Analysis from West Point warns that strait of Hormuz blockade will strangle US defense industry

[LymphocyteLover]

Source: The Guardian

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.

According to the analysis, these minerals – used in everything from microprocessors to jet engines to drone batteries – “dictate how fast things can be built and scaled under the pressure of an ongoing war”, and the effects of a sudden supply shock on US defense readiness have never been modeled.

(snip)
Matisek warned of another possibility: “Markets are not going to be able to provide the amount of minerals that are needed to replace all these radars that have been destroyed and all these munitions that have to be replaced. It’s a really precarious spot to be in right now.”

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/19/west-point-analysis-iran-war-costs

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Genius war fighters at work

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. As if a bunch of people from West Point would know more about the consequences of war than Glorious Leader. NT

[twodogsbarking]

2. I think we may be related. That was my first thought. That there is creepy.

[Hugin]

5. Talk like that'll get West Point shut down for a good remodeling.

Everywhere can use some more pimp fur, go-go boots, goldish filigree, and hot pants it seems.

[LymphocyteLover]

10. and lots of marbles

[ChicagoTeamster]

18. Glorious Leader didn't consider the consequences. He needed the distraction no matter the cost.

He has no risk of injury or loss of wealth unless his gulf business partners cut him off. That's what it will probably take to end this.

Americans should demand that if there are to be any boots on the ground, Israelis go first.

[Hugin]

3. Even Dorothy's scarecrow would have had a plan.

[enough]

4. Reality rears its ugly head.

[Attilatheblond]

15. And shows how thin the veneer of invincibility of the US Military really is

It shows just how dumb, foolish, and gullible Trump & company are to think bully bluster would triumph over cultures with centuries of collected experience and wisdom.

Trump thinks the whole world is as gullible as the few voters and pols who are willfully ignorant enough to be bamboozled or bullied by his ridiculously thin reasoning and decades of being the loser he knows himself to be.

[BattleRow]

19. Not everybody is as clueless as he looks

[Hope22]

6. He was warned!

But like Tusi his job is not to keep the US safe. Like Bondi, her job is not answer questions. One by one it becomes clear that none of these people intended to do their jobs! Theft of power and funds… lock them up!

[travelingthrulife]

7. Well, someone should strangle that industry.

[LymphocyteLover]

11. That is an unexpected bonus ...

[yardwork]

12. Buckle up. Who knows where this is heading.

[kirby]

8. Wait....

I thought Drill Baby Drill and we are energy independent? Why is the strait impacting us?

[Attilatheblond]

16. Turns out the wind and sun ARE more important than Trump argues against

But then, the wind and sun don't pay him and their proponents don't have the cash fossil fool fuels have to offer.

[Firestorm49]

9. Plan? We don't need no stinking plan!

[Ford_Prefect]

13. This was among the reasons imbedded in the analysis which argued AGAINST attacking Iran.

The gang of blustering macho fools who aided and abetted Trump's paranoid fantasies were far out of their depth. Bibi , Vlad, & MBS twisted the knife into his puny ego knowing that the weight of prosecuting this war would fall on American shoulders.

Now the Pentagon wants evermore cash, as does Israel, to keep on losing the war and buy new toys.

It never rains but it pours, eh?

[City Lights]

14. No worries, people! Our very stable rapist is on it!

He's got it all figured out!

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

17. So he's started WWIII AND Vietnam II at the same time???