Ignoring hindsight, if US claims victory and heads home:
- Is Iran more or less likely to be pro or anti US?
- Are US’s ME allies more or less likely to be pro or anti US?
- Who will show up to help rebuild?
- How will reconstruction be paid for?
Seems obvious Russia and China will gain influence unless US can insert pro-American leadership, but more importantly are our relationships with everyone else in the region and beyond.
The clear solution to me is policing the waters, which perpetuates the tenuous times.
If we want to make this a game of risk, I foresee China applying the same logic to the Straight of Malacca
@the_chart_life Another way I think about it - to earn all of the extra fun during the time we have with our kids will really only take 2-3 years of extra work. Add to the mix finding something you actually enjoy doing for work, and the whole idea of retirement goes out the window