Kerby Anderson

The Middle East is changing and so is the world. Israel’s war with Hamas is one reason, but a more significant reason is the Iran war. Victor Davis Hanson outlines “The Global Ripples from the Iran War.”

Whether you agree with the current military action or not, you should acknowledge that the war is changing the world as we knew it. He persuasively argues that it has shattered old alliances, checked China and Russia, and realigned the geopolitical landscape. A devastated Iran won’t be funding Hamas and Hezbollah, even if the Iran war ended tomorrow.

He reminds us that: “For more than half a century, OPEC has terrorized the industrial world with threats of oil shortages and sky-high prices.” We are now starting to see a change with the United Arab Emirates announcing that it is leaving the cartel. It is likely other countries will follow. And we are also seeing some Arab nations encouraging the US to continue bombing Iran.

Russia is effectively cut off from the Middle East with the loss of its Iranian ally. Meanwhile, Russia is trapped in a four-year quagmire in Ukraine, has a declining population, and has an economy on the brink of depression.

China has lost much of its influence over oil-rich Venezuela and will be looking for new oil producers since few oil tankers are moving through the Strait of Hormuz. The Chinese leaders may also be having second thoughts about moving against Taiwan after seeing the U.S. high-tech aerial and navel prowess.

We can have a debate about whether the Iran war was prudent. We can debate whether the costs are worth it. But we can’t deny this war has sent ripples around the world.