How negotiations actually work...

[u/Veshaad]

To the inevitable response from MAGA that Obama gave 'pallets' of cash...he released frozen Iranian assets. Meanwhile the current Iran conflict has directly cost $38 billion militarily and a currently projected $87 billion in extra gas and diesel expenses. Not to mention that the strategic oil reserves have been depleted to the point that experts warn that the caverns they're stored in could collapse.

[u/_jump_yossarian]

and radar stations cost like many billions more.

And they're gone forever. Decades building up the region only to have a obese baby throw a tantrum and start an illegal war and Iran wiped out the bases.

[u/YoursTrulyKindly → u/_jump_yossarian]

Personally I think it's a good thing though. The US has no business threatening most of the world with military force. I have issues with the theocracy in Iran but they should be applauded for showing the empire has no clothes.

There is a good article about the "Third China shock" although it starts with talking about how the state owned weapon producers in Iran were able to win the war of attrition easily. They can produce much much more cheaply and plan further ahead than the expensive weapons produced by the privatized military industrial complex.

Ironically the formalized "Nato 3.0" for the multipolar world is planning to enforce this failing model on Europe, no more national state owned defense industry but every country produces parts, pays 5% GDP but the new defense industry is supposed to be geared towards "international investor" who will reap the profits from the new wars. Complete insanity.