How then would the West extract the ME oil required to function at our own 21st century level?
Go in post-strike to reconstitute the system, with occupational troops and contract oil workers?
A disruption of ME oil flows even for a matter of weeks or months would destroy the Western economies.
Travis -- that is a consequence not discussed in my post. But ... Kuwait, UAE, Saudi(?), Iraq, Bahrain ought to be able to pump enough to cover any shortfall due to loss of Iranian crude. We could have the Iranian offshore wells/ platforms back up in 120 days.
The other prime targets are not sources of oil.
But bottom line, winning this is more important than a near term disruption in the flow of oil from Arabian peninsula.
I'd take economy destroyed rather than our country destroyed!!!