The easiest way to misunderstand President Donald Trump’s confrontation with Iran is to stare only at Iran.
That is what much of the commentary has done. Israel, we are told, dragged America into another Middle Eastern war. Washington is supposedly being pulled into a regional feud that has little to do with core American interests. The Strait of Hormuz is treated as the center of the world, Iran as the central problem, and Israel as the instigator.
But step back from the board and a different picture emerges.
Iran matters. Hormuz matters. Israel’s security matters. But this is not merely about Israel and Iran. It is about the global contest between the United States and China, and about whether Washington can still control the chokepoints, energy flows and strategic corridors that determine the balance of power in the 21st century.
Start with the geography.
The Strait of Hormuz is vital, but it is not the only...
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