With no clear objective and mounting economic and political costs, the case for ending the Iran war is becoming overwhelming.

Common sense and the lessons of history tell us that a country should not start a war without a clear objective and a strategy for winning that war. But it would seem from the available evidence that Trump had neither when America joined with Israel in attacking Iran on 28 February.

Trump’s excuse could be that Israel effectively forced Trump’s hand. According to Marco Rubio, Trump’s Secretary of State, America only acted after learning that Israel planned to strike Iran – a move that Rubio said threatened to put American bases at risk. True to form, however, Trump has denied this explanation, although many Americans believe it.

In any event, the war is now in its third week, and we are still waiting to be told exactly what America’s objective is in continuing to strike Iran. Further, without knowing that objective we cannot tell with any certainty how and when it might be achieved and the war could be brought to an end.

The reality is, however, that the cost of the war is mounting. First, there are the deaths and destruction in the Middle East. But closer to home, the impact of Iran’s blocking oil shipments is already significant and could increase much more over time.

Two weeks after the war started the price of oil was roughly US$100 a barrel compared with US$73 the day before the war began on 27 February. But oil prices peaked at US$120 on 9 March, and analysts are predicting that oil prices could reach $150 or even $200 a barrel if oil supplies from the Gulf are still missing by the end of this month.

These oil price increases will have an immediate impact on inflation and the cost of living, but with time shortages of oil will damage........

© Pearls and Irritations