Three decades of U.S. presidents from both political parties - George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden - have promised but failed to ensure, the prevention of Iran's Mullahs gaining access to nuclear weapons and delivery means of same, capable of threatening death to the "Great Satan": America, and to the "Little Satan": Israel.
President Trump made the same pledge, and to his great credit, he's honoring it.
The urgency in this regard is, as it has been for some time, at its greatest.
As special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News earlier this month, "Both the Iranian negotiators said to us, directly, with, you know, no shame, that they controlled 460 kilograms of 60% [enriched uranium], and they're aware that that could make 11 nuclear bombs, and that was the beginning of their negotiating stance."
In the face of Iran's refusal to forswear nuclear weapons along with evidence it was rapidly increasing the number, sophistication and range of its delivery missiles, the Trump administration in partnership with Israeli leadership and joint military forces acted to definitively neutralize those threats.
Within a couple weeks into the conflict, Israel and the U.S. have extensively destroyed Iran's air defenses and missile forces, its navy, and its top leadership command structure. Yes, despite remarkable and rapid success, this isn't occurring without near-term economic costs.
Deploying swarms of cheap drones that are difficult to defend against, and mines deployed by small fast boats, the cleric regime of Iran has shut down global oil shipping through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, with hopes of driving prices up high and long enough to force an end to the joint U.S.- Israeli air strikes on military and munitions targets.
Since the bombing began on Feb. 8, average gasoline prices have climbed by 43 cents per gallon to $3.42 for regular unleaded, ranging from $2.98 per gallon in Galveston, Texas, versus $5.16 in Los Angeles.
International oil prices briefly surged to over $100 a barrel after seven tankers were attacked by Iran during a two-day period across the Persian Gulf.
Nevertheless, American gasoline prices were even higher during periods of President Biden's term when his administration halted natural gas exports, shuttered Alaskan and Gulf drilling, and pressed energy investors to abandon fossil fuel projects.
Also recall the Biden administration's raid on nearly half of America's Strategic Petroleum Reserve to drop gasoline prices ahead of mid-term 2022 elections.
Meanwhile, Trump has turbocharged U.S. oil and gas production and exports while engaging cooperation from American Gulf allies to cooperate in helping cover any supply slack.
Additionally, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has announced plans to release the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in history – 400 million barrels – this after Energy Secretary Chris Wright urged IEA members to drop climate disaster obsessions and deal with a true existential threat.
On March 13, U.S. forces surgically took out military targets on Iran's Kharg Island while leaving their primary oil export terminal that will be needed for peaceful post-war recovery untouched.
Located 300 miles north of the Hormuz Strait, 90% of Iran's oil is pumped from island terminals into supertankers primarily destined to China.
Trump noted on a Truth Social post, "A potential U.S. action against the island is already a threat that Iran is taking seriously . . . so better to keep this as a potential card to play and an item of leverage to be used during cease-fire and peace talks."
In response to a CNN report claiming that the Pentagon and National Security Council significantly underestimated worst case consequences of the Iran war's impact on the Strait of Hormuz, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth responded that this claim is "patently ridiculous."
Speaking at a Pentagon press briefing, he said, "Of course, for decades, Iran has threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz," adding, "This is always what they do hold the Strait hostage. CNN doesn't think we thought of that. It's a fundamentally unserious report."
As for the resulting spike in oil prices, traffic stoppage in the Strait of Hormuz wasn't unexpected as a reason past presidents were deterred from confronting Iran’s nuclear program.
What is different now is that thanks to America's 47th commander in chief, the U.S. has ample oil and gas supplies to weather out the disruption and to also support allies.
In any case, from his perspective a short short-term increase in oil and gasoline prices is worth eliminating Iran's threat to the Mideast, the world economy, and the U.S.
He recently spoke at a Kentucky rally, "We don't want to leave early, do we? We got to finish the job. . . We don't want to go back every two years."
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright explained the situation pragmatically, "Short-term pain for long-term gain" of denying Iran's mullahs an ability "to hold the world hostage whenever it wants."
Larry Bell is an endowed professor of space architecture at the University of Houston where he founded the Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture and the graduate space architecture program. His latest of 12 books is "Architectures Beyond Boxes and Boundaries: My Life By Design" (2022). Read more Larry Bell Insider articles — Click Here Now.