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replyI think you underestimate how little economic pressure matters when people are up against an invader who attacked amidst negotiations for bogus reasons, threatened total annihilation, and killed thousands, including a school full of children.
replyAnd, to add on, how much more it matters when a very rich population didn't sign up for this at all and has no vested interest in "winning" at cost.
replyThis is a population that absolutely despises their government. At least a very large percentage are in that category. I think you misunderstand the reality on the ground
replyIranians despise their government in about the same way that Americans despise their government - which is to say, both peoples got the government they deserve...
replyWhat happens when Chinese flagged ships dare us to shoot them?
replyDo you mean Chinese military vessels? Or do you mean oil tankers? Oil tankers don't require you to shoot you simply commandeer.
replyIf China were to involve its Navy in opening the straight that's exactly what Good outcome could look like
Or it could be Really Really Bad Outcome, let's not be too flippant about this.
replyOut of curiousity, what's your good outcome from the Chinese sending destroyers to the gulf?
If the Chinese take on the burden of maintaining the free flow of shipping through the Gulf by stepping up as one of the key beneficiaries of said shipping that would simply be an appropriate burden sharing mechanism in my view.
replyhmm .. imho .. the supply chain between Iran, Russia, and China is .. radically .. under-estimated in the equation by those states who have lost control over the worlds energy supplies.
replyIt is more like the Western nations which cannot withstand another month of all this 'posturing' .. But there is some resilience to the idea that the Iran/Russia/China corridor is going to keep those nations relatively buffered from total disaster.