Letters | Iran war: democracy, power and the US’ changing strategic limits
Readers discuss the implications of the war in Iran, the impact on Asian economies, and Hong Kong as a safe haven
Socrates warned that democracy invites demagoguery – rewarding persuasion over virtue and trading wisdom for spectacle. The American constitutional system was a genuine institutional advance, with separation of powers and independent courts meant to restrain excess, but only when respected. When institutions are ignored, those restraints collapse.
That collapse is accelerating. At the Munich Security Conference, European leaders declared the post-war order over. Canada is re-evaluating its purchase of F-35 fighter jets from the US.
In 2003, the United States deployed six carrier strike groups for the Iraq invasion; today, only two are in the region, and the USS Gerald R. Ford is facing issues. Iran, which possesses more than 3,000 ballistic missiles, has a more developed military infrastructure than Iraq had in 2003. The gap between past assumptions and present realities is no longer theoretical – it is operational.
The Strait of Hormuz – through which about 25 per cent of global oil transits – is effectively closed. Brent crude has surged into the US$80s. Very large crude carrier spot rates are at historical highs. In some cases, insurance coverage has been cancelled altogether.
Washington’s expectation of a popular uprising has not materialised. Iran is not seeking victory but endurance – betting that sustained costs will force a peace deal on its terms. After using older weapons to drain Israeli and US air defences, Tehran has begun deploying advanced missiles, including hypersonic variants, with notable accuracy. Despite claims of degradation, Iran continues launching waves of ballistic missiles and drones.