The end of an empire after losing to Russia and then Iran
Analysis of how U.S. strategy against Russia and Iran is accelerating its decline, threatening the petrodollar and shifting power toward China and the Gulf states.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The end of an empire: how wars against Russia and Iran accelerate America's decline
Washington's attempt to wear Russia down in Ukraine and contain Iran in the Middle East is turning into a first-rate strategic blunder. The second blow, the confrontation with Iran, is even more serious than the first: it has eroded the trust of Europe and, above all, of the Gulf states, the pillars of the petrodollar. The question hanging in the air is whether Agenda 2030, climate change and proge policies will outlive an empire that is losing influence to revisionist powers.
The geopolitical chessboard: three moves and a defeat foretold
The football metaphor works: the U.S. lost 3-0 in the first leg —against Russia— and now needs a comeback. The 1-0 came with Venezuela, but the 2-0 with Iran looks unlikely. China, as the great rival, is waiting to deliver the final blow with Taiwan. Even if Iran falls, Beijing can exploit any opening to make it 2-1, leaving the U.S. needing two goals to draw level. The analogy reflects the fragility of American hegemony, built on debt and the petrodollar, two pillars that are creaking.
On one hand, the attempt to monopolize Middle Eastern oil under the pretext of Iran clashes with the interests of Saudi Arabia and the Emirates. On the other, the rapprochement between Russia and China, combined with the possible sale of Russian oil at discounted prices, leaves Europe and Ukraine in an untenable position. Control of the global crude oil trade is shifting toward Moscow, and with it, the power to set prices and routes.
The human factor: Trump, the chimpanzee at the wheel
The White House's handling of the plane is, to put it mildly, erratic. A sober analysis suggests the decline may have been triggered irreversibly. The parallel with Pearl Harbor is chilling: in 1941, Japan, embroiled in its war with China, was economically strangled by the U.S., which precipitated the attack. Today the pattern repeats itself: an empire using its financial power to hold back its rivals, except this time the contenders are nuclear powers capable of withstanding the blockade.
Who foots the bill?
While the strategists debate, a current of opinion holds that the real loser will be Europe, caught between sanctions on Russia, energy dependence and declining competitiveness. U.S. debt, once a safe haven, is starting to wobble as the Gulf states weigh alternatives to the dollar. The question nobody can fully answer: who is going to bankroll the debt of an empire in retreat now?
Related forum discussions
Washington's attempt to wear Russia down in Ukraine and contain Iran in the Middle East is turning into a first-rate strategic blunder. The second blow, the confrontation with Iran, is even more serious than the first: it has eroded the trust of Europe and, above all, of the Gulf states, the pillars of the petrodollar. The question hanging in the air is whether Agenda 2030, climate change and proge policies will outlive an empire that is losing influence to revisionist powers.
The geopolitical chessboard: three moves and a defeat foretold
The football metaphor works: the U.S. lost 3-0 in the first leg —against Russia— and now needs a comeback. The 1-0 came with Venezuela, but the 2-0 with Iran looks unlikely. China, as the great rival, is waiting to deliver the final blow with Taiwan. Even if Iran falls, Beijing can exploit any opening to make it 2-1, leaving the U.S. needing two goals to draw level. The analogy reflects the fragility of American hegemony, built on debt and the petrodollar, two pillars that are creaking.
On one hand, the attempt to monopolize Middle Eastern oil under the pretext of Iran clashes with the interests of Saudi Arabia and the Emirates. On the other, the rapprochement between Russia and China, combined with the possible sale of Russian oil at discounted prices, leaves Europe and Ukraine in an untenable position. Control of the global crude oil trade is shifting toward Moscow, and with it, the power to set prices and routes.
The human factor: Trump, the chimpanzee at the wheel
The White House's handling of the plane is, to put it mildly, erratic. A sober analysis suggests the decline may have been triggered irreversibly. The parallel with Pearl Harbor is chilling: in 1941, Japan, embroiled in its war with China, was economically strangled by the U.S., which precipitated the attack. Today the pattern repeats itself: an empire using its financial power to hold back its rivals, except this time the contenders are nuclear powers capable of withstanding the blockade.
Who foots the bill?
While the strategists debate, a current of opinion holds that the real loser will be Europe, caught between sanctions on Russia, energy dependence and declining competitiveness. U.S. debt, once a safe haven, is starting to wobble as the Gulf states weigh alternatives to the dollar. The question nobody can fully answer: who is going to bankroll the debt of an empire in retreat now?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (17 replies).
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