The war puzzle

The ongoing war in the Mideast and Persian Gulf has put the region and beyond on a razor-edge. The conflict, now in its 25th day, has entirely changed the dynamics of power politics, with Iran unbelievably penetrating into the Iron Dome of the Jewish State. The death and destruction in Israel is difficult to estimate, given the censorship in vogue, as media giants look the other way. So is the case, especially in Tehran and Natanz, which have been badly hit by US-Israel air strikes. With Gulf states keeping fingers crossed as they are under Iranian ire, paying a heavy price for a choice they made in realpolitik by hoisting US military bases, the need of the hour is to step back from the brink. The word of consolation is that President Trump is eager to give diplomacy a chance, and has put off for five days the ultimatum to hit energy and power installations in Iran. That psychological thaw must graduate into a permanent understanding for putting a halt to hostilities. Iran is, however, unrelenting and has refused to talk it out unless a spade is called a spade. It wants the US bases to be shut, and the aggressor duo to be made to pay for trigger-happiness. That, nonetheless, is an upfront positioning and is understandable, taking into account the wrong that has been committed against a nation that was close to a nuclear deal with the world. Iran's generosity is appreciable as it has climbed down the ladder, and says the Straits of Hormuz is open for navigation, provided 'enemy' vessels do not frequent it. That position is a jiff of fresh air, and must snowball into a perpetual deal for keeping oil and energy prices under the threshold of supra-inflation. Oil now being traded for over $100 a barrel is pushing a crisis of its own across the globe, as reserves even of self-sufficient states are likely to be exhausted in a few weeks. This is where some huddling of heads is desired to bring the war to an end and chart out a new roadmap of amicability in the region.