Hormuz And The Setting Sun On America’s Empire.
In 1875, Britain’s route to her crown jewel, India, hung in the balance when the ruler of Egypt( the Khedive) faced financial ruin. The Suez Canal, the empire’s shortcut to the East, was up for sale, but time was short, and rivals like France were circling. The British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, sensing both danger and opportunity, moved at lightning speed. Without waiting for cabinet approval, he borrowed £4 million from the Rothschilds (the British Treasury did not have the funds), and snapped up 44% of the canal shares. When news reached Queen Victoria, she was elated- her empire’s lifeline cemented- she rewarded Disraeli with a gold medal and her personal gratitude. The Queen had 10 outstanding men who served her as Prime Minister during her long reign, but Disraeli was her favourite. In a single bold stroke, Disraeli had safeguarded Britain’s future and etched his name into imperial legend.
Eighty years later, in 1956, the Egyptian President Gamal Nasser, produced an equally bold stroke when he nationalised the Suez Canal, angering Britain and France who relied on it for oil and trade. They, with Israel, launched a secret invasion- but global pressure from President Eisenhower and the Soviet Union forced them to retreat. The Americans threatened to sell down the British pound and bankrupt Britain. Nasser emerged triumphant, the canal stayed Egyptian, and the crisis marked the symbolic end of Britain’s role as a world power and empire.
Forward 70 years, the Strait of Hormuz has become America’s Suez crisis. By boldly seizing control of the Strait, Iran has instantly become the global oil hegemon, controlling some 37% of the global oil supply(25% through the Strait of Hormuz and another 12% through the Strait of Bab Al-Menab in the Red Sea which is controlled by their Yemeni proxy, the Houthis).
Like Suez, Hormuz marks the beginning of the end of the American empire. America has discovered that it can no longer have unilateral control of global events, signalling the limits of Her dominance and power.
The Chinese and the Russians may have plotted for decades to bring down the American empire, but it took a Black Swan event- the Iran war, and the strategic brilliance of the Iranians to dismantle the edifice of the American empire and prosperity, and the petrodollar. Many centuries ago, the Persians transformed and popularised the game of chess, which had been invented in ancient India. Today, the world understands why the Persians took up the game with such enthusiasm and gusto. In this war they played chess whilst the Americans were doing stand-up comedy.
History will record that in 2026, America lost a Strait and with it Her empire.