Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
From collapsing rivers to groundwater depletion, Iran’s water crisis is often framed as a failure of governance or infrastructure. But it reflects a broader reality: water stress is emerging wherever human demand pushes beyond ecological limits.
Carrying about 20% of the world’s traded oil and gas, the Strait of Hormuz is a critical global chokepoint. Even if it remains open, restoring full energy and material flows will take time, with ongoing consequences to global supply systems.
So, there you have it. Trump and his team have stumbled into a war they cannot win. If the war does not end soon, it will likely destroy the world economy for lack of energy supplies and plunge it into a deep, years-long depression, one from which it will be difficult to emerge.
Financial markets so far have reflected the belief that the Iran war will be over soon and that commerce will return to normal. I explain why I think this belief is unwarranted and why President Trump’s latest announcement regarding bombing Iran’s power plants is economic suicide.
Several commentators have remarked that the United States’ war on Iran carries echoes of 2008. A potential financial crash this year could actually be much worse.
Oil price manipulation is taking many forms after the closure of one of the world’s major choke points for oil transport sent oil prices higher.
A lot of nonsense is being communicated about the war with Iran.
An attack on Iran appears imminent. Here’s why I think it’s unlikely that we’ll see President Trump “TACO” this time.
The world’s cities creep closer to actual water system collapse.
Sudden drops in world oil supplies have a way of focusing the mind. I discuss the abrupt U-turn in American policy toward Venezuela and Iran in this week’s post.
No one can say for certain whether current tensions between the United States and Iran will spiral into war. But remember: When they tell you it’s not about oil (and natural gas), you can be certain that these resources are at the center of American motives. Absent these resources it would be difficult to understand the United States’ decades-long obsession with Iran.
Oil exports from the Persian Gulf have been peaking in the last 3 years 2016-2018 at around 22.3 mb/d. That was before the US sanctions on Iran were tightened in the 1st half of 2019.
