this post was submitted on 22 Mar 2026
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Ben Norton brings up in one of his recent videos that one of the big reasons for the war is America's absolute necessity for the dollar to be the global reserve currency, and in this case the petrodollar. Our trade deficit is so much higher than most countries that we would normally have mass inflation if it weren't for the fact that the world is required to trade in dollars. Iran and Russia have been trading oil in Yuan, currently 1/5th of all global oil is traded without US dollars. That figure is rising every year. If it reaches a point where the majority of oil isn't traded with dollars. America loses their dollar hegemony. Brings the whole American banking system crashing down (which is the apocalypse for American ruling class). So long story short they need to destroy Iran, control the strait of Hormuz and control all of the oil trading out of the middle east. Otherwise letting things just continue to function as they are will cause America to collapse.
This is a good explanation and I think there are probably some ghouls at the top who think this and want this for that reason. However, I don't think we should overestimate the people in power in their calculations. Usually it's much simpler and they'll do this kind of shit just because they huff their own farts and believe their own propaganda. "Iran Bad" is as good enough reason as any for these people as "we'll just take their oil." While it's important to analyze this stuff like that and not to infantilize our ops sometimes it just do be like that.
For sure, the dumbasses in our hollowed out state department aren't as machiavellian as they once were. They are still financed and backed by people that look at it through an economic lens. Trump and hegseth can believe whatever they want but the American capitalists backing them are going to push for war to maintain their power.