The closure of the strait of Hormuz is causing a “paralyzing, real-time problem” for any prospective manufacturing surge in the US defense industrial base, and even for the repair of defense equipment damaged by Iranian attacks, according to analysis published by West Point’s Modern War Institute. In particular sulphur, a vital upstream input in the extraction of critical minerals including copper and cobalt, has seen a “near total” disruption of seaborne trade in the straits, which makes up half the world’s total shipments, and prices have spiked nearly 25% since the war began, and seen a 165% rise year on year, the report said... One of the authors of that analysis, USAF lieutenant colonel and nonresident fellow at the US Naval War College Jahara “Franky” Matisek, told the Guardian in a telephone conversation that its “a cascading issue” raising the possibility that a “knock-on effect of this war is that it may cost double or more than double to replace all these weapons because all the mineral demand is going to go way up”. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/19/west-point-analysis-iran-war-costs I wonder if Trump will try to have lieutenant colonel Matisek tried for treason.
