AC, wrong question. The question is, do we want to protect a critical worldwide commodity whose price affects every nation, every company, and every family in every nation on earth?
My answer is absolutely.
...”do we want to protect a critical worldwide commodity..”
Does Great Britain want to protect it? Does Australia? Does Mexico? Does Canada? Does Ireland? Does France? Sweden? So many others?
Is there silence from everyone else while who knows who tries to get President Trump involved in war?
I think your argument needs a little more thought. You are correct on several points in this thread but the reasoning has to come back to vital national interest, not price of oil alone, because no price is worth a US solders life.
If you look back through this thread on my posts to AC or others, you will see I am not in disagreement with you. But your best arguments are rooted in the deaths of americans at the hands of Iranians and their continued spread of terrorism throughout the region. That coupled with the escalation of attacks on US drones, threats to US aircraft, shipping attacks, and now this are the basis for a good case to strike. The saudis are justified in doing anything in response today. I think the Iranians have provided the justification for the US or an alliance strike through the accumulated history of bad acting, but since our president did say he was going to avoid more of these things, he probably needs to present a very good case to the American people soon if he is going to have their support. The Dems are dying for him to make the leap into Iran to use against him as they have nothing else.