Iranian Quagmire.
President Donald Trump has arrived at yet another fork in the road on Iran. But each time he reaches such a point, his options only become more narrow and the costs of any course of action grow.
The Trump administration explained Sunday that a pause in air strikes — now in its third night, after 13 straight nights of attacks — was meant to create space for diplomacy. But it also warned it was “locked and loaded” for another possible escalation.
There are some signs of diplomatic activity. Iran said it hosted talks with Oman at deputy foreign minister level in recent days. But there’s so far no sign the Islamic Republic will shift on its core demand, which caused the latest flare-up with the US: its insistence on controlling shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Stephen Collinson ‘CNN’
The Strait of Hormuz has never been more important. Now that Iran can use it as a chokehold on the world’s oil supply, its strategic significance is paramount. The Administration has been unable to defeat Iran as swiftly as hoped, and the war continues to drag on, sending prices for oil-dependent goods soaring. The resulting inflation is hitting Americans and people around the globe in new and unexpected ways, causing widespread hardship and threatening to upend politics as we know it.
