Timothy Birdnow

I've said it all along; if the Strait of Hormuz is closed to shipping the Iranians will be hurt worse than anyone else. Closure does as much a disservice to Iran as it does to the United States - maybe more so. Iran's chief export moves primarily through that strait.

Yes, the airstrikes on Kharg Island and Trump's unwillingness to back down have given the Iranians pause, but I suspect they are starting to realize this closure hurts them more than it helps them. And in the process it infuriates their Arab neighbors based in the Gulf of Arabia.

Actually there is no good reason NOT to burn out the island, which is the nerve center for Iran's oil industry. We can ship the crude elsewhere for refining.

The idea of building a canal to bypass the Strait of Hormuz has been kicked around for decades. For instance, Dubai thought to do it back in 2008 but the cost is prohibitive and it would only have value in times of war. There would be no profit for such a canal in peacetime.

The canal would need to stretch `112 miles and travel over the Hajar mountains, moving ships with locks. Since oil tankers are ridiculously heavy and large the task would be daunting - and very expensive.

Another option is building a pipeline and offloading the ships in the Gulf. Abu Dhabi has the Habshan Fujaira pipeline to move oil from the Gulf to the Indian Ocean, but it's like trying to feed an elephant with an eyedropper. A much larger pipeline is needed. But of course you have the same problem; it's economically impractical during peacetime.

So it looks like the Strait of Hormuz is going to be the lifeline of energy into the forseeable future. It's too bad because this gives Iran enormous power if they choose to exercise it. Of course, as I say, it is a double edged simitar for Iran as closing the strait hurts them as much or more than it hurts anyone else.

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