and believing "I was saved by God to make America great again." His first year produced a series of failures: tariff initiatives against China that collapsed after Beijing cut U.S. access to rare earth minerals, and a demand for Greenland that European resistance forced him to retract.The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's asymmetric responseIran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Trump, born to wealth and privilege, returned to office in January 2025 convinced of his unique "genius" for leadership and believing "I was saved by God to make America great again." His first year produced a series of failures: tariff initiatives against China that collapsed after Beijing cut U.S. access to rare earth minerals, and a demand for Greenland that European resistance forced him to retract.The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's asymmetric responseIran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com The Strait of Hormuz: Iran's asymmetric responseIran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Iran's strategy echoed Nasser's 1956 Suez playbook. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran demonstrated that weaker powers can absorb punishment while inflicting damage the dominant power cannot sustain.The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com The strait's closure has immediate global consequences. The United States will soon run out of military targets in Iran, but Iran's cheap drones can damage the elaborate petroleum infrastructure on the Persian Gulf's southern shore. Iran can also target the approximately 55,000 American troops stationed at bases throughout the region, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan—all within range of Iranian hypersonic missiles.The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com The economic fallout extends beyond energy prices. Global supply chains face disruption as oil and natural gas shipments halt. Russia, a major oil exporter to India and China, benefits immensely from higher prices while the United States suffers. The BRICS nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—continue amassing gold reserves and shifting away from dollar-denominated trade, accelerating the decline of dollar hegemony that Trump's policies inadvertently hasten.Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Fractured politics: Isolating AmericaThe war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com The war has opened deep divisions within Trump's political coalition. Close allies refused military support, prompting Trump to call them "cowards." International condemnation followed his threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure—actions that constitute war crimes under international law.Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Vice President J.D. Vance, who in 2016 wrote that Trump's antiwar stance reflected "what people like most about him: his complete break with the party elite," reportedly warned Trump against the conflict. The New York Times reported that Vance and cabinet members cautioned "that a war against Iran could cause regional chaos and untold numbers of casualties" and "would be seen as a betrayal by many voters who had bought into the promise of no new wars."Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Trump's own past words now stand in sharp contrast to his actions. In January 2024, he told supporters he would "turn the page forever on those foolish, stupid days of never-ending wars." During his 2019 State of the Union address, he declared, "Great nations do not fight endless wars." In October 2015, he called the Iraq War a "terrible mistake." Now he has plunged the nation into a conflict that shows no path to victory.Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Empire's final chapterThe Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com The Iran war represents the latest example of what historians call "micro-militarism"—the desperate gamble of declining empires to salvage prestige through military action, only to accelerate their collapse. Like Athens after Syracuse, Portugal after Morocco, Spain after the Rif War, and Britain after Suez, the United States now faces a future defined not by victory, but by the consequences of overreach.With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com With alliances in tatters, world leadership forfeited and the aura of military might evaporating, American global hegemony follows the trajectory of great powers past. The world now moves beyond the Pax Americana toward an uncertain new order—one shaped by a war that a president once said he would never fight.Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Sources for this article include:Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com Antiwar.comAPNews.comNYTimes.com APNews.comNYTimes.com APNews.comNYTimes.com NYTimes.com NYTimes.com This site is part of the Natural News Network © 2022 All Rights Reserved.Privacy|TermsAll content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing International, LTD. is not responsible for content written by contributing authors. The information on this site is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice of any kind. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms and thosepublished here. All trademarks, registered trademarks and servicemarks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners.