President Donald Trump has claimed victory in the war in Iran even before the conflict is over. But despite killing the country’s leader and seriously degrading its military, there is an argument being made that the Islamic Republic has emerged all the stronger for having simply survived. Indeed, a phrase that has repeatedly cropped up as the U.S. has sunk more and more military hardware and credibility into Operation Epic Fury is “Pyrrhic victory.”
oil prices
At Least One in Three 1 in 3 Households Struggle to Pay Energy Bills
Americans’ concerns about being able to afford electricity and home heating fuel are elevated since the beginning of the Iran war. But newly released nationwide data shows that even before the war began, these concerns were widespread, long-standing and getting worse faster than the data can reflect.
Oil Reserves Last for Weeks. Solar Panels Last Decades.
Rising Middle East tensions highlight the extreme vulnerability of global fossil fuel markets. Cheap renewable technologies provide a permanent solution for energy independence and national security. Transitioning to all-electric systems offers decades of stability compared to volatile fuel prices. Electrification ensures resilience by replacing imported petroleum with reliable domestic solar and wind power.
Overconfidence Is How Wars Are Lost
The United States entered the conflict with Iran suffering from extreme overconfidence fueled by the appearances of a swift victory in Venezuela. Trump dismissed risks to oil markets and ignored asymmetric lessons from the war in Ukraine. Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz using inexpensive drones to target global shipping insurance. The strategic failure echoes past mistakes in Vietnam and Afghanistan where material superiority failed against resilient adversaries.
Low Gas Prices Are Great For You and Me. For World Security? Not So Much.
Banditry, corruption and tyranny from Saudi Arabia to Iraq to Russia depends on high oil prices. As prices fall, the bandits in charge will quarrel more among themselves – and with their neighbors.
Malaise from Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama: Recalling the “Crisis of Confidence” Speech
Jimmy Carter’s malaise speech is revisited in the more positive context in which it was initially received, when the nation faced an energy and self-confidence crisis. Barack Obama is not in Carter territory yet.