Fallout

Now that the US has bombed three nuclear enrichment facilities in Iran, US President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that “Now is the time for peace”, all in capital letters. Ironic, to say the least. The “no new wars” president has just thrust the US into another Middle Eastern conflict, something he has criticized his predecessors for doing. US military bases in the Middle East are on heightened alert in the event Iran retaliates. Iran has retaliated against Israel, which started everything by bombing Iran.

Trump seems to believe Iran would just take the bombing and come to the negotiating table. It is not lost on me that it was Trump who nullified a deal with Iran concerning nuclear weapons, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, which was signed during the term of President Barack Obama. The deal would have prevented Iran from developing a nuclear weapon in exchange for lifting sanctions against it. Some say Trump did that because he wanted to take away Obama’s success in forging the agreement. The bombing of Iran may be part of Trump’s playbook of creating chaos and then providing the solution to glorify himself.

However, that may be easier said than done. Iran has vowed retaliation. It has sent its foreign minister to Russia to discuss how to respond to the situation. Russia is a known ally of Iran, as both countries have exchanged weapons technology. The Shahed drones Russia has been using against Ukraine originated in Iran. Iran plans to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passageway for crude oil from the region. A blockade would disrupt the oil needs of many countries, including China. We are already seeing a spike in pump prices after Israel attacked Iran last June 13. That may worsen if the strait is closed. And as always, with rising gas prices comes the rise of prices on everything else.

The head of the International Monetary Fund has sounded the alarm. Kristalina Georgieva said the US attack has created a “highly uncertain environment.” Trump has already thrown a wrench into the global economy with his barrage of on and off tariffs. How his attack on Iran will affect everyone else is anyone’s guess. We can be sure it won’t be good. This is how poor countries are at the mercy of the actions of the rich. The Philippines has no part in any of the aforementioned conflicts but is greatly affected by them.