This is why the Iran war could drag on for a long time. Once the war with Iran began, The United States now has no clear path to a ceasefire. Iran is demanding massive reparations, amounting to trillions, and a permanent U.S. withdrawal from the Middle East. If those terms were accepted, Gulf states could effectively become dependent on Iran for access to the Strait of Hormuz. Should those states then move away from the petrodollar system, which currently cycles capital back into the U.S. economy, the consequences could be severe, potentially destroy the U.S. economy already burdened with nearly $40 trillion in debt.(WF)