4 min read

THE WAR THEY STARTED - AND LOST: HOW THE U.S. AND ISRAEL TRIGGERED A CRISIS THEY CAN’T CONTROL.

THE WAR THEY STARTED - AND LOST: HOW THE U.S. AND ISRAEL TRIGGERED A CRISIS THEY CAN’T CONTROL.

By Scheerpost - Chris Hedges-Human Synthesis-13 April-2026

On April 11, independent outlet Consortium News aired a stark assessment of the war on Iran—one that cuts through official narratives and exposes a far more dangerous reality. Hosted by Joe Lauria and featuring Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Chris Hedges, the program delivers a blunt conclusion: The United States and Israel have already lost.

Not in rhetoric. Not in headlines. But in material, strategic, and geopolitical terms.

What is now being presented as diplomacy is, in truth, an attempt to manage the fallout from a war that spiraled beyond control—a war built on flawed assumptions, misread intelligence, and political arrogance.

A WAR BUILT ON FANTASY

The premise was simple: strike Iran, decapitate its leadership, and trigger internal collapse. It didn’t happen. Despite assassinations and sustained bombardment, Iran’s government held. Its military capacity remained intact. Its alliances across the region—particularly with groups like Hezbollah—did not fracture. Instead, the war produced the opposite effect. Power consolidated internally. Hardline factions strengthened. And Iran adapted quickly, shifting to asymmetrical tactics that exposed vulnerabilities across U.S. and Israeli systems.

U.S. bases in the region were hit. Radar systems were degraded or destroyed. Israeli defenses were strained. And most critically—Iran retained control over the Strait of Hormuz, the single most important energy chokepoint in the world.

IRAN HOLDS THE LEVERAGE

This is the turning point. Iran doesn’t need to win a conventional war. It only needs to control the flow of global trade—and it does. By restricting access to the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has already demonstrated its ability to disrupt global markets, spike energy prices, and threaten cascading economic instability.

The consequences are immediate and global:

  • Oil and gas supply disruptions
  • Rising food prices tied to fertilizer shortages
  • Semiconductor production slowdowns
  • Supply chain breakdowns

This is not speculation. It is already unfolding. And it is why the United States—despite public posturing—has been pushing urgently for a ceasefire.

NEGOTIATING FROM WEAKNESS

According to Consortium News, Iran entered negotiations holding “almost all of the cards.” The talks, mediated by Pakistan, reflect not a diplomatic breakthrough but a strategic necessity for Washington.

Iran’s demands are sweeping:

  • Guarantees of no further aggression
  • Continued control over the Strait of Hormuz
  • Recognition of its right to uranium enrichment
  • Removal of sanctions
  • Withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region
  • Compensation for war damages

The U.S. position, by contrast, demands Iran dismantle the very capabilities that now give it leverage. The result is a fundamental impasse.

ISRAEL’S DIVERGENCE: SABOTAGING THE CEASEFIRE

If Washington is seeking an exit, Israel is moving in the opposite direction. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who played a central role in pushing the United States into the war, has shown no intention of de-escalating. Even as negotiations unfold, Israeli strikes in Lebanon continue—undermining the fragile ceasefire framework. According to reporting highlighted on the program, Israel’s objective remains unchanged: not containment, but the destruction or fragmentation of Iran as a regional power.

This divergence creates a dangerous dynamic:

  • The U.S. seeks de-escalation
  • Israel seeks continuation
  • Iran demands enforcement

And the entire process hinges on whether Washington can—or will—restrain its closest ally. Iran has made its position clear: if Israel’s attacks continue, the talks collapse.

A GLOBAL ECONOMIC TIME BOMB

The implications of this conflict extend far beyond the Middle East. Countries across Asia—Japan, South Korea, India—depend heavily on energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Even limited disruption forces emergency responses, including the release of strategic reserves. The longer instability continues, the greater the risk of systemic economic shock.

We are not looking at a regional downturn. We are staring at the potential for a global depression-level crisis. And unlike previous conflicts, this one intersects directly with already fragile supply chains, inflation pressures, and geopolitical fragmentation.

THE COLLAPSE OF U.S. AUTHORITY

Perhaps the most profound consequence of this war is not military—it is structural. The United States entered the conflict without meaningful consultation with allies. Gulf states—long dependent on U.S. protection—found themselves exposed and targeted. NATO distanced itself. Regional confidence eroded.

The message was unmistakable:

American power no longer guarantees stability.

In some cases, it produces the opposite.

This moment has been compared to the 1956 Suez Crisis—a historical inflection point where imperial limits were exposed to the world. The comparison is not hyperbole. It is a warning.

A SHIFTING WORLD ORDER

Behind the immediate conflict, a larger transformation is underway.

  • China and Russia are increasingly aligned with Iran
  • Trade routes are shifting away from dollar dominance
  • Regional alliances are recalibrating
  • U.S. military infrastructure is being reassessed as a liability

Even financial systems are beginning to reflect the shift, with transactions in key corridors moving away from the dollar. The foundations of U.S. global dominance—military, economic, and political—are all under strain.

WHAT COMES NEXT

The ceasefire is fragile. The negotiations are unstable. And the outcome remains uncertain. Iran has made clear it is prepared to escalate if its demands are not met. Israel appears willing to continue pushing toward broader conflict. The United States is caught between its strategic commitments and the growing recognition that this war cannot be won. Any miscalculation—from any side—could trigger a far more catastrophic phase.

THE REALITY THEY CAN’T SPIN

This was not a victory. It was a miscalculation of historic proportions. A war launched on the belief that power could dictate outcomes—only to reveal that power itself is shifting. The language of diplomacy may attempt to soften that reality. But the facts remain: The United States and Israel initiated a war they could not control. Iran emerged stronger. The global economy now hangs in the balance. And the world, whether Washington acknowledges it or not, is already moving into a new era.

Editor’s Note: At a moment when the once vaunted model of responsible journalism is overwhelmingly the play thing of self-serving billionaires and their corporate scribes, alternatives of integrity are desperately needed, and ScheerPost is one of them. Please support our independent journalism by contributing to our online donation platform, Network for Good, or send a check to our new PO Box. We can’t thank you enough, and promise to keep bringing you this kind of vital news. Donate OnlineSend a Check

Based on reporting and analysis from Consortium News — “The World This Week: Will the War End?” (April 11, 2026)