The US blasts in: A forever war in Iran?
Also Read: Donald Trump's war dilemma: Should America put boots on the ground in Iran or not?
A triumphant Trump threatened worse if Iran didn't yield. Tehran struck back, but only at US-ally Israel; it also played down the damage of US action, which hints of its search for an off-ramp.
No reports so far have emerged of radiation leaks and it's anybody's guess how far Iran's ability to weaponize its nuclear know-how and facilities has been set back. Its resolve, though, might have hardened.
Also Read: Israel-Iran conflict: War and oil could both flare out of control
But then, uncertainty hangs no less heavily over whether the US and Israel will push for regime change. Either way, while the war has not yet spread across West Asia, direct US involvement in Israeli aggression marks a dangerous flashpoint in the hydrocarbon keg that this region is.
Also Read: Israel-Iran conflict: Echoes of history haunt West Asia
Much hinges on what 'peace" the US seeks to impose and the resistance it faces. How this pans out will complicate a fraught geopolitical puzzle. China has stayed discreet, but must be watching what this war will do to Uncle Sam's stature.
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As one Indian official summed it up, 'We are guided by what's best for Indian consumers, not what's best for Washington politics.' And that might be the line that defines this whole saga.
