On February 28, President Trump broke off negotiations with Iran and, together with Israel, launched air and missile strikes on Iran. Trump never stated the objectives with crystal clarity but before too long it was clear the war was not going to meet them. Its impact nonetheless goes wide and deep. Countries with no role in the war are on the receiving end of price shocks, and food insecurity has risen sharply. The war has also dealt a severe blow to US prestige, its influence and power. Because of that, this is potentially a moment marking a decisive shift from one era to another, from US predominance to – well, whatever comes next because that is a long way short of being clear.

What is clear is that the war on Iran amounts, among other things, to a self-inflicted blow to US power.

I address that issue in an article for International Politics and Society, the online journal of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in Germany. The article is available here in English and here in German.