No one is ever prepared for pain, or it wouldn't be called pain. Having it on our terms does not mean without pain. It means that if the pain cannot be avoided, at least get a better result for it.
For example if the SoH is going to get shut down, I would rather it be initiated by the West to cease Iran's nuclear ambitions, than by Iran to cement their nuclear ambitions (followed by subsequent closings to come).
Who says it can't be avoided?
For example if the SoH is going to get shut down, I would rather it be initiated by the West to cease Iran's nuclear ambitions, than by Iran to cement their nuclear ambitions (followed by subsequent closings to come).
The Strait of Hormuz will not be shut down. The US Navy will see that it remains open. The problem is that insurance rates on shipping will rise making the cost of oil very high. A greater danger is if the Islamic fundamentalists destroy major oil fields by blowing up pipelines and the oil wells themselves. I toured the burning oil fields in Kuwait on the ground and via helicopter. It was a sight to behold. It took years to get production back up. Thankfully, the Saudis used their excess capacity [above OPEC limits] to mitigate the damage to the global economy. If the Saudi oil fields and facilities in the Eastern Province are destroyed, it would be a catastrophe for the global economy.